Area Fall Sports 2018 by Havre Daily News

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September 2018

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

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Pony golf teams already in the heart of their 2018 season Havre High golf has a new head coach in Walynn Burgess George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com Fall always seems to feel like it should be the end of golf season but for the Havre High golf teams, it's the beginning and the end. In high school sports there is always turnover and there will be with the Ponies, too. The biggest change comes in leadership, as Walynn Burgess has taken over the reins as head coach. The previous head coach was Brett Gillman. In addition to a new coach, the Ponies also have some new players, with 24 total going out, including a slew of returners on both the boys and girls teams. “We have about 24 kids out and a lot of them are younger,” Burgess said, “so that’s exciting. I think that we have some talent. We definitely have some things to learn and need to get some experience, but I think that we have some potential to be a pretty good team down the road.” The boys team failed to make the Class A state tournament in 2017, however, the Pony boys are not without state experience as both Caleb Chambliss and Nolan Lotton return after competing at state a season ago. The girls team did in fact qualify for the state tournament and the Ponies wound up finishing sixth. A big part of that effort was Teagan Fee, who shot for ninth place over all, earning her Class A All-State honors. While having an All-State golfer in the lineup will be a luxury for coach Burgess, the girls team, which currently has just four players, also has some others who return with state-tournament experience, such as senior Kinzee Peterson, who is also an All-State softball player and Jocelyn Staples. The other member of the girls team will be Sophie Kirkpatrick. The boys team will have less experience overall than the girls squad, but there will also be more competition for a spot on the varsity roster each week. Burgess said it would be decided on a weekly basis but that as of right now Chambliss is considered his No. 1. Other contenders are Josh Warp, Tyrell Kjersem, Tavish McLean, Lotton, Eli Cloninger and Clint Owens. “We are really young,” Burgess said. “I think of the 24 kids that we have, only five or so are juniors or above. So we are going to be young but we have some talent.” Havre has already played most of its regular season tournaments this season, and will look to finish strong with the Eastern A Divisional Sept. 21 in Laurel, and the Class A State Tournament Sept. 28-29 at the Hamilton Country Club in Hamilton.

Courtesy of Helmbrecht Studios Above: The Havre High boys golf team poses for its annual team photo earlier this summer at Prairie Farms Golf Course. The Blue Pony boys are young, but numbers are high, and Havre is starting to show big improvements as the season has gone on. Right: The Havre High girls golf team poses for a photo earlier this summer at Prairie Farms Golf Course. Both Blue Pony teams are under the direction of new head coach Walynn Burgess, and the teams are past the halfway point of the 2018 season.

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September 2018

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

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Chinook looking to start fresh on the volleyball court George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com If there’s one team that has been synonymous with success in District 6C East volleyball over the last decade, it would certainly be the Chinook Sugarbeeters. At one point, the Beeters had won five straight 6C East championships. But, last season, injuries and struggles against tough rivals caused a bump in the road for the Beeters. So, under new head coach Paula Molyneaux, Chinook is eager to get right back to where the Beeters have been for so long — at the top of the 6C East. Molyneaux, who is also Chinook’s activities director, is no stranger to the game of volleyball, so the transition will no doubt be a smooth one. And she inherits a strong roster with several key returnees. At the top of the list of returners for Chinook are veterans Kourtney Hanson and Megan Molyneaux. Hanson is a three-time All-Conference performer and has was arguably one of the top offensive players in the 6C East last season. Molyneaux is a multidimensional player who can play all over the floor for the Beeters, and together they form a dynamic duo. Chinook also returns veterans Rachel Gunderson and Ashley MacLeod, who both saw playing time last season, while young athletes like Delaney Kellam, Ginger Hauer, Hailey Bell, Jade Cecrle, Lilly Surber and Lincy Johnson help round out a Chinook lineup that should be strong this fall. And while the Beeters didn’t finish where they wanted to a season ago, with the talent they have on the floor this season, there’s no doubt they’ll be right back to battling North Star, Chester-Joplin-Inverness and Box Elder for the 6C East crown this season. The 6C East Tournament will be held Oct. 25-26 in Rudyard. The 2018 Northern C is slated for Nov. 1-3 in Belt, and the Class C state tournament will be held Nov. 8-10 at Montana State University in Bozeman.

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September 2018

Bears start a new era on the gridiron Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Box Elder football team hasn’t had a strong tradition of winning. However, just a few years ago, the Bears played for the Class C Six-Man state championship and now that they are playing 8-Man football, they are trying to work their way back toward the top. And while Neil Rosette Jr. was an integral part of that original climb that culminated with a title game loss to Denton-Geyser-Stanford in 2015, the former head coach has stepped aside, turning their reins over to former Montana State University-Northern player and interim head coach Jake Eldridge. Eldridge, who played defensive back for the Lights under Mark Samson, was Northern’s interim head coach on two separate

occasions. He held the title throughout the 2014 season and took the job again at the end of the Lights 2017 campaign. But now Eldridge, who is teaching in Box Elder, is back in the high school ranks and he’s excited about what the opportunity to build something in Box Elder. “Things have been going really well so far,” Eldridge said. “The kids have really been working hard and doing the things we are asking them to do. It has been an adjustment, learning the 8-Man game and knowing that. But we have some guys that were on staff back this season and that has really helped the transition.” One challenge that Eldridge and the Bears will need to overcome this season is the fact that his roster will include only 13 players. “When you are playing 8-Man football and you only have a few subs, it makes it tough,” Eldridge said. “Our numbers aren’t

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Chinook volleyball team poses for a photo prior to the start of the 2018 high school volleyball season. The Sugarbeeters have a new head coach in veteran Paula Molyneaux.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Box Elder Bears football team poses for a team photo before the start of the 2018 high school football season. In recent years, the Bears have gone through quite a few changes, including moving into the Northern C as an eight-man team last season. Now, the Bears have even more changes this season, as they are under the direction of new head coach Jake Eldridge. Eldridge, a former All-Conference defensive back for the Montana State University-Northern Lights, comes to Box Elder after a long stint as the defensive coordinator for the Lights.

great right now. They are doable but we are hoping to get them up higher to compete with teams like Choteau, Shelby and Great Falls Central. You are looking at 25-30 kids on those teams. But we are happy with the kids we got and we have a big eighth-grade class coming up next year.” The Bears also have just three seniors, although one of them, Seth Duran, will be one of the team’s top players. Duran will play both offensive and defensive line for the Bears. Another senior is Jerrell Anderson, who will see some time at quarterback and possibly wide receiver. Chris Burns and Nacona Limberhand are two other key contributors that return for the Bears at running back. The Bears will have their work cut out for them in their sub-division of the Northern C which includes Belt, Great Falls Central, Choteau, Chester-Joplin-Inverness and

Hays-Lodge Pole. But after just one win last season, the Bears are looking to improve more than they are looking to contend for the playoffs. “At this point, I have no idea how we will stack up against the Northern C,” Eldridge said. “I haven’t really had a chance to assess how we compare to other teams, I just know that we are working really hard and we have a lot of talented kids, so I am excited to see where we do stack up. But I do know, after recruiting the Northern C for a long time, it’s going to be a tough slate, but it will be some good competition. Just kind of like when I was in college, the Frontier was one of the best conferences in the nation and the Northern C is probably the best conference we have in the state of Montana when it comes to our classification.” Box Elder opened its season against Lone Peak.

