BUTTE — The Mining City has been steadfast in its support for Bobcat quarterback Tommy Mellot, who will play for the FCS National Championship Monday night, ever since he got his start at Butte High School where he also picked up the admiration of a young child who has been rooting him on ever since.
"She tried to throw him out of the gym and didn’t realize it was Tommy Mellott, so she’s probably the only tiny child that ever tried to throw Tommy Mellott out of a gym," says Holly Carpenter, the Bulldog cheer coach and mother of the young fan.
In 2018, when Tommy Mellott was just a junior in High School, Carpenter and her daughters were painting signs in the BHS gym for the football team's homecoming game.
Carpenter has a rule that kids can’t play in the gym when signs are being painted for fear that a loose ball will pick up paint and damage the floor.
Eight-year-old Travee Carpenter was intent on keeping that rule when Tommy Mellott and friends started tossing a ball around.
"And I look up and there she is with her hands on her hip on her hips and she says, 'What do you think you’re doing?' He said, 'Well, we’re just throwing around the ball. Are you going to come to the game tomorrow night?'" says Carpenter.
As she tells the story, Travee looks down and smirks. She thinks the version is a bit overly dramatized but it matches up with what she remembers from that time.
Her mom says Tommy’s kind response inspired eight-year-old Travee, who is now 13 years old, to become a super fan.
"He referred to her as his lucky charm because the night after they met (the Bulldogs) played in the homecoming game. It was the first win in a while and then he’s just been on a streak since," says Carpenter.
Over time, Travee and Tommy have become close friends. She has a collection of pictures after each home game for the Bulldogs and the Bobcats. Tommy even attended her eigth birthday party, taking a seat at the table with Travee and her tiny friends. He also invited Travee to attend when he signed on with the Bobcats. He even wrote a special note to Travee in her memory book.
"Down here it says you can accomplish anything you put your mind to; don’t let anyone ever take your sparkle or who you are right now," says Travee Carpenter.
In the book, she wears Tommy's freshman-year jersey that he gifted to her. She points to a quote that he and his mother wrote.
Does she think it’s a lot of pressure to be called a good luck charm?
"No, not really," says Travee as she smiles. "I mean, it depends. Sometimes, you know, you get those subconscious thoughts that if you don’t go to the game they’ll lose and it’s going to be all your fault but really, it’s chance and skill."
Chance and skill. Something the Bobcats seem to have mastered in their undefeated season.
Travee and her family will be cheering on the Cats from Montana during the championship game taking place in Frisco, Texas, and she can’t wait to check in with Tommy when he returns home.
