Friday's Prep Football: Ponies storm back to beat Eagles

For a time, clinching a Class A playoff berth in their final home game of the season looked a little bleak for the Havre Blue Ponies. But some fourth-quarter magic happened, and the Ponies stormed back from a 14-point deficit to beat Lewistown 25-21 on Friday night.

The Eagles led 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter, but on the first play of the final period, senior Tristan Manuel threw a halfback pass to Nate Rismon, who made a circus catch in the endzone, and that pulled HHS to within 21-13. The Ponies then forced Lewistown on miss a field goal try on its next possession, setting up Havre's next strike, an 80-yard pass play from Dane Warp to Thomas Gruber, to make the score 21-19. Havre's defense held again, and the Ponies went on a game-winnign, four-play drive, which was capped off by Warp's TD strike to freshman Parker Filius. Senior Ned Malone then intercepted a Lewistown pass at the goal line with :03 left to preserve the win.

The win assures Havre of a spot in the playoffs, but the Ponies are still alive in the Central A title race as well. Havre travels to Polson next Friday for a non-conference game.

For full coverage, see Monday's HDN.

Friday's Scores

The Associated Press

PREP FOOTBALL

Baker 15, Forsyth 14

Belgrade 53, Browning 0

Belt 60, Cascade 22

Big Timber 34, Roundup 0

Bigfork 54, Plains 14

Billings Central 49, Miles City 13

Billings Skyview 45, Billings West 2

Bozeman 62, Kalispell Flathead 7

Broadview-Lavina 44, Park City 22

Butte 52, Great Falls 31

Butte Central 45, Stevensville 14

Centerville 88, Sunburst 22

Charlo 76, Seeley-Swan 22

Colstrip 47, Shepherd 12

Columbia Falls 54, Frenchtown 13

Columbus 20, Joliet 14

Conrad 34, Shelby 28

Corvallis 20, Anaconda 14

Culbertson-Bainville 42, Broadus 12

Deer Lodge 43, Florence 0

Dillon 49, Hamilton 10

Drummond 58, Noxon 8

Ennis 54, Twin Bridges 0

Eureka 24, Troy 23

Fairfield 52, Choteau 6

Fairview 72, Circle 46

Fort Benton 34, Chinook 27

Gardiner 40, Absarokee 26

Glasgow-Nashua-Hinsdale 58, Wolf Point 6

Great Falls Russell 20, Helena 17

Havre 25, Lewistown (Fergus) 21

Helena Capital 42, Billings Senior 12

Huntley Project 48, Lodge Grass 6

Jefferson (Boulder) 14, Red Lodge 13

Jordan 30, Terry 27

Kalispell Glacier 59, Missoula Sentinel 41

Laurel 18, Hardin 7

Malta 33, Cut Bank 0

Manhattan 34, Whitehall 30

Missoula Big Sky 55, Missoula Hellgate 7

Missoula Loyola 51, St. Ignatius 7

Philipsburg 50, Darby 20

Plentywood 35, Harlem 0

Polson 44, Libby 20

Ronan 38, Thompson Falls 12

Savage 80, Richey-Lambert 18

Sidney 40, Glendive 0

Simms 75, Power-Dutton-Brady 32

Stanford/Geyser/Denton 63, Big Sandy 0

Superior 56, Arlee 20

Townsend 45, Three Forks 16

Whitefish 6, Livingston 0