State A Preview: Ponies face Columbia Falls, tough A field

The long wait of eight years is over for the Havre High boys basketball team is over. The Blue Ponies are finally back in the Class A state tournament.

But Havre won’t just be going to Great Falls content to just be in the field. No, the Blue Ponies are there to compete and win games. Yet, the Class A boys basketball tournament is always one of the most difficult in Montana, mainly because Class A is small, and the cream usually always rises to the top. This weekend at the Four Seasons Arena will be no different as eight quality basketball programs vie for the state championship.

Here's a breakdown of each team in the Class A state tournament, which runs Thursday-Saturday at the Four Seasons Arena.

Laurel Locomotives

Eastern A Champion

Record: 18-2

Outlook: Laurel has been a perennial Class A power the last decade. The Locomotives last won a state championship in 2010, but they have been at or near the top of the Eastern A every year since. Laurel edged Miles City in the Eastern A title game to earn a top seed at the state tournament and will be tournament-ready after playing in a rigorous Eastern A regular season race. Evan Jones (6-2), Zac Allen (6-5) and Dylan Meccage (6-0) are players to watch on a Laurel squad built on size and strength.

Stevensville Yellowjackets

Southwest A Runner-Up

Record: 13-8

Outlook: Stevensville comes to Great Falls as the defending Class A champions after beating Billings Central in the 2013 championship game. The Yellowjackets had to go through some upheaval earlier this season when 2013 State A MVP Jesse Sims transferred to another school, but they still were able to negotiate the powerful Southwest A tourney last week in Butte. Stevi doesn’t have as much depth as last year’s title team, or quite the scoring punch, but guard Jared Schultz (6-1) and forwards Chance Coleman (6-2) and Zach Gavlek (6-4) give the Jackets a strong inside-out combo, and being tested in the difficult Southwest A will come in handy this weekend.

Columbia Falls Wildcats

Northwest A Champion

Record: 16-4

Outlook: Coming into the season, many experts pegged Columbia Falls the team to beat in the Class A ranks. And the Wildcats haven’t disappointed so far. The program has played in four of the last seven state title games, winning it all in 2011. This year’s team has the same aspirations, especially with super star athletes Alex Presnell and Jared Trinastich leading the way. The duo makes up one of the most powerful 1-2 scoring punches in the state, while the supporting cast includes standouts Ty Morgan, Nakia Alexander and Mason Gedlaman. The Wildcats have depth, size and experience on their side, and if they get by Havre in the opening round, a huge matchup with Laurel or Stevi awaits in the semifinals.

Havre Blue Ponies

Central A Runner-Up

Record: 7-13

Outlook: The Blue Ponies are excited to be back in the state tournament, but a matchup with Columbia Falls will be a tough way to start things off. Still, it’s fitting that Havre is back in the state tourney exactly 20 years after winning the 1994 title. The Blue Ponies are also playing their best basketball of the season right now, with star guard Dane Warp and senior forward Kade Rismon leading the way. Nate Rismon can also get hot, while Jase Kato gives HHS added size in the post. Jerod Boles has also done well in a starting role recently. The Columbia Falls matchup is a difficult one, but with how the Ponies competed at last week’s Central A Divisional, they are a team no one will want to face this week in Great Falls.

Dillon Beavers

Southwest A Champion

Record: 18-2

Outlook: Like Columbia Falls, Dillon seems to be in the state championship hunt year-after-year, and the program shows no sign of slowing down. Under legendary head coach Terry Thomas, the Beavers come to Great Falls fresh off an impressive performance in the Southwest A championship game last weekend. Dillon, which has recent state titles in 2007, 2009 and 2012 is deep and talented. The Beavers are also balanced, and can get production from the likes of Troy Scott (6-4), Brady Richardson (6-3), Parker Love (6-1), as well as brothers Justin (6-0), Jason (6-2) and J.D. Ferris (6-1). The Beavers are on what is considered the easier side of the bracket as well, so don’t be surprised to see them back in the title game for the fourth time in the last seven years.

Miles City Cowboys

Eastern A Runner-Up

Record: 7-14

Outlook: The second of three teams with sub .500 records in the field, the Cowboys can’t be overlooked this weekend. In the brutal Eastern A tournament, Miles City made a great run to the championship game and is making a rare appearance at the state tournament level. It’s been 26 years since the Cowboys last win a state championship, but like Havre, they have a team equipped to give the field fits this week. Timmy Regan is a star scorer and Brett Keith will be one of the elite athletes in the tournament this weekend, but the Cowboys, who took Laurel down to the wire last week at the Eastern A, have a tough opener with Dillon.

Belgrade Panthers

Central A Champion

Record: 14-6

Outlook: The Panthers are an intriguing team at this year’s state tournament. A perennial Central A power, Belgrade could be a real dark horse in Great Falls. The Panthers last played for a state title 10 years ago when they lost to Libby in triple overtime. However, they are built for a run this weekend. Trevor Mann and Shiloh Christopher are prolific shooters, while Brayden Konkol and Kody Ruff are excellent inside-out players. The Panthers also bring a very physical brand of basketball to Great Falls, and will play excellent defense and are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the tournament.

Polson Pirates

Northwest A Runner-Up

Record: 7-15

Outlook: The lone team in the tournament which had to survive a challenge game, Polson comes to Great Falls with nothing to lose. The Pirates lost to Columbia Falls in the Northwest A championship game, but bounced back one night later to beat Whitefish to punch their ticket to state. Polson’s last state title came in 1998, but Thursday, the Pirates will be focused on upsetting Belgrade in the first round. The Pirates lack depth, and don’t have a lot of size either, but Cedric Smith (5-11) and Andrew Weltz (6-3) give the Pirates a good scoring combo.