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September 2018

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

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Box Elder ready to continue climbing the volleyball ranks

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Over the past few seasons, the Box Elder volleyball team has gotten more and more competitive within the District 6C East and this season, under the direction of a new head coach, the Bears are hoping to take that next step in 2018. While the Bears have gone through a couple of coaching changes on the volleyball team in the past few years, the addition of new head coach Autumn Elliot has been exciting for the program and the new coach had the following to say back in May about taking over the team.

“I am very excited to be coaching at Box Elder,” Elliot said. “The raw talent is here and with some hard work and skills training we will be a team to watch out for.” The Bears are coming off a solid campaign that saw them post a 5-5 record in district play, thanks in large part to Lilly Gopher who earned Second-Team All-Conference honors in the district last season. Unfortunately, the Bears couldn’t parlay a fourth-place finish in the standings into a higher finish at the district tournament. A top-three finish is needed in the 6C East to advance to the Northern C Divisional and that’s a mark the Bears have yet to reach. Gopher has been a big part of making the Bears more competitive the past two

seasons and after earning Second-Team honors the past two seasons, she will have her sights set on becoming an All-District player in 2018. Joining Gopher on the roster this season for the Bears are Aysia Lamere, Britney LaFromboise, Eve The Boy, Janae Johnson, Joelnell Momberg, Katarina Parker, Kiana Heavyrunner, Maddie Wolf Chief, Maia Henderson, Sarah Parisian and Zayna Henderson. Gopher is also a star on the basketball court, but she is far from the only two-way star on the volleyball team as Momberg, a University of Montana commit in women’s basketball, should also stand out. Other members of the Box Elder girls basketball state title team that play volleyball are LaHavre Daily News/Colin Thompson Above: The Box Elder volleyball team poses for a photo before the start of the 2018 season. After a successful 2017 season, new Box Elder coach Autumn Elliot is looking to lead the Bears to even bigger things this season. Right: Box Elder senior Lilly Gopher isn't just one of the top basketball players in Montana, she's also a standout on the volleyball court as well. Gopher is also part of a big returning class for the Box Elder volleyball program this season.

Fromboise, The Boy, Parisian, Wolf Chief, Maia Henderson and Zayna Henderson. However, if the Bears want to see their success on the basketball floor translate over to volleyball, they will need to find a way to catch up to teams in the district such as North Star, the defending champion, Chinook and Chester-Joplin-Inverness, which is a team filled with returning talent. As of right now, the Bears should still be viewed as behind North Star, Chinook and CJI in the 6C pecking order, but after a .500 season in district play a year ago, as well as getting the majority of their key players back, Box Elder volleyball could be in line for its best season in a long time, by the time the 6C East tourney rolls around.

September 2018

Beeters working hard to reload their proud football program Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Chinook Sugarbeeters were the dominant team in Class C 8-Man football just a few short years ago and under the direction of new head coach Mike Jones, the Beeters are hoping to start their climb back to the top. Jones, who played high school football at

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

Power-Dutton-Brady and has coached high school football both in Montana and California, takes over the helm at Chinook, following the departure of Christian Lehnert, who was the head coach for just one season. Jones will be the third coach in the last three years for the Beeters. Scott Friede, who led Chinook to a state championship in 2015, stepped down following the 2016 season. “It just felt like the right time to come back to Montana,” Jones said after a stint

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Chinook football team poses for a team photo at Hoon Field before the start of the 2018 season. The Sugarbeeters are hoping to rebound after a tough 2017 season. Chinook has a strong nucleus of returning starters, but the Beeters also play in the tough Northern C.

of coaching football in California. “The job in Chinook opened up and it seemed like a great opportunity.” After going undefeated in 2015, the Beeters have posted back-to-back losing seasons and have missed the playoffs two years running. Yet, Chinook returns some key players from last year’s squad, which should help make the transition to a new coaching staff a little smoother. In all, Jones said he had 24 players out for football.

“Overall, our numbers are pretty good,” Jones said. “I would like to see us be at around 28, that would be ideal. But I am happy with our numbers. We have a lot of young kids, but they are working hard and they have really adapted to our program.” One of the key positions on any football team is the quarterback, and Jones will be lucky to have an experienced player returning in that position, as senior Trajan Hannum will be the Beeters’ starting quarterback again in 2018. When Hannum throws the football, one of his top targets will be tight end Brenden Edwards, who is arguably the Beeters best pass catcher and quite possibly, it’s best defensive player as well. Running back James Christensen is another veteran who returns. He should handle the bulk of carries this year for Chinook. One thing that will make a return to the playoffs more difficult is the always challenging Northern C. The league has expanded to 13 teams with the addition of Shelby, which will also join the Northern C “B” sub-division, a group of seven teams that also features Chinook, Centerville, Simms, Cascade, Rocky Boy and Fort Benton. In all, the Northern C will send five teams to the playoffs and the teams that finish in the top three of each sub-division will have a chance over the final two weeks of the season to earn their way into the playoffs. The only two teams guaranteed a spot after the regular season, will be the two teams that finish atop each sub-division at season’s end. That means if Chinook wants to make the postseason, it will have to battle it out with teams like Fort Benton, Simms, Cascade and Centerville to get into the top three. And with his experience in the Northern C as a player and coach, Jones knows that is no easy task. “I think the Northern C is one of the toughest conferences in Montana,” Jones said. “It has always been really difficult but I think that makes it exciting. Every single week is going to be a challenge and that makes it fun.” Chinook opened its season against Shelby.

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September 2018

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

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Big Sandy volleyball starting to rise in the 6C

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FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

It has been a long time since the Harlem football team made the Class B state playoffs. Yet, according to first-year head coach Stacy Cole, that drought could come to an end sooner rather than later, maybe even in 2018. “I have a lot of confidence in this team,” Cole said. “We have a lot of kids out, 37, which is the most I think we have had in about two decades, so I think we have a good chance to really be a good team this season. I think we can be a playoff team, I really do.” Cole, who has been an assistant coach for the Wildcats and was previously the head

coach at the Harlem Junior High School, took over the helm this season and said the transition has gone really smooth. “A lot of these kids I have coached since they were in junior high,” Cole said, “so they know me and that has made it really easy. I have been trying to be really positive and, all of them, they have bought in. It’s be a really positive experience.” The Wildcats only managed to win one game last season, and Cole said that his club will be young once again this season. However, he does have five seniors including Cody Welsh, a state champion hurdler from Turner who plays football with the Wildcats. He previously played wide receiver for Harlem, but Cole turned him into a quarterback and so far, Welsh has been a natural. “We decided to move him to quarterback

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Big Sandy volleyball team takes a team picture before the start of the 2018 high school volleyball season. The Pioneers return a good group of starters and head coach Shersteen Cline, as they continue to build in the 6C East.

