Butte Handball Association

03/30/2026

Butte, MT – March 29, 2026

The Montana State Handball Championship tournament was held at the Elks in Butte over the weekend. Thirty-two players competed in singles and doubles.

Shelby native Pete Svennungsen of Spokane swept the Open division of the Montana State Handball Championship in Butte Sunday. Svennungsen defeated Butte’s Brett Badovinac to win the Open Singles title. He then paired with Chance Wachholz of Whitefish to win the Open Doubles title by defeating two-time defending champions Sam Sottosanti of Ohio and Chris Tico of Sand Point, Idaho.

It is Svennungsen’s third consecutive open singles title. It is the fourth time Svennungsen and Wachholz teamed to win the title. Wachholz has now won six state doubles titles to go along with his four state singles titles.

Missoula’s Kirk Johnson defeated Ken Scott of Lander, Wyoming in a thrilling final of the Super Golden Masters Singles. Johnson edged Scott 11-10 in the tiebreaker after splitting the first two games. It is Johnson second consecutive title and third state singles title.

Jay Spooner of Fargo, North Dakota won the Diamond Masters Singles. He defeated East Helena’s John Larson 21-14, 21-17 in the final. It is Spooner’s fourth Montana singles title.

Spooner then teamed with Jackson Wyoming’s Dan Passolt to win the Super Golden Masters Doubles title, defeating Luther’s Dan Scilley and Billings’ Mike Meyer in the final. It is the third Montana doubles title for Spooner and Passolt.

Billings’s Chris Graham won the A division and Butte’s Connor O’Neill won the B Division.

This is the first year since 1980 that both the Montana State Singles and Double were held together.

The tournament celebrated 100 years of Handball at the Elks in Butte. The courts opened in the fall of 1925 and the first invitational tournament was held in March 1926. The two original courts are much the same as when they opened. Complete Results:

Open Singles
1st Round – Don Foley, Butte d. Chris Graham, Billings 20-21, 21-13, 11-1; Shaun Gonda, Sheridan, WY d. Luke Santore, Missoula; Henry O’Brien, Florence d. Nick Piazzola, Butte
Quarterfinals – Pete Svennungsen, Spokane, WA d. Foley 21-13, 21-15; Sam Sottosanti, Ohio d. Gonda 21-8, 21-14; Marcus Madrazo, Butte d. Travis Peevey, Cheney, WA 19-21, 21-12, 11-3; Brett Badovinac, Butte d. O’Brien 21-4, 21-11
Semifinals – Svennungsen d. Sottosanti 21-12, 21-12; Badovinac d. Madrazo 21-10, 21-16
Final – Svennungsen d. Badovinac 21-15, 21-12

Super Golden Master (60+) Singles
Quarterfinals – Mike Hitchcock, Butte d. Todd Timboe, Seeley Lake ; Ken Scott, Lander, WY d. Eric Howe, Melrose
Semifinals – Kirk Johnson, Missoula d. Hitchcock; Scott d. Don Schmidt, Missoula
Consolation – Howe d. Timboe 21-4, 21-8
Third – Hitchcock d. Schmidt 21-8, 21-17
Final – Johnson d. Scott 11-21, 21-12, 11-10

Diamond Masters (70+) Singles
Quarterfinals – Jay Spooner, Fargo, ND d. Tom Madrazo, Butte 21-6, 21-8; John Larson, East Helena d. Steve Birrell, Bozeman 21-11, 12-21, 11-3; Dan Scilley, Luther d. Scott Salo, Butte 21-14, 21-9
Semifinals – Spooner d. Mike Meyer, Billings 21-16, 21-15; Larson d. Scilley 21-7, injury default
Final – Spooner d. Larson 21-14, 21-17

