Like Wells, Havre fans firm on Cats or Griz

Getting locals to predict the outcome of the annual Cat-Griz has been a time-honored tradition here at the Havre Daily News, and a big reason why is that Havre is pretty much one of those classic towns divided.

In other words, there’s plenty of Griz fans and plenty of Cats fans to go around. Havre just isn’t one or the other.

Now, I personally don’t have to say which side of the divide I sit on because I’m pretty sure everyone already knows. But, I do hope our local Montana State fans appreciate the fact that I cover both teams, and I think I do so without bias. And, to remain unbiased, I have never picked a Cat-Griz game. Not in this column, not on any of the fan sites, not anywhere. I have not picked the game not only because I like to cover both teams, but also because I’m a little superstitious, and I feel like my picks always come out wrong when I do.

But, for this year’s Brawl of the Wild, I’m going to do something different, because, there’s someone who had a deep-seeded Griz bias that isn’t with us to do the picking anymore. This is the 14th year of doing this little Cat-Griz tradition, and in nine of the past columns, I had my good friend Wells Lamey as a guest picker. It became so common for me to ask Wells to pick the Cat-Griz game that, during this week each year, he would answer the phone and say “I knew you would be calling.”

As many of you know, Wells passed away Sunday, but I know he would have loved to again publicly pick the Grizzlies to beat the Bobcats. Wells was a big Griz fan, a true, true Griz fan, and I doubt he ever picked the Cats to beat the Griz, even in the years when he wasn’t picking in this column.

So, in honor of my good friend Wells, I’m going to, for the first time, predict the outcome of Saturday’s game. In essence, I’m picking for Wells, and it’s a no-brainer. I know Wells would have picked the Griz to win Saturday, and I’m going to, also. So here’s to you Wells. Griz-Cat week just won’t be the same without you!

Ferg’s Score: 42-38, Griz

Now, here’s the rest of our guest picker’s predictions from around our great community.

Dennis Murphy

Long-time Havre High athletic director Dennis Murphy is one of many people in Montana to have ties to both the Bobcats and the Grizzlies as he spent time at both schools, getting his undergraduate degree from Montana and his master's degree at Montana State.

"I'm a Montana guy," Murphy said. "I want the Montana teams to win. When I grew up I was a Bobcat fan because I grew up about 100 miles from Bozeman (in Harlowtown). But when I was a senior, I decided to go to Missoula because all my friends were flunking out at Bozeman because their behavior wasn't very good. So I figured my only chance to graduate was to get away from home. And I have been a Griz fan ever since."

In all his years as a teacher, coach, athlete and administrator, Murphy has plenty of ties to both schools, but as a loyal Griz fan, Murphy said this Saturday, he was going with Montana over Montana State.

"For some reason, the Griz just take it to another level when it comes to this game," Murphy said. "There have been years when I thought the Bobcats had the better team and the Griz still beat them. I don't know why that is, but it just seems like the Griz always play their best in this game."

Score: 31-24 Griz

Bob Malsam

There are many Montana State fans in Havre. But, not many have a nickname that bears the name of the school they love and support. However, Havre’s Bob Malsam has just that.

For years, Malsam has been known as “Bobcat,” and it’s a nickname that’s just fine with him, as he’s a lifelong MSU fan. Malsam, who is also an accomplished distance runner, spent 29 years working as a trainman for Burlington-Northern Santa Fe, and, rumor has it, that’s where the nickname got its start.

As for Saturday’s game, “Bobcat” Malsam is obviously going with his beloved Bobcats to pull off the upset over the Grizzlies.

“It will be an offensive showdown,” he said. “The Cats will kick the game-winning field goal in the last minute.”

Score: 34-31, Cats

Linda Ferguson

Diehard Griz fans often talk about the olden days, when the Griz weren’t very good, and would maybe get 7-10,000 fans to games at the old Dornblaser Stadium on South Avenue in Missoula. Well, veteran St. Jude’s fourth-grade teacher, and mother of a certain Havre Daily News sports editor, Linda Ferguson went to UM during the good ole’ Dornblaser days, and she remembers them well.

“I remember sitting in those old, wooden bleachers, in that old football stadium,” Ferguson, who’s taught for 25 years in Havre said. “You were right out in the open, and there were a lot of very cold football games in that stadium.”

Ferguson has remained a Griz fan and has seen her share of the good times of what is now known as the modern era of Griz football. And, she even taught a Grizzly legend, as Havre’s Marc Mariani was one of the thousands of students who came through her class at St. Jude’s over the years.

And, always a Griz fan at heart, Ferguson is going with her heart in Saturday’s game.

