Perfect Ending Revisited

The 2004 Havre High football team was on a mission to win a state championship. And on Nov. 20, 2004, the Blue Ponies achieved that objective by knocking off Billings Central in one of the most dramatic games in the history of Havre sports.

On a bitter cold Saturday inside Blue Pony Stadium 10 years ago, Havre completed a perfect 12-0 season with a 34-21 victory over Billings Central in the Class A state championship game. The win ended 34 years of heartbreak for Havre, including runner-up finishes in 1994, 1997 and 2002. And now, even though 10 years have passed, that win and that day are as significant as ever.

“When I am around town and people see me, they still bring it up sometimes and say, I remember when you guys won state,” Havre receiver/defensive back Coda Tchida said. “So that just shows how much it still means to people.

“It was a great thing to bring to the community of Havre,” 2004 HHS head football coach Troy Purcell, now a two-time state champion coach at Bozeman, said. “It was something that meant a lot to the people of Havre. It’s something that means a lot to me. I love Havre, my daughter was born there and I know I’ll never forget it. That showed me how hard it is to win a state championship. It had been 34 years and that is a long time. So the community was really hungry for it, and we had a tremendous group of players and coaches that were able to get it done.”

The 2004 season was mostly a breeze for the Ponies, who won all their games by double digits except for a regular season matchup against Billings Central, which Havre won by just two points in September. Outside of that, the Ponies rolled. Their starters rarely, if ever, played an entire game.

After losing the title game at home to Laurel 21-19 in 2002 and falling in the state semifinals to Miles City in 2003, the Ponies had a championship or bust mentality. And after easy wins over Stevensville and Libby in the first two rounds of the 2004 playoffs, the pressure to finish the perfect season was immense.

“When we made it (to the title game) in 2002 with (Justin) Kegel and (Levi) Briese and those guys, we weren’t really expected to be there, so it was kind of a Cinderella story,” Purcell said. “We were ranked No. 1 in 2004 and so we were expected to win. And there is a lot of pressure when you are expected to win; it’s a different kind of pressure anyway.”

Everything had gone to plan through 11 games, and the 2004 Ponies entered the championship game against Billings Central just one win from reaching the goal they seem destined to achieve from the start of the season. The championship game was one for the ages. It was reminiscent of a heavyweight fight. In one corner was Havre, with a record-breaking offense that featured Gary Wagner, Marc Mariani, Tchida and Scott Robinson, among others. In the other corner was Billings Central and its vaunted wing-T offense led by quarterback Bryce Burton and a slew of talented runners.

“It had been 34 years since Havre won a state title, and we had been killing everyone all year, so everyone is expecting you to win,” Wagner said. “And then you see all the things around town and it seems like every business has something up about the Ponies, so there was some pressure going into that game. You want to help be part of something special for your town and your community. But we played them earlier in the year and we knew they were a good team.”

If there was any question about whether the Rams could compete, it was answered early when Billings Central took a 7-0 lead on a two-yard touchdown run by Kyle Bushman. It was only the second time Havre trailed all season. Before the close of the quarter, Wagner scored on a one-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7. But it was clear after the opening stanza that the Ponies’ best effort would be required for victory.

On Havre’s first drive of the second quarter, the outlook was bleak with the Ponies facing a third-and-36 on their own 38-yard line. But, as they had all season, the Pony offense responded with a big play as Wagner connected with Robinson on a 62-yard catch and run touchdown that put HHS ahead 14-7.

Then, with the score still 14-7 and less than a minute to play before the half, Havre struck with another big play. After eluding pressure in the pocket, Wagner found Mariani, who broke multiple tackles on his way to a 75-yard touchdown and a 21-7 Havre lead at the half.

“I remember us getting a pretty good lead,” Wagner said. “Our defense was playing really good and then at the end of the half, I was evading some pressure and saw Marc (Mariani) out of the corner of my eye and I figured it’s never a bad idea to get him the ball. I threw it out to him and he caught it in front of three defenders, broke some tackles and took it to the house. So I remember feeling pretty good at half and thinking that we were just about to take it to them.”

But in the third quarter, Billings Central proved it was not going to go away. The Rams dominated time of possession in the third quarter and got rushing touchdowns from Bushman and Mike Hodges to tie things up at 21-21 heading into the fourth quarter.

“They put together a couple of good drives on us in the third quarter,” Wagner said. “We only got one possession there and part of that is on the quarterback. I should have done a better job of managing the situation. But all of a sudden we were in a battle.”

With the game tied and the title far from a sure thing, the pressure mounted.