In a district that always seems to be dominated by Chinook or North Star or ChesterJoplin-Inverness, the Big Sandy volleyball team always seems to be chasing the leaders. And while it might seem that way again this fall, Big Sandy comes into the new season with a team that could easily become one of the 6C East’s leaders itself. Under veteran head coach, and former Big Sandy and Montana Tech standout Shersteen Cline, the Pioneers showed outstanding improvement a season ago. And with some crucial returnees back on the court this season,

the Pioneers are ready to push forward. “We have a young team with a lot to learn, but they have been working so hard and improving each day. I'm excited to see their progress,” Cline said. The Pioneers might be young, but they don’t lack for talent. Seniors Jaylyn Cline and Georgia Wortman are back for the Pioneers, while juniors Stacey Allderdice and Lainey Gregory are also returning starters from last year’s squad. That foursome gives Big Sandy a strong nucleus in its starting rotation, and the group will also be the leaders for a young Pioneers team this season. Amanda Cline, a transfer from Havre, should also see a significant role with the Big Sandy varsity this fall. “I expect my senior girls to be strong leaders for me this year and to be big blockers

and hitters for me,” coach Cline said. “Georgia has improved so much the last couple of years, and she has become a very strong hitter. She is awesome at communicating with her team, and she is one of my stronger defensive players as well. Jaylyn has been my strongest player all around in the past, and I'm hoping that she can help lead our team to a few more wins than last year. She has a competitive drive in her that is hard to match when it comes to volleyball. Lainey is back this year, and I expect her to be a more consistent setter for us this year. She is a hard worker, and isn't afraid to hit the floor. Stacey was a strong defensive player for us last year. She is great on the net for blocking.” And with a strong group of veteran leaders, Big Sandy is ready to charge forward and

compete in the tough 6C East. The Pioneers will have to battle the likes of North Star and Chinook for those top spots, and while it won’t be easy, coach Cline is certainly excited about the new season, and eager to see what her team can do. “I expect that this year will be challenging,” she said. “We have had some very strong teams in our conference the last couple years, but I expect us to be competitive and continually improve each week in the season. Some team goals for the season are to improve on our serving and passing skills. They have been a real challenge for us in the past. I have changed some girls' positions around on them, so we are working to be more flexible and cohesive as a team.”

Wildcats believe they have the pieces for a great football season Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

September 2018

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Harlem Wildcats pose for a team photo before the start of the 2018 season at their practice field in Harlem. With strong numbers out for the team this season, and a new head coach in Stacy Cole, the Wildcats go into the new year with a lot of optimism and excitement.

and he’s done really well,” Cole said. “We wanted to be able to take advantage of his athleticism. We simplified things a little bit but he has really done a nice job of learning the offense and adjusting to being a quarterback.” One challenge for the Wildcats is that they play in the always difficult Northern B. The division has changed over the years and now instead of being split into the 1B and the 2B, the seven teams remaining following the losses of teams like Rocky Boy, Shelby and Choteau, are now part of one division and will play a round-robin schedule. Of course, perennial powers like Fairfield, Malta, Glasgow and Conrad make the league extremely difficult, Wolf Point, Harlem and Cut Bank also add plenty of competition. And while Native American teams don’t

have a long history of success in Montana, it has become more prevalent in recent years with teams like Browning, Box Elder and Arlee making the playoffs or playing for state championships. Those teams Cole said, are an example for his Wildcats to follow. “I sure do,” Cole said about referencing those teams. “I talk about them and try to use that as inspiration every day.” With Cole in charge, the Wildcats have plenty of optimism heading into 2018 and the new head coach is hoping it’s just the beginning of another historic turnaround. “I think we just need to get the energy back into the program,” Cole said. “We have a lot of young players, but they are pushing even some of our juniors and seniors for playing time. I think we are headed in the right direction, we just need to get that belief back in the program.”

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September 2018

FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

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FALL SPORTS PREVIEW

September 2018

Harlem volleyball team Pioneers hungry for more success loaded with talent this fall

George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com Volleyball has rarely been a sport in Harlem that gets the glory. That’s usually reserved for winter and basketball. But, that doesn’t mean, year-after-year, the Harlem Wildcats don’t keep pushing forward in volleyball because, under longtime coach Kim Faulkinberry, the Wildcats always do. And while Harlem has struggled to find success in the tough Class B ranks, especially playing in the District 2B, the Wildcats always have a great attitude on the court and always play teams scrappy and tough. That’s due to their head coach, who always has her Wildcats ready to play. So, while Harlem won’t be a favorite in the 2B this season, not with tough teams like Malta, Glasgow and Wolf Point standing in their way, the Wildcats will be no less competitive. Harlem’s roster also includes plenty of returning talent, and a boost from some very good athletes from Turner. Varsity returners for the Wildcats include Elyssia Horn, Skylee Dirden, Taeshon Schaeffer and Tamica Cole, while the addition of Turner twins Raegan and Rylee Conlan, as well as Sarah Billmayer should make the Wildcat’s rotation even stronger. Harlem also has depth, something that’s a big key in Class B. The likes of Aria Owens, Aspen Baker, Haylee Johnson, Layla Skidmore, Mackenzie Doney and Neuaeh Spotted Eagle give the Wildcats a talented and deep team. So, while Harlem may not be getting picked as a district or Northern B divisional front-runner this season, with Faulkinberry at the helm, and with the roster she puts out on the floor, no team the Wildcats play this season should dare overlook them. Harlem opened its season at the annual Malta Invitational. The Wildcats begin 2B play next week.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Big Sandy football team poses for a photo before the start of the 2018 season. The Pioneers made, and won a game in, the Six-Man playoffs last season, and under new head coach Chuck Terry, they should be a playoff contender again this fall.

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Harlem High School volleyball team takes a photo inside the Harlem Gymnasium prior to the start of the 2018 season. Harlem has a solid returning nucleus of players, and with the addition of several standouts from Turner, which does not offer volleyball, the Wildcats will present a stern test for everybody they play this season. Harlem, which opened the season at the Malta Invitational, is also under the direction of longtime head coach Kim Faulkinberry.