Open Doubles
Quarterfinals – Henry O’Brien, Florence and Eric Schmidt, Lolo d. Chris Graham, Billings and Shaun Gonda, Sheridan, WY; Pete Svennungsen, Spokane, WA and Chance Wachholz, Whitefish d. Ken Scott, Lander, WY and Dan Passolt, Jackson, WY; Marcus Madrazo, Butte and Don Foley, Butte d. Luke Santore, Missoula and Nick Piazzola, Butte
Semifinals – Sam Sottosanti, Ohio and Chris Tico, Sand Point, ID d. O’Brien and Schmidt 21-3, 21-10; Svennungsen and Wachholz d. Madrazo and Foley 21-15, 21-13
Final – Svennungsen and Wachholz d. Sottosanti and Tico 21-12, 20-21, 11-4

Super Golden Masters (60+) Doubles
Quarterfinals – Todd Timboe, Seeley Lake and Sam Baldridge, Whitefish d. Steve Birrell, Bozeman and Rich Jones, Bozeman
Semifinals – Dan Scilley, Luther and Mike Meyer, Billings d. Timboe and Baldridge 10-21, 21-4, 11-7; Jay Spooner, Fargo, ND and Passolt, Jackson, WY d. Tom Madrazo, Butte and Scott Salo, Butte
Consolation Semifinal – Madrazo and Salo d. Birrell and Jones 21-15, 17-21, 11-2
Third – Timboe and Baldridge d. Madrazo and Salo 21-16, 20-21, 11-4

A Singles (Round Robin)
1st – Chris Graham, Billings d. Luke Santore, Missoula; d. Nick Piazzola, Butte
2nd – Nick Piazzola, Butte d. Santore 21-15, 21-7

A Doubles (Round Robin)
1st – Ken Scott, Lander, WY and Dan Passolt, Jackson, WY d. Chris Graham, Billings and Shuan Gonda, Sheridan, WY; d. Luke Santore, Missoula and Nick Piazzola, Butte 21-14, 21-18
2nd - Chris Graham, Billings and Shaun Gonda, Sheridan, WY d. Santore and Piazzola

B Singles
Final – Connor O’Neill, Butte d. Tommy Heppler, Butte 21-11, 21-18
Open Singles Consolation
Semifinals – Shaun Gonda, Sheridan, WY d. Don Foley, Butte, MT 21-12, 21-11; Travis Peevey d. Henry O’Brien 21-19, 21-16
Final – Gonda d. Peevey 21-1, 21-8

Diamond Masters (70+) Consolation
Tom Madrazo, Butte d. Steve Birrell, Bozeman 21-8, 21-9; Scott Salo, Butte d. Birrell 20-21, 21-15, 11-1

03/29/2026

The Montana State Handball Tournament concludes Sunday at the Elks. The open single final features two-time defending champion Pete Svennungsen versus three-time champion Brett Badovinac at 10:15am. The open doubles final pits two-time defending champions Sam Sottosanti and Chris Tico versus three-time champions Pete Svennungsen and Chance Wachholz at 12:45.

Other finals are:
Super Golden Masters Singles - defending champion Kirk Johnson vs Ken Scott 9:00am
Super Golden Masters Doubles - defending champions Dan Scilley and Mike Meyer vs. Dan Passholt and Jay Spooner 11:30am
Veteran Masters Singles - Jay Spooner vs. John Larson 9:00am

03/12/2026

Brett Badovinac defeated Don Foley 21-4, 21-7 to win the Butte City Handball Championship Wednesday Night at the Elks. Badovinac extends his record City Singles Championship count to thirteen, including eight consecutive titles. Marcus Madrazo defeated Mike Hitchcock to place third. Complete results:

Quarterfinals – Brett Badovinac d. Connor O’Neill; Mike Hitchcock d. Tom Madrazo; Don Foley d. Eric Howe; Marcus Madrazo d. Nick Piazzola
Semifinals – Badovinac d. Hitchcock, Foley d. M. Madrazo 11-21, 21-20, 11-4
Third – M. Madrazo d. Hitchcock
Final – Badovinac d. Foley 21-4, 21-7

02/27/2026

Mike Hitchcock won his third consecutive Butte Super Golden Masters championship at the Elks last week. He defeated Tom Madrazo 21-10, 21-11 in the final.

