The Montana High School Sports Association announced on July 29, 2024 that it had turned down a joint football program proposal from Twin Bridges and Sheridan high schools.
Executive director Brian Michelotti explained that the decision hinged on the size of the rosters each school would bring to a combined team, noting that both programs already fielded enough players to field independent squads.
Roster size drives the association’s stance
For Ed Burke, Sheridan’s athletic director, the rejection marks the third consecutive co‑op application denied by the association, a pattern that began after the schools first sought to merge their teams.
Burke said the schools had considered a co‑op in part because of a student death earlier in the winter, a tragedy that added urgency to stabilizing the program, but he ruled out abandoning football altogether.
He added that contingency plans are already in motion, including the hiring of a new coach and the recruitment of local volunteers to keep the teams competitive.
Both schools expect to field roughly 14 to 16 players for the upcoming season, and tryouts are scheduled to begin on August 14, 2024, giving athletes a chance to showcase their skills before the new roster is finalized.