Ponies face Dillon in Class A's final four

At the start of the Class A football playoffs, the possibility of Havre hosting the state championship game always existed. Now though, the Blue Ponies are just one win away from doing something they haven’t done in 11 years.

But, in order for that to take place, the Ponies must first dethrone the Dillon Beavers in the Class A semifinals, a team that has won 17 straight games and two consecutive state titles. Making things more difficult is the fact that Havre has to do it on the road, in Dillon, something few teams have done in recent memory, especially in the postseason. Yet, the Ponies have been doing nothing but winning since September and they will bring a seven-game winning streak with them into Vigilante Stadium Saturday. They will also bring the confidence of knowing that if they play their best, they have the talent to slay the mighty Beavers. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

“Not many people thought that we would be one of the last four teams standing,” Samson said. “And maybe people are saying we are the weakest team left and maybe we are. But, I have said this all year, I wouldn’t trade my skill kids for anyone. No disrespect to anyone else, but I think my quarterback is the best in the state. We have some great receivers, some great running backs. The key is going to be how we hold up against them up front on both sides of the ball.”

At 10-0, there is nothing fluky about the Beavers. They are among the best teams in the state on both sides of the ball. They score more than 35 points per game, which leads Class A and surrender just 12, which Is second.

Yet, for as dominant as the Beavers have been, they haven’t seen an offense as explosive as Havre’s, at least not since the start of the season when they knocked off Whitefish 22-21.

Ever since getting blown out by Miles City 54-28 Sept. 11, the Ponies have been a different team. Following the loss to the Cowboys, Havre earned a 26-21 win over Sidney, which jumpstarted the win streak and its season. From that point on, HHS has outscored opponents by more than 23 points per game, averaged better than 37 points per game and scored at least 40 points four times.

“I think the biggest difference between us and Dillon was just at the start of the season, we were learning a lot and not where they were at,” Samson said. “I am not saying we would have beaten Whitefish or anything, but we are a lot better team now than we were then. We got that win over a good team in Sidney and after that things really started coming together.”

Last week, in a 47-13 win over Columbia Falls, Havre racked up nearly 450 yards on offense and more than 180 yards on the ground. Quarterback Dane Warp threw just two incompletions, passed for 243 yards and accounted for five touchdowns, two on the ground. Jase Stokes also had a big game for the Ponies, rushing for 105 yards, while also hauling in five passes for 72.

“Havre has some great athletes there is no question about it,” Dillon head coach Rick Nordahl said. “(Dane) Warp is a big, athletic kid and he is hard to bring down. And the running back is a guy that runs hard and if you let him get a head of steam, he’s hard to tackle. So making sure we tackle well is going to be a big key.”

Warp, who is the most prolific passer in the history of Class A football, has been killing teams with his arm all season long. But recently, he has started making things happen with his legs, too, running for 118 yards and four touchdowns in the past two games. It may not seem like much, but it’s a new element in the offense that defenses have to pay attention to.

“We really worked with Dane on knowing when to run,” Samson said. “That might sound simple, but he has really done a good job with it and that has opened things up for the rest of our running game.”

While the Ponies are running the ball better than they have all season, not just with Warp, but with Stokes and Jazz Schroeder as well, the staple of the offense is still the big play. And when it comes to big plays, no one makes more than Nate Rismon. In 10 games this season, Rismon has found the end zone 15 times, including twice last week against Columbia Falls. He has stretched the field all season for the Ponies and will need to again if Havre is going to break a Dillon defense that prides itself on taking away the big play. The Beavers must also be concerned with Parker Filius, who caught two passes for 92 yards a week ago and returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score. Isaac Warp even got in on the act against Columbia Falls, catching three balls for 39 yards after an injury hampered him for a good part of the season.

“I think that we, and Dane in particular, have done a good job of knowing when to strike with the big plays,” Samson said. “We may have fewer opportunities in this game because they are a very good defense, but when we do, we need to take advantage.”

“They (Ponies) are a big play offense,” Nordahl added. “They have some very good receivers and they are good at getting down the field. But, we really focus on limiting big plays and we do our best to make teams drive the field.”

When the Beavers have the football, the focal point for the Pony defense will be containing quarterback Troy Anderson. In 10 games, Anderson has racked up close to 3,000 total yards and 36 total touchdowns. Anderson’s top targets in the passing game will be wide receivers Nate Simkins and Payton Lafrentz. But, the biggest concern for Havre may be the Dillon running game and in particular Anderson running the football.

“He has got some wheels,” Samson said of Anderson. “When he gets outside he can be tough to get down, so we really just need to focus on containing him.”

The Havre defense, which started the year slowly has been on a tear in recent weeks. HHS has allowed just 14 points per game in its last seven outings and in last week’s win over Columbia Falls, forced five turnovers. The defense boasts playmakers at all three levels, starting with Stokes and Filius at linebacker. The secondary is led by seniors Rismon and Logan Pleninger, while the defensive line is paced by Travis Adams at defensive tackle and Tyler Schaub at defensive end.

“I don’t think this is going to be one of those really high scoring games,” Samson said. “They want to drive the field and use five or six minutes of clock while they are doing it. We need to try to prevent that from happening and keep our offense on the field.”

No matter what happens, Samson said he wants his program to get used to playing in big games and the past four years, none have been bigger than the one Havre will play in on Saturday.

“When I was at (Helena) Capital, we knew we were going to win,” Samson said. “We just knew we were going to and that’s what I want these kids to feel here. I said at the start of the year I thought it would be great for this program to get into a game like this versus a team like Dillon. Nobody in the state has been as successful as they have been, at least in terms of 11-man football. Dillon is a great team, but I feel good about our chances.

“Am I nervous?” he added. “Of course I am. I would be stupid not to be. But I told these kids last week, I am not satisfied with winning the Central A and yeah, the win over Columbia Falls was great, but once you win a game like that, you want to go win another. I think these kids get that and feel that way, too. So we are going to do gown there and see what happens.”

The Ponies and Beavers will kick off their game Saturday at 1 p.m., inside Vigilante Stadium. The winner will meet either Miles City or Whitefish in the state championship game. If Havre wins, the Ponies will host the title game at Blue Pony Stadium on Nov. 21.

Havre (8-2) at Dillon (10-0)

Saturday at 1 p.m.

in Dillon

Radio: 610 KOJM AM