Prior to last season, it had been five years since the Big Sandy football team made the Six-Man football playoffs. Yet, after reaching the quarterfinals last season, the Pioneers, however young they might be, are hoping to make it back for a second straight year. Changes are pretty normal in high school football, but the Pioneers are undergoing a lot from last season. One of the biggest is the change at head coach, as former Montana State University-Northern assistant Chuck Terry has taken over for the departed Ronnie Simpson. Yet, that’s not the only difference. The other is the absence of some of Big Sandy’s best players due to graduation. Guys such as Weston Allderdice and Duke Darling-

ton. Even though Big Sandy lost some key players, it has some important players back, too, namely the running back and quarterback from last season in Kade Strutz and Parker Proulx. Another important player according to Terry is center and defensive lineman Andrew Sipler along with Brock Proulx. A couple more names to watch are Ryan Roth and Clint Darlington. “We are starting only one senior,” Terry said. “I am really happy where we are at. The kids are really buying in and they have been working hard all summer. They are a disciplined group and they have really taken to things, and that’s important when you have a new coaching staff.” While the Pioneers are young, Proulx started at quarterback last season as a freshman and has plenty of experience under his

belt, including quarterbacking the Pioneers to a playoff win over Richey-Lambert. However, the biggest part of that playoff win was Strutz, who ran for an incredible 334 yards in that game. He will be back and should be one of the top runners in the Six-Man North Division. “We are going to run the football,” Terry said. “Just like last year we really want to run the football, but we are going to open things up more. We are going to have some different looks. We are also going to use Parker more. He’s a really good football player, and we are going to see more of that this season.” The Pioneers went 8-3 last season and finished second in the North, giving them a home playoff game. Yet, the league which is always one of the toughest in Montana SixMan football, will be a challenge again with teams like Geraldine/Highwood, Sunburst,

Denton-Geyser-Stanford, Power-Dutton-Brady and North Star all fighting for four playoff berths. “The North is always tough,” Terry said. “Geraldine/Highwood is going to be tough and Sunburst is going to be really tough. But I like our chances. I think that we will be right there in the playoff race, but we are going to have to win some of those tough games.” Big Sandy opened the season with Sunburst and will take on Geraldine/Highwood and DGS in the month of September. Another key battle will come in October against PDB. “We are a young team, but we a big and we are going to be physical,” Terry said. “For a Six-Man team we have some big kids. So it will be interesting to see how we stack up against the rest of the North but I think we should be right there.”

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September 2018

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Young Blue Ponies eager to find more Eastern A success

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BLUE PONY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 7 Sept. 14 Sept. 21 Sept. 29 Oct. 5 Oct. 12 Oct. 19 Oct. 27 Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Nov. 17

at Laurel vst Belgrade vs Glendive at Sidney vs Billings Central at Park vs Miles City 1st Round Playoffs - TBA Qtr. Finals - TBA Semi-Finals - TBA Finals - TBA

7:00 p.m 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.

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September 2018

Stars striving to shine in the always tough Northern C

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com After an 0-9 season, the Havre High football team is looking for a shot at redemption, and after a long wait, the Blue Ponies couldn’t wait to get back on the field in 2018. “I think to use the word excitement is an understatement,” HHS head coach Ryan Gatch said. “We are ready to get after it and compete. The guys have been working really hard. Some of the guys have been working really hard since the end of last season, so we are looking forward to getting back out there.” The Ponies opened their season against Hardin as part of another brutal Eastern A slate. The 10-team division will have six playoff berths available just like last season but getting enough victories to contend for one of those spots will be easier said than done, especially with traditional powers like Billings Central, Laurel, Miles City and Sidney all looking tough, along with Lewistown, which returns some key veterans from a playoff team a season ago. “The East is the East,” Gatch said, “and it’s going to be tough, and we as a program need to take that next step. Now our goal every year is to be 1-0 each week. And if that happens you put yourself in a position to win a conference championship and to be able to compete in the playoffs. That’s what we want, that’s one of our goals, but our guys are going to also play for each other and for our program and our community and that’s the main thing at the end of the day.” With each high school football season comes changes and the Ponies are no different. Some key players graduated off last year’s team including quarterback Trey Murphy and All-State standout Ivar Aageson, who played both wide receiver and defensive back. However, the Ponies still have some veterans back in the lineup, highlighted by Ethan Roberts and Mason Dionne. Both players are two-way starters for the Ponies but each will be a big part of the offensive attack. Dionne was the leading rusher a season ago and will be the top ball carrier again. Roberts was the second-leading receiver for Havre in 2017 and he will join a group of pass catchers that also features Brock Nystrom, Brandon Shaw and Max Olson. Of course, one of the most important positions on any football team is the quarterback and replacing Murphy as the starter for HHS will be junior Reese Bulkley. Bulkley will be protected up front by an offensive line that features Logan Twombly at center, Kasee Henderson at right tackle, Quinn Springer at left tackle and freshman Carter Nystrom at right guard. The left guard will be either Tony

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The 2018 Rocky Boy football team poses for a team photo prior to the start of the 2018 football season. Rocky Boy is in its second season of playing 8-man football at the varsity level, and the Stars are part of the difficult Northern C.

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

Antley, Ethan Carlson or Dexter Beck. Another key part of the offense for the Ponies will be the running game. Dionne will be the centerpiece but sophomore fullback Kellen Detrick will also have a role, as will sophomore Bradyn Winchell, who will serve as Dionne’s backup. Dionne and Roberts will also lead the way for a defense that will be counting heavily on young and unproven starters like Detrick, Olson, Bulkley, Nystrom, Springer and Twom-

bly. “We feel like we have a good, cohesive unit,” Gatch said. “The team chemistry is really good. The guys are working hard and having a lot of fun out there. They are enjoying playing the game of football with each other. Last year, our young guys got a lot of reps, and I think that made them hungry and eager for this season.” Havre opened the season with a win over Hardin, then played at Laurel.

Courtesy of Helmbrecht Studios The Havre High football team takes their annual team photo earlier this summer at Blue Pony Stadium. Last year was a struggle for the Ponies, but they have started off the 2018 season on the right foot, as the Ponies shut out Hardin in their seasonopening game two weeks ago in Havre. The new season will still be challenging for the Ponies, as the Eastern A is always a tough conference.

During the few seasons that the Rocky Boy High School football team played Class B 11-Man football, the Stars struggled. For years, they couldn’t get enough players to field a varsity team and in their final season of 11-Man football, the Stars didn’t win a game. However, after dropping down to join Class C 8-Man football last season, the Stars had one of their best seasons on the gridiron in years. As part of the Northern C Division, the Stars won a total of three games, first winning the season-opening game against Box Elder, then twice beating Hays-Lodge

Pole. The first victory over Hays-Lodge Pole came via a 98-96 score. The two teams waged a shootout in Hays but in the second meeting, in the final game of the season, the Stars rolled, 74-32, notching their third win and becoming the first Rocky Boy team to win multiple games since 2008. It was also the first team to win three games total since 2004. Yet, this season is going to be more of a building year for the Stars as they lost some of their most impactful players off last season’s team. One player who will need to be replaced is quarterback and defensive back Kordell Small, who was also single-handedly responsible for the win over Box Elder last season. In that game, Small scored a

total of five touchdowns, with three coming on the ground. He also threw a touchdown pass and returned an interception 65 yards for a score in a 36-35 win. Small is gone after a stellar career with the Stars and up front, Rocky Boy will also be without Kendall Windy Boy, who will be a big loss along the offensive and defensive lines. However, the Stars have some solid numbers out for head coach Rick Sunchild and have numbers that reach into the double digits. One of the most notable players returning is going to be Olin Arkinson, a player who saw time with the varsity football and basketball teams last season. Arkinson will be joined by Chris Wood, Cruz Sunchild, Kelly Moore, Laycee Norris, Makaveli Sutherland, Nick Parker, Rylie Willeto and Tylane Ty-

ler. While the Stars were 3-5 last season, all of their wins came outside of their sub-division within the Northern C, which consists of Centerville, Simms, Cascade, Chinook, Shelby and Fort Benton. The division adds Shelby this year, following the Coyotes drop down from Class B. Shelby was a participant in the Class B state championship game last season and their presence will only make things tougher for the Stars, who were swept by the other five teams last season. The Stars will play a total of eight games in 2018, with a non-conference game scheduled against Poplar in the middle of the season. They will also play a non-conference game in the final week of the season against a team from the other sub-division. Rocky Boy opened its season against Centerville.