“The Griz have momentum after (beating Eastern Washington) last weekend,” she said. “And they’re going to be hungry because they have a chance to earn a playoff berth still.”

Score: 27-20, Griz

Matthew Huse

Griz fans come in all shapes, sizes and ages. And though he’s young, there’s no doubt Matthew Huse is a big Griz fan. The son of Montana State University-Northern men’s basketball coach Shawn Huse, who happens to be a Missoula native, and the nephew of Thad Huse, who just happened to play football for the Griz, young Matt is a diehard Griz fan.

Now in third grade at Lincoln-McKinley, besides the Griz, and of course, Lights’ basketball, Matt loves to play just about every sport, including hoops, golf, tennis, baseball and soccer. And according to his younger brother, Braxton, Matt will be a football player, too, once he gets bigger muscles.

And though Matt hasn’t started playing football just yet, he obviously knows a thing or two about the game, and he’s picking the Griz to beat the Cats, based on some very good analysis.

“The Griz have an aggressive offense, and they have a hard-working defense,” Huse said. “And their quarterback is really tough.”

Score: 28-21, Griz

Adam Huse

Adam Huse is a freshman for the Montana State University-Northern basketball team, but when it comes to people with ties to the Bobcats, few have a stronger one than Huse, a graduate from Bozeman High.

That's because Huse's father, Brad Huse, was the head coach of the Montana State Men's basketball program from 2006-2014. In eight seasons as head coach for the Bobcats, Huse won 107 games and during that time, his son became a die-hard MSU follower.

Yet, the Huse family also has ties to the University of Montana. Brad spent time as an assistant there from 2004-2006 before being tapped to take the head job at MSU. So when it comes to the Cats and the Griz, there is no hatred as far as the Huse family is concerned.

"For a couple years I was a Griz fan," Adam Huse said. "But that was like in second and third grade, so I wasn't quite old enough yet to go for either team. We don't really go against the Griz, just when it's Cat-Griz."

Huse, who was also a water boy for Bobcat football games at one time, said he expects the Cats to pull off the upset this Saturday in Bozeman.

"I am going to guess that it will be a high scoring game," Huse said. "I think the Cats are going to perform higher than usual. I know they are kind of in a slump right now, but I think they are going to pull it out."

Score: 35-27 Cats

Kyle Sheppard

There are few people in Havre who can call themselves a bigger Bobcat fan than Kyle Sheppard, in fact, there may be none.

Sheppard, who graduated from Montana State in 2008 and is currently an accountant for Scharfe, Kato and Co., said he makes it to just about every Bobcat home game and plans to attend the game Saturday.

Sheppard said he had concerns about the Bobcat defense, but in the end, he said he had to stick with his team.

"I think the Cats' defense is terrible," Sheppard said. "So they are going to give up some points. I am a little worried about (Jamaal Jones) and (Ellis) Henderson getting one-on-one match ups, because I think they will win those. But, I think the Cats are still going to win."

Score: 38-35 Cats

Nate Korb

Growing up in Montana, kids who love sports often end up choosing between the Cats and Griz and when it comes to Havre High athlete Nate Korb, his selection was the Griz.

“I just have kind of always liked the Griz,” Korb said. “I don’t really hate the Cats or anything. I have just always liked the Griz.”

Korb, who plays three varsity sports at HHS — football, basketball and tennis — has faith that Montana is going to find a way to get a win on the road in Bozeman and in the process earn a berth in the FCS playoffs

“I think the Griz are going to win,” Korb said. “I think with Gustafson back from injury, it will be too much for the Cats. And with the playoffs on the line, I think the Griz will come out playing a lot harder.”

Score: 35-21 Griz

Brittnee DelaRosa

Brittnee DelaRosa is like many people in Montana. She developed a fandom for the Bobcats because of family ties and since then her loyalty to the Bobcats has never wavered.

"I really became a fan of the Cats because of my brother, Brent," DeLaRosa said. "We kind of became fans because he went to school there and became a really big fan. And we aren't like a lot of other fans. If we like a team, we stick with them."

And as ever the loyal fan, DelaRosa stuck with her team and predicted a Bobcats win, but she did say that if Wells Lamey, a legendary Havre sports fan that passed away earlier this week, had anything to say about, the Griz would play one heck of a game.

"I am going to have to stick with the Cats," DelaRosa said. "I think it will be a little lower scoring than usual and I think the Cats will win, mostly because they have home field and are playing at home. The Cats will need to show up, but adrenaline always helps in this game, no question. However, I do know that if Wells has anything to do with it, the Griz are going to be there to fight."

Score: 24-21 Cats

Note: Havre Daily News sports writer Chris Peterson contributed to this story.