Pony Extra: BNSF series provides drama

For 15 years, the Havre Blue Ponies and Whitefish Bulldogs have been playing each other at the start of the football season. The two teams battle for the BNSF trophy in a rivalry that is both heated and respectful.

It all started in 2000, when Havre and Whitefish, two traditional powers in Montana Class A football, began the BNSF Railway series and despite the fact that manufactured rivalries almost never materialize, it was an immediate success. Of course, the series was helped by the connection between the two towns due to the BNSF railway, but ultimately it became a rivalry because of on-field greatness.

It didn’t take long for the two teams to produce a classic with the first game in the series Sept. 3, 2000, going into overtime. In a bitter defensive struggle, each team managed just one touchdown in regulation. The Bulldogs scored in the second quarter to go up 7-0 but the Ponies answered in the fourth on a Kevin Harada touchdown run. In overtime, The Bulldogs scored on a Kevin Ferda touchdown pass then stopped Havre on the ensuing possession to earn a 13-7 victory.

Later that season, the Ponies would get their revenge as the two teams met for a rematch in the first round of the Class A playoffs. The game was an instant classic. Trailing by a touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Ponies tied the score at 31-31 on a Danny Wirtzberger touchdown pass, forcing overtime again. Determined not to fall short again, Havre running back Brent Finneman scored on an eight-yard rushing touchdown in overtime, capping an incredible three-touchdown performance, to give Havre the lead. Then Grant Roman sealed the deal with an interception in the end zone, giving the Ponies to a 38-31 win and sending them the Class A state semifinals.

In 2001, the game was played for the BNSF trophy for the first time and it was the Ponies who got their hands on it first after an impressive 28-17 road win over a Bulldog team that advanced to the state championship game before falling to Lewistown.

Then in the 2002 season-opener, the Bulldogs first visit to Blue Pony Stadium, the two teams staged another classic. For the third time in four meetings, the battle for BNSF trophy went into overtime.

After Whitefish scored to take a 20-13 lead in extra session, Levi Briese scored a rushing touchdown to pull HHS within one at 20-19. Instead of kicking the PAT to tie, Havre head coach Troy Purcell went for the win.

Purcell, who led the Ponies to a state championship in 2004, called the exact same play for Briese, but this time the Bulldogs were ready and stuffed him short of the goal-line, sealing a dramatic win for the road team.

Later that season, the Ponies would make a magical run to the state championship game, where they nearly met the Bulldogs, who fell to Laurel in the semifinals.

Havre lost the state title game in 2002 but established their dominance in the rivalry with back-to-back 42-7 wins in 2003 and 2004. The 2004 season was the year the Ponies captured their first state championship in 34 years.

Since the glory days of the rivalry from 2000-02, the pendulum has swung both ways. After falling to Whitefish in 2005 and 2006, the Ponies won five straight games with an average margin of victory of 21 points.

Now, the Bulldogs are back in control, winning three consecutive games over Havre, including Saturday’s 27-14 win at Blue Pony Stadium.

“Keeping the trophy was definitely a motivating factor for us,” Whitefish head coach Chad Ross said. “We have a team dinner and we put that up our shelf. With the realignment of the conferences, that trophy might sit there for a long time. We have it up in our locker room and we talked about the tradition of winning it and how it was their job to keep that tradition alive.”

While the possibility of conference realignment casts some doubt on the long-term future of the rivalry, both teams have thrived throughout its existence. In the fourteen seasons since it started, Havre and Whitefish have combined for 21 playoff berths, seven trips to the state semi-finals and three appearances in the state championship.

At this point, the only thing we know for sure is that Havre and Whitefish will meet to open the season at Blue Pony Stadium again in 2015. Beyond that is anyone’s guess. But for the sake of great rivalries, this one needs to stay and with quarterbacks Luke May of Whitefish and Dane Warp of Havre back for their senior seasons, we just might be in store for another classic one year from now.