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Rocky Boy will battle in volleyball HHS cross country teams excited to run this fall Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Havre High cross country team has been building something the past few seasons under head coach Josh Holt and in 2018, there could be something even more special on the horizon. While Havre didn’t earn any team trophies last season, with the boys or the girls, both Blue Pony teams enjoyed success. The girls finished sixth overall, with three runners finishing in the top 40, including Kadia Miller, who finished 12th to earn All-State honors. “Kadia has been looking really good,” Holt said. “If we can just get her out of her comfort zone as a runner, she could do great

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Rocky Boy volleyball team was led by Ty Watson for a long time but in 2018, the Morning Stars will have new leadership and a new head coach in Jennifer Duncan. The Morning Stars are coming off another difficult season within the District 1B and the Northern B Division. Rocky Boy has never had a really strong volleyball tradition but what it makes it even tougher to compete is the fact that the Stars belong to one of the toughest divisions in all of Class B volleyball.

Last season, the Stars did manage to win a few matches and notched a late-season victory over Harlem. However, Rocky Boy did have some impressive talent on the team as the Stars boasted a number of players that starred on the basketball court, as well as the volleyball floor. One such player was Jaylynn Mitchell, who was the top player around the net for Rocky Boy. She led the team in kills and she will be sorely missed in the lineup this season. Rocky Boy will also be without Sean Henry, who was a defensive specialist and one of the most productive players in the team as far as digs were concerned. Henry was also a skilled server and was also among the team leaders in aces. Kiara Small is another

player who will be missed and she was part of the middle block that will need to rebuilt. However, the Morning Stars won’t be without any veterans this season and one of the key players who will be back is Jaynah Gopher, who was the team’s setter a season ago and led the squad in assists. Sasha Coffee is another name that will come back with previous experience. Coffee and Gopher will be joined on the roster by Alexa Weaving, Alyxandria Sunchild, Ashlyn Sunchild, Ella Moore, Leanna Raning Bird, Jeralyn Gopher, Kenda Gopher, Kristen Lamere, Kristie Parker, Rochelle Pease and Trinity Alexander. While the Morning Stars lost some of Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Above: The Rocky Boy volleyball team poses for a photo before the start of the 2018 season. Class B volleyball has been tough for the Morning Stars in recent years, but they enter 2018 with a tall, and talented team. Right: Though Rocky Boy plays in the District 1B, on the volleyball court, they still get to play arch rival Box Elder twice each season, as well as have a rivalry with Harlem, which plays in the District 2B. The Morning Stars opened their season in Malta.

things. I think she can be right there around the top five runners in class A.” Miller certainly is the most decorated runner coming back for the Ponies, however, the girls team also boasts Tamera O’Leary, who finished 32nd at the state meet a season ago. Holt said another strong runner this season will be Grace Loftus, a junior, who was injured last season and didn’t compete in enough meets to qualify for state. If she had though, Holt said she would have been a state participant. “Grace is a really strong runner,” Holt said. “She won the JV Fall Classic last year and that was her only meet. But she is healthy and strong now and I think she will do some good things. After that, those spots four through seven will be pretty interesting, we will have a lot of competition.”

September 2018

BLUE PONY CROSS-COUNTRY SCHEDULE Sept. 8 Sept. 14 Sept. 22 Sept. 29 Oct. 4 Oct. 6 Oct. 13 Oct. 20

at Malta at Lewistown Havre Invite at Mountain West - Missoula at Helena Preview Meet at Browning Invite Eastern A Fall Classic in Havre State at Missoula

Some of the contenders for those spots on the girls team will be Katie Wirtzberger, Emma Gillen, Rhoda Peterson, Aliviah Pratt, Savannah Stewart, Blakelee Lines, Hannah Haslem and Hannah Pratt. The boys team also returns with a runner that should have all-state potential in 2018 and that’s Jakob Keller, who finished 19th last season. Cameron Pleninger and Noah Azure are two others that competed at state last season that are back in the fold for Havre. Some of the names that will be in the running for a spot on the boys varsity roster include Riley Pleninger, Ethan Durward, Noah Gjesdal, Sid Moffitt, Dylan Young, Austin Ratliff, Tysen Sangrey, Austin Delarosa, Kendall Pleninger, Christian Mathis, Torek Swenson, Ammon Lines, Joshua Williams and Hyram Cammon.

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“There is going to be a lot of competition on our boys team,” Holt said. “Jakob will be one of our top runners, along with Noah and Cameron, but we have some others that are going to be interesting to watch. I am going to change things up a bit this year and really let them compete for those spots each and every week, so we will see how that plays out.” Both Havre teams will take their top seven runners to the Class A state meet which will be held in Missoula this year. The meet will take place Oct. 20. Some of the other key meets for the Ponies will be the Mountain West Classic in Missoula Sept. 29, along with the Helena Preview Meet Oct. 4. Havre will also host the Fall Classic, a nonofficial divisional meet, which is set for Oct. 13 at MSU-Northern.

their key players from last season, what will make things even tougher is the continued difficulty of the 1B district, which features traditional volleyball power Choteau. The district also features Fairfield, Conrad, Shelby and Cut Bank. In order to advance to the Northern C Divisional tournament, the Stars will need to be among the top four teams to come out of the 1B and that’s something that hasn’t happened in years. If Rocky Boy does advance to that point, teams like Glasgow, Malta, Wolf Point, Harlem and Poplar could be standing in the way of a potential berth at the state tournament. The Morning Stars opened the season at the Malta Tournament.

Havre Daily News/Chris Peterson The Havre High cross country teams pose for a team photo before the start of the 2018 fall season. The Blue Pony teams are once again under the lead of Josh Holt, and they began their season at the Cut Bank Time Trials. Havre willalso host two meets this season, the Havre Invitational this month, and the Eastern A Fall Classic in October.