“I was definitely a little nervous going into the fourth quarter” Purcell said. “They (Rams) had done a great job of controlling the ball and they had the momentum.”

With the score tied at 21-21, 12 minutes left on the clock and a state title on the line, the stage was set for a pulse-pounding finish in front of a record crowd inside Blue Pony Stadium. The drama began around the midway point of the fourth quarter, when Wagner, on a third down play, received pressure in the pocket from the Rams defense. He threw the ball over his head near his own goal line. The pass was caught by center Nick Daniel, which led to an ineligible receiver penalty against the Ponies.

Because Wagner was outside the end zone when he threw the pass, the penalty took Havre back to its own two instead of having a safety awarded to the Rams. On the next play, Havre punted and Billings Central was set to receive the ball at the Havre 35-yard line with just minutes remaining. Yet, Robinson was roughed while punting and the penalty gave the Ponies new life and a first down at their own 16.

“I had some pressure on me and tried to get rid of the ball and somehow my center caught it,” Wagner said. “Later at Carroll, I played with some kids on Billings Central and they always tried to say my foot was on the line. They had a blown up picture so that was kind of a controversy. Then, we were punting and I was the up back. I wasn’t the strongest kid so I kind of missed the block but thank god I did because then they roughed our punter.

“I remember when we had to punt, just kneeling there on the sideline with my helmet off and thinking, there is no way this is happening,” said Tchida, who would go on to star for Montana State University-Northern.

Things looked bleak for Havre as the possibility of losing confronted the Ponies for the first time. Then came the penalty and after that, Mariani made what might be the greatest play in Havre football history.

On a first-and-10 for the Ponies at their own 16-yard line with 4:16 to play, Wagner looked to his right and found Mariani, who took the pass 84 yards for the go-ahead score that put Havre up 28-21.

“After we got the roughing the kicker call in the end zone,” Mariani said. “(Coach) Purcell comes out to our huddle and he doesn’t even call a play, he just says ‘throw a fade to Mariani.’ And Wags chucked it up there to me and it all worked out. It’s one of those moments that will always be special to me, because they don’t come along too often. It’s when somebody gives you a chance to make a play in the biggest game of your life and it works out. That’s a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

It was just another example of the Ponies getting a big play when they needed to. It wouldn’t be the last time.

“One thing about that team is they never quit,” Purcell said. “Even as freshmen and sophomores they never gave up and they didn’t that day either. I remember we put Mariani outside instead of in the slot. He and Gary hooked up and Marc made a tremendous play. He had a number of big plays in that game.”

Protecting a seven-point lead, the Pony defense needed one more stop and got an interception from defensive tackle Tyler Wheeler on a key third down that gave Havre the ball back with under three minutes remaining.

The Ponies drove the ball deep in Rams’ territory before sealing the game and the championship on a one-yard touchdown run by Wagner with less than two minutes to play, making the score 34-21.

“I remember running into the end zone and, honest to god, it felt like the world was lifted off our back,” Wagner said. “I was so nervous all week going into that game. I didn’t want to let anyone down and I looked up to a lot of players that played in that stadium like Matt Kegel, Dave Curtis, Brian Jenkins and Steve Spangler, guys like that I just loved watching that never had an opportunity to win a championship. I remember that being the best feeling in the world.”

A Mariani interception on the ensuing possession for Billings Central essentially ended the game and the celebration was on.

“I remember after the game with people running onto the field, cars honking,” Wagner said. “I finally met up with my parents, I got to see my dad after the game and that was pretty awesome. I wanted to see one guy after the game and that was my dad. But, being able to run in that final touchdown and being a part of something that special is something I don’t think any of us will ever forget.”

It’s been 10 years since Havre hoisted the state title at Blue Pony Stadium, but no matter how many days, months and years go by, it’s a game and a day Havre football fans, as well as the players and coache, will never forget.

“It’s something I’ll remember forever,” Wagner said. “Whenever I see guys that I played with that is the first thing we talk about. This summer is our 10-year class reunion so it will be good to see everybody and that’s the first thing that always flashes back in your memory. I think back on all the memories of being in the locker room and the bus trips. All the big games we played in, just crazy memories that are stuck in your head because it was such a great year.”

Even Mariani, who played in two FCS national title games for the University of Montana as well as playing for the Tennessee Titans and, presently, the Chicago Bears of the NFL, considers the 2004 state title game one of the highlights of his career.

“It has been a long time,” Mariani said. “But it still feels like yesterday. I’ve been a part of a lot of football games since, but that’s still one of my favorite moments, ever. In my entire career, that’s still one of the greatest days I’ve ever been a part of.”