Brody Galle earns first Shrine Game nod for Copperheads since 2016-Travis Dye named as alternate

In what was an eight-year hiatus for the Copperheads, Brody Galle will be on the field for the West for the 79th playing of the East-West Shrine Game.

Galle, selected by the committee at wide receiver after his record-setting season for the Copperheads, was the first Anacondan since Sean Gallagher played in the 2016 game.

Copperhead quarterback Travis Dye, who was selected as an alternate, also has a chance to suit up for the West as both a quarterback or defensive end.

The Montana Shrine Game is the premier all-star game in Montana and has a long history of distinguished players and coaches. It is also one of the oldest high school all-star football games in America. Every year since 1947, Montana high schools’ finest players are selected to compete in a game to raise money and to help make the public aware of the expert orthopedic care available at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Spokane, Washington. Expert care is provided regardless of the family’s ability to pay. In recent years, the Montana game has become the top Shrine Game in the nation for hospital donations. In the last ten years this game has raised over $1,000,000. Forty of Montana’s finest are selected to compete on each team and two players from Canada will join them, one for the East and one for the West.

Heading the West Team will be Grady Bennett. The 2026 season will be Coach Bennett’s 23rd year as a head coach and 20th year at Glacier High School, where he’s led the Wolfpack to six state championship games in the past 13 seasons, winning the Class AA State Championship in 2014 and 2025. The Wolfpack have made 16 playoff appearances in 19 seasons. Coach Bennett played in the Montana East-West Shrine Game in 1986, was an assistant coach for the West in 1997 and 2007, and was the Head Coach of the 2012 West Team. He is honored to have a role in the Shrine Game for five decades.

Anaconda had a breakout season on the gridiron thanks to the record-setting seasons by both Galle and Dye. They finished in third place in the loaded Western B, making the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Galle shattered the school record for receptions yards in a season and career. Truth be told, he could’ve also been selected on the defensive side of the ball as well. In his three-year career, Galle caught 73 passes for 1,358 yards and 11 TDs. He passed Marcus Fischer for total yards (1,133) and Kyle Moore for yards in a season (507) with 807 on 43 receptions – a remarkable average of 19.5 yards/catch. Adding in all of his exploits, including rushing and special teams, Galle averaged 139.2 yards/game his senior year and 103.2 ypg in his career.

“Brody has been a huge part of our transformation of the culture we are trying to establish in Anaconda. We have really begun to understand that it’s more than just football,” said third year head coach Dan Lacey. “It’s becoming great humans great mentors role models, and giving back to our community that cares so much about our athletics. He has done so much for the program and his athletic ability is just a bonus to the great human being he is. I’m extremely proud of his accomplishments and I’m excited to get to coach him another time. He will do a great job of representing our town in our community and he’ll never know how truly proud I am of him.”

Anaconda was hoping for multiple selections for the first time since 2007 when Kelly Deeks and Jake Orrino made the team. And when you look at the numbers it’s obvious Dye had the juice to back it up. Unfortunately, the committee chose former Sacramento State commit and Glacier state championship QB Jackson Presley and Butte Central signal caller Ryan Peoples to run the West offense.

Dye shattered the passing yardage in a season record for the Copperheads and became one of if not the best dual threat QB to ever wear the Blue and Silver. Dye completed 134-for-222 passes for 2,170 yards with 17 TDs. He also rushed for 798 yards on 105 carries, an impressive 7.6 yards/carry with 12 TDs. During his senior season, Dye accounted for an amazing 2,968 total yards and 31 total TDs.

The signal caller only played the position for two years, being thrust into the role after injuries in his junior season. In just two years at the position, he threw for 2,822 yards and rushed for 1,236 yards and 35 total TDs. His senior season eclipsed Matt King’s 2009 school record of 1,764 yards. And as with Galle, Dye could’ve been selected on the defensive side of the ball as well, being a dominant force at DE.

“Travis has a tremendous career for us and we put him in so many difficult situations this season and he was able to handle adversity and really grew up as a human being and I think that’s what’s made me the most proud,” Lacey said. “He really bought in on being a team first community driven individual and I challenged him to do this last season and he really took that challenge on and become a huge leader for us. I’m excited to watch his future with Montana Tech, and I’m extremely proud that he was selected as an alternate for the shrine game as well, he will also represent the Copperhead community with class and honor, and I’m looking forward to hoping to see his name selected from the alternate list come June.”

The game will be played in Butte this spring. Lacey said he will be assisting Bennett for the West as well.

“These two are extremely deserving and the copperhead community should be very proud of their efforts as football players, but more importantly as student athlete advocates for our community and our school.” he said. “There is so much that both these two do behind the scenes in the community to help that might go unnoticed at times, but it’s what really has made us grow as a team and I’m forever grateful for these two and look forward to seeing what the future entails for both of them.”

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