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September 2018

As usual, North Star spikers will be strong Hawks aiming to rebound in 2018

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Chester-Joplin-Inverness football team poses for a team photo after a recent practice in Chester. With strong numbers and a handful of returning starters back, the Hawks are hoping to battle for a playoff spot in the Northern C.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The North Star volleyball team poses for a photo before the start of the 2018 season in Rudyard. The Knights should once again be one of the top teams in the District 6C East after they captured the title a year ago.

George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com It isn’t unusual for the North Star Knights to be contending for a District 6C East championship. In fact, it seems like the Knights are in the hunt for a district title every single fall. The rest of the 6C East shouldn’t expect anything different this season. North Star, which routinely makes the Northern C Divisional Tournament, is once again under the direction of Mackenzie Jen-

kins, and, she says the Knights are poised for great things again this season. “We won the conference and districts last year, and that is something we are striving to do again this year,” Jenkins said. “We have a different team this year compared to last, but we know that we have the talent and capability of making an impact in the conference.” North Star might be different in 2018, but that doesn’t mean it isn't capable of defending its district championship. The Knights return top players like Paij Peterson, Saige Scheresky-O’Neil and Olivia King, both of

whom will provide a strong presence at the net. Add to that Kenidie Wolery, Shayla Borlaug and Janae West to provide an outstanding nucleus and great rotation, and the Knights should be once again among the contenders in the 6C East this season. Of course, the 6C East is always one of the top districts in Class C volleyball, with the likes of Chinook and Chester-JoplinInverness always being tough teams. Add to that a much-improved squad from Box Elder in the recent years, and, the district title is always tough to grab.

But, right now, the Knights aren’t worried about October and November, when the postseason rolls around. Instead, they’re just focused on getting better, and if they continue to do that everything else will take care of itself. “We expect to be better with each practice and game. We are already making improvements, so it will be fun to see how we progress throughout the season,” Jenkins said. North Star will play host to the 2018 District 6C East Tournament Oct. 25-26 in Rudyard.

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com Chester-Joplin-Inverness has a long history of football success and during the tenure of head coach Jim Vinson, the Hawks have been a consistent playoff contender in the Northern C. However, the Hawks have been down the past couple of seasons and last year, missed the playoffs with a record of 3-5. However, with all of their starters returning from last season and not a single senior graduated from the roster, Vinson and CJI might be ready for a resurgence in 2018. “I feel really about good about our kids this year,” Vinson said. “We have all our

starters back and last season, we weren’t that far off. We were a few breaks and a couple of close games from being 5-3. You never really know until you start playing games and in the Northern C, it’s always tough, but I feel good about our team, I really do.” One reason Vinson can feel good about his squad entering the 2018 season is the fact that he will have his quarterback, Spencer Richter back in the fold. Richter, who followed in the footsteps of his brothers Brandon and Cory, who also were starting quarterbacks for the Hawks, was a bright spot on the team last season, and with his ability to run and throw, he should be a dangerous weapon for CJI. The Hawks are also bringing back both their running back and their fullback from last season in Kobe Tran and Jackson Di-

emert. Two weapons in the passing game should be tight ends Evan Dahinden and Andrew Woods, while Ethan Woods, Caden Woods and Tyler Wilken will return along the offensive and defensive lines. “It’s nice, we have a little more depth than we have had in the past,” Vinson said. “Our numbers had been a little low, but we have a good number of kids out this year. Our school has been a little girl-heavy for the past few years and now it’s going to be a little boy-heavy and that’s a good thing for football.” There is no doubt that the Hawks will be improved, but will CJI improve enough to get back into the playoffs in the Northern C? To do so, the Hawks will need to finish among the top three teams in the “A” subdivision of the Northern C, which features

teams such as Belt, Choteau, Great Falls Central, Box Elder and Hays-Lodge Pole. Belt won the sub-division and the Northern C conference last season and were joined in the playoffs by Choteau and Great Falls Central. But according to Vinson, no matter what happens, the Northern C will be tough, week in and week out. “The thing I love about the North is that you have to coach every week,” Vinson said. “There are no easy wins. Every single team has a couple of good athletes and is capable of beating you. I think it’s hard to predict who is going to make the playoffs because you just don’t know, anything can happen. But we are excited to get out there and compete and get the season started.” CJI opened the season against Absarokee.

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CJI spikers looking to join the 6C East race

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Chester-Joplin-Inverness volleyball team has made a habit out of going to the Northern C Divisional tournament. However, after getting back there in 2017, the Hawks have different goals in 2018 and that’s to reach the All-Class state tournament in Bozeman. Last season, the Hawks made a lot of progress toward their goal of getting back to the state tournament and after missing the divisional tournament in 2016, CJI made a return trip last season under head coach Jimi Lee Fritz, who was in her second season on the bench. “That was the first time that a lot of these guys played on that stage,” Fritz said. “So it was a little out of their comfort zone. But I think that if we go back this year, we will be more ready for that. We want to get back to that point. That’s one of our goals. We want to try and win our district, and I also know CJI hasn’t made the state tournament since 2009, so that’s something that’s in our sights.” The Hawks have high hopes for 2018 and rightfully so. CJI finished second in the district tournament after losing to North Star in the championship game and returns three key players that earned All-District honors in the 6C East last season, including Khloe Kamerzell, who also earned Class C All-State honors. North Star also returns an All-State player in Paige Peterson but the Knights lost their other All-Conference players such as Peytan King and Lily Pedersen, while the Hawks return Peyton Hawks and Kim Ghekiere, who both earned Second-Team All-District in 2017. “I have three senior leaders in Khloe Kamerzell, Peyton Hawks and Kim Ghekiere who have been starting for me for three years,” Fritz said. “And they are very ready

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T-Birds will fight in football, volleyball Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Hays-Lodge Pole football team has been fighting its way toward respectability over the past few seasons and despite not winning a game last season, second-year head coach Josh Werk is optimistic about the prospects for the upcoming season. One reason for the good feeling is that Werk reported that the Thunderbirds have a total of 23 players out for football, which he said was a big improvement over the end of last season. “So far, I feel pretty good about this team,” Werk said. “We have a lot of kids out playing football, 23 of them which is a good jump from the end of last season, when we had about 17. We also have some seniors that have some good experience, so we have a real positive feeling going into the season.” One advantage the T-Birds will have this season is a returning starting quarterback. Having experience at the quarterback position is always an advantage in high school football, and with Maurice Cliff back in the fold, HLP can feel good about a backfield that also includes junior running back J.D. Lasarte. Another potential difference maker for the T-Birds could be tight end Kenneth Black Crow. “We have some good athletes,” Werk said.