Brett Badovinac won the under 60 division, defeating Marcus Madrazo 21-9, 21-2 in the final.

The Butte City Open tournament will start March 11 at the Elks. An entry sheet will be at the Elks or you can contact me to enter.

Complete results:
Super Golden Masters
Semifinals - Mike Hitchcock d. Scott Salo; Tom Madrazo d. Eric Howe
Final - Hitchcock d. Madrazo 21-11, 21-10

Under 60
Semifinals - Marcus Madrazo d. Matt Piazzola; Brett Badovinac d. Don Foley 21-9, 21-4
Final - Badovinac d. Madrazo 21-9, 21-2

02/09/2026

🚨 Exciting News 🚨

Canada to Host 2027 World 4‐Wall Handball Championships

The World Handball Council has officially awarded the 2027 World 4‐Wall Handball Championships to Calgary, Alberta. The event will take place in August 2027 and will be hosted in partnership with Alberta Handball and the Canadian Handball Association.
The Calgary and Alberta handball communities have a long history of delivering world‐class handball tournaments. The Alberta Handball Association and the Calgary Handball Club successfully hosted the World Handball Championships in August 2015, welcoming 725 athletes competing in both 4‐Wall and 1‐Wall events. That tournament remains memorable for many reasons—including Paul Brady capturing his fifth World Title at the University of Calgary.
As a global city with an international airport and close proximity to Banff National Park, Calgary offers visitors an exceptional blend of sport, culture, and natural beauty. Early planning is already underway to ensure athletes, families, and fans enjoy a uniquely Western Canadian experience.
Registration is expected to open in early 2027. Additional details will be shared as planning progresses, and updates will be provided regularly.
We look forward to welcoming the world back to Calgary in 2027 for another unforgettable celebration of international handball

Best regards,
Jim Eistetter - President
Canadian Handball Association

12/07/2025

https://buttecast.com/2025/12/07/sottosanti-larson-win-ryan-bersanti/

Sam Sottosanti and John Larson captured titles at the 40th Annual Bill Ryan and Al Bersanti Memorial Handball tournament Saturday at the Elks. Sottosanti, a former Butte resident now living in…

11/27/2025

Missoula, MT, WPH Press -  Enter the September 18-20, 2026 Race 4 Eight Red HERE The WPH is thrilled to return to Missoula, MT for the September 18-20, 2026 Red, one of the tour’s premiere stops. The Peak

04/14/2025

https://buttecast.com/2025/04/13/svennungsen-defends-handball-title/

MISSOULA — Shelby native Pete Svennungsen won the Montana State Singles Handball Championship at the Peak Raquet Club Sunday. Svennungsen defeated Chris Tico of Sand Point, Idaho in the final match…

03/27/2025

Brett Badovinac defeated Marcus Madrazo to win the Butte City Singles Handball Championship Wednesday night at the Elks. It is Badovinac’s Twelfth City Singles title, moving him one past Jack Cavanaugh for the most ever. He has won seven consecutive titles and twelve of the last thirteen. It is the second year in a row he defeated Marcus Madrazo for the title. Complete results:

Quarterfinals – Brett Badovinac d. Gage Guldseth; Mike Hitchcock d. Eric Howe 21-10, 21-18; Don Foley d. Scott Salo; Marcus Madrazo d. Dawson Huff
Semifinals – Badovinac d. Hitchcock 21-7, 21-7; Madrazo d. Foley 21-13, 21-16
Final – Badovinac d. Madrazo 21-5, 21-6

03/15/2025

The City Singles will start March 24, instead of this week. Let me know if you want to play by Saturday, March 22.

03/12/2025

The Butte City singles will start next week. Let me know by Sunday, March 16 if you’d like to play. There will be a signup sheet at the Elks.