“J.D., this is the first year I think that he has played football but he is an athletic kid. Kenneth Black Crow is also a big, strong, athletic kid that should be able to help us out. We have also have an experienced line that is filled with mostly juniors.” While HLP was winless in 2017, it did have one good chance at a victory and that came against Rocky Boy in Hays early in the season. Yet, the T-Birds dropped the game in overtime 98-96 and they didn’t have another game that was decided by single digits in their 0-8 campaign. What will make finding the win column more challenging is the fact that the T-Birds belong to the always difficult Northern C, which is routinely one of the toughest divisions in Class C 8-Man football. The T-Birds division will feature Belt, the defending conference champion, along with Great Falls Central, Chester-Joplin-Inverness, Choteau and Box Elder. “The North is always really tough,” Werk said. “That’s part of what makes our schedule so tough. Every single week, you are playing a good team and a lot of teams that end up being in the playoffs. That hasn’t really changed, it’s going to be tough again this year, maybe even tougher than it was last season.” On the hardwood, the Hays-Lodge Pole volleyball team will try to rebound from another difficult season in the 6C East District.

The district has been dominated by Chinook over the years, however, North Star took the crown last season but with teams like Chester-Joplin-Inverness, Box Elder, Fort Benton and Chinook, nothing is guaranteed. The Hays-Lodge Pole volleyball team will be led by Gemma Works. Both the HaysLodge Pole football and volleyball teams have begun play in their respective seasons.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbird volleyball and football teams have already begun their 2018 seasons. In football, the T-Birds are looking to build on a winless 2017 season, with 23 players out for football this year. The HLP volleyball team will once again have a tough time in the 6C East, but the T-Birds will battle.

Longhorns look strong on the football field Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

to have a good year, so I am pretty excited.” Rounding out the starting lineup for the Hawks are a slew of players who have a mix of youth and experience. On the experienced side of things, Samantha May will be back for the Hawks and will enter her third season as a starter for Fritz. Molly Nelson, a sophomore will be another contributor for

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson The Chester-Joplin-Inverness volleyball team takes a team photo prior to the start of the new season. The Hawks are already playing and are hoping to be tough in the District 6C East. the Hawks, along with freshman Tatum Hull, who has worked her way into the starting lineup. “Samantha, she has been starting for me for three years now and she’s a very strong hitter,” Fritz said. “Then Molly Nelson is a really good player on the back end. She’s good defensively and she’s a good passer. She just isn’t afraid to get down on the floor and get after a ball, so she is nice to have.” While the Hawks have their sights set on winning the 6C East and perhaps even advancing past the Northern C Divisional, just getting out of the district will be easier said than done. North Star, the defending cham-

pion, should be tough again with Peterson back in the fold. Chinook will also be challenging with Megan Molyneaux and Kourtney Hanson both back for the Sugarbeeters, another team that advanced to divisionals last season. Box Elder, with Lilly Gopher and Joelnell Momberg is another team to keep an eye on. “It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out,” Fritz said. “North Star is going to be tough, but they will be different. They don’t have the strong hitters in the middle they had before. Chinook is also going to be tough. So we will see what happens, but we are excited to get started.”

The Fort Benton football team once was a Class B powerhouse. But now the Longhorns play Class C 8-Man football and even that has been a struggle or it was, at least until last season. Finally in 2017, the Longhorns started to look like their old selves on the gridiron. Behind the direction of first-year head coach Jory Thompson, the Longhorns started the season 5-2 and had a chance to play their way into the 8-Man playoffs before a 64-20 loss to Choteau eliminated them. Yet, despite some key losses, Fort Benton feels even more ready in 2018 for a run at the playoffs. “We were really young last year,” Thompson said. “We lost three seniors, and they were really good seniors. They were all-conference players. But we have a good group of young guys that are coming back. We had 17 sophomores and freshmen last season.” Of course, the biggest loss for the Longhorns came at the quarterback position as Landon Taylor, who was an All-State player for the Longhorns graduated and now plays at Montana State University-Northern. Max Lane is likely to take over the starting position. The junior has been competing for the job, but whoever the starting quarterback ends up being, he will have some solid runners to hand the football to. Connor Schnabel is one of those backs. He was solid for the Longhorns a season ago and will be counted on heavily to make the ground game a success for Fort Benton in 2018. Hayden

Axtman, a sophomore, will be another running back along with fellow sophomore Jace Thompson. “Connor is probably our biggest key guy coming back,” Thompson said. “But those are our top three guys that are going to be running the football for us.” Another key player for the Longhorns is going to be two-sport standout Garrett Diekhans, who will be a junior this season. He earned All-Conference honors as both a middle linebacker and wide receiver. “He’s a big kid,” Thompson said. “He will play middle linebacker and defensive end, as well as tight end and receiver on offense. He’s athletic and he will be a big weapon for us." After posting a winning record last season, the Longhorns are hoping to take the next step and make the playoffs for the first time as a member of the Northern C. Yet, it will be easier said than done in the conference that features 13 teams and two sub-divisions. The Longhorns will be in the “B” sub-division along with Shelby, Chinook, Cascade, Centerville, Rocky Boy and Simms. The top three teams in the final division standings will play against teams from the other sub-division for one of the league’s five playoff spots. “I definitely think we are going to be right there,” Thompson said. “I think that our team speed has improved. Defensively, we are doing some different things, but on offense, we have guys that can make plays. Last year, we went 5-3, and this year, our goal is to basically not need that play-in game.” In order to avoid needing to win a play-in game to earn a playoff spot, the Longhorns will need to win their sub-division and that quest starts with Centerville.

Courtesy Photo The Fort Benton Longhorns should have a strong, athletic team, and they should be a contender in their side of the tough Northern C.

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September 2018

BLUE PONY VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE Sept. 7 Sept. 8 Sept. 15 Sept. 20 Sept. 22 Sept. 27 Sept. 29 Oct. 6 Oct. 11 Oct. 13 Oct. 18 Oct. 26 Oct. 27 Oct. 31-Nov.3 Nov. 8-10

Electric City Classic - Great Falls Electric City Classic - Great Falls at Conrad vs. Browning vs. Cut Bank vs GFH vs. Lewistown vs Conrad at Browning at Cut Bank vs. Park at lewistown vs Belgrade Divisionals at Glendive State at Bozeman

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com It has been a difficult couple of years for the Havre High volleyball team, but fourthyear head coach Tamecia Jarvis likes the talent she has coming back and following some growing pains, the Blue Ponies may be ready to step back into contention in 2018. “One thing I like about this team is the chemistry,” Jarvis said. “That is something that we have lacked the past couple of years, so hopefully that has improved.” One of the things Jarvis said she liked about her team is the fact it has so many players who can play on different spots on the floor. Sam Oliver is one of those players and she looks to put together a stellar junior season after a strong sophomore campaign. Oliver was among the Central A conference leaders in assists and also led the league in aces, which should be a strong suit again for her in 2018. Another player who is strong when it comes to assists and on the defensive end is Peyton Brown, a junior who will start again for the Ponies, along with Cassidy Acor and Jessa Chvilicek. Others who will see time with the varsity team are Caitlyn Terry, Devyn Huebsch, Sydney Wilting, Kadyn Acor, Savannah Dawson and Katelyn Maloughney. “I think we are pretty set for what we want to do,” Jarvis said. “I think we need to work a little bit on our hitting and getting a little more consistency on the outside. But we have so many girls that can play multiple positions and that’s a good thing, I just need to figure all that out and decide where I want to put everybody to put them in the best position.” While versatility is one thing that Jarvis likes about her team coming into the season, another is height. With Cassidy and Kadyn Acor, along with Chvilicek, Jarvis said she feels good about the size her team has up

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front and in the middle block. “They all seem taller than last year,” Jarvis said. “Cassidy, Kadyn and Jessa, having all three of them inside and having that block is going to be key because we just didn’t have that last year and that should really help with our defense.” Of course, each season, every team experiences losses and this Havre team is no different as it will have to replace its top hitter from a season ago in Camryn Huston, who was named Second-Team All-Conference in the Central A. However, the Ponies have a lot

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Havre High netters poised for volleyball success Blue Pony volleyball team has talent and experience to compete in the Eastern A

of potential in this junior class, especially with Oliver and Chvilicek, who each earned honorable mention All-Conference last season. That duo, along with the Acor sisters and Brown could be the key to a turnaround for the HHS. “I am expecting somemore leadership from some of those players,” Jarvis said. “I think a lot of those girls are going to step up, and I am just looking forward to seeing some of those girls that are out there working hard.” The Ponies will also be relying on plenty of new talent, including Wilting, Maloughney and Dawson, who are all sophomores. Huebsch is a

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Above: The 2018 Havre High varsity volleyball team poses for a photo prior to the start of the new season. Havre is hoping to have a big year and the Ponies have plenty of talent returning to do just that. Right: Havre High senior Kadyn Acor is a returnee for the Blue Pony volleyball team, which is again coached by veteran Tamecia Jarvis.

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September 2018 11

Knights trying to fight back to winning in Six-Man football Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The North Star Knights have had a proud tradition of football success and it’s one that includes a lot of playoff berths in the ranks of Class C Six-Man football. However, the Knights just missed out on making the playoffs last season and after

junior but will also be new to the varsity team. Kadyn Acor and Terry are the lone seniors on the roster. “I think for some of those new varsity players, it’s going to all be mental,” Jarvis said. “They have to not worry about making a mistake and when they do, they have to find a way to come back from it.” Havre opened the season at the Eastern A Tip-Off and will play two conference matches against Belgrade, Livingston and Lewistown before taking part in the Eastern A Divisional at season’s end.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Above: The North Star football team poses for a team picture before the start of the 2018 season in Rudyard. The Knights, under new head coach Shawn Rettig, not only have a young team this fall, but their numbers are also low, even for a Six-Man squad. Right: The North Star Knights have a strong tradition in Montana Six-Man football. The Knights won their first game.

the loss of key players such as Devon Miller and Dylan Miller, it might be a year or two before North Star makes it way back. While numbers are always an issue in Six-Man football, they are particularly low for the Knights this season and according to head coach Shawn Rettig, the team will open the season with only around 10 guys on the roster. “We are just young,” Rettig said. “We

started out with eight and we talked a couples kids into coming out, so we will have 10 kids. But that’s including a lot of young kids that haven’t really played.” The Knights won’t have a lot of experience back, but they will return two of their six starters from a season ago in Caden Retting and Bailey Spicher. Both players spent some time playing quarterback and playing end, which is basically a wide receiver in

Six-Man football and Shawn Rettig said that both will have to play multiple roles again in 2018. “Both of them are going to play quarterback,” Shawn Rettig said. “But they will both have to kind of be utility players for us. Both of them will have to be all over the place. It’s going to be different but Bailey and Caden will be the two quarterbacks.” Some of the others who will contribute for the Knights this season include Daniel Nerat, who did earn some varsity experience last season, along with Ethan Federspiel, Frank Nerat, Jake Barber, Peter Schaumloeffel, Rhett Wolery and Xian Phillips. “We just have a bunch of young kids that are going to have get some experience,” Rettig said. “We will have to put freshmen on the field against seniors and that’s not usually a good thing. I am always confident and I always think that we can be in the mix. I have two pretty good athletes and I honestly believe I have two really good athletes and in Six-Man football, that is sometimes all you need. But you need to have a supporting cast, too. So our goals are to make it through the season healthy and have fun and make our supporting cast better. That’s where we are at.” What will make things even more challenging for the Knights is the always tough Six-Man North Division. North Star will be competing with teams like Big Sandy, Sunburst, Geraldine/Highwood, Power-Dutton Brady and Denton-Geyser-Stanford to be in the top four and compete for a playoff spot. It might be not impossible in the North but in another division, the Knights might have a better chance of making the postseason. “If we were in another division, we might have a better shot at making the playoffs,” Rettig said. “But being in the North makes it difficult. Big Sandy is going to be tough, Sunburst is going to be tough along with Power-Dutton-Brady and DGS, so it makes it more difficult for us to compete with our experience level.” North Star opened the season against Heart Butte. Four teams for the North Division will make the Six-Man playoffs this fall.

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September 2018

BLUE PONY VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE Sept. 7 Sept. 8 Sept. 15 Sept. 20 Sept. 22 Sept. 27 Sept. 29 Oct. 6 Oct. 11 Oct. 13 Oct. 18 Oct. 26 Oct. 27 Oct. 31-Nov.3 Nov. 8-10

10:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

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Havre High netters poised for volleyball success Blue Pony volleyball team has talent and experience to compete in the Eastern A

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September 2018 11

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September 2018

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CJI spikers looking to join the 6C East race

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September 2018

Longhorns look strong on the football field Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

Courtesy Photo The Fort Benton Longhorns should have a strong, athletic team, and they should be a contender in their side of the tough Northern C.

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September 2018

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September 2018

As usual, North Star spikers will be strong Hawks aiming to rebound in 2018

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September 2018

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September 2018

BLUE PONY CROSS-COUNTRY SCHEDULE Sept. 8 Sept. 14 Sept. 22 Sept. 29 Oct. 4 Oct. 6 Oct. 13 Oct. 20

at Malta at Lewistown Havre Invite at Mountain West - Missoula at Helena Preview Meet at Browning Invite Eastern A Fall Classic in Havre State at Missoula

4:20 p.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m.

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September 2018

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Young Blue Ponies eager to find more Eastern A success

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BLUE PONY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 7 Sept. 14 Sept. 21 Sept. 29 Oct. 5 Oct. 12 Oct. 19 Oct. 27 Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Nov. 17

at Laurel vst Belgrade vs Glendive at Sidney vs Billings Central at Park vs Miles City 1st Round Playoffs - TBA Qtr. Finals - TBA Semi-Finals - TBA Finals - TBA

7:00 p.m 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.

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Stars striving to shine in the always tough Northern C

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

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September 2018

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September 2018

Harlem volleyball team Pioneers hungry for more success loaded with talent this fall

Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

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September 2018

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Big Sandy volleyball starting to rise in the 6C

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Wildcats believe they have the pieces for a great football season Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

September 2018

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September 2018

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Box Elder ready to continue climbing the volleyball ranks

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September 2018

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September 2018

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September 2018

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