George Ferguson Column: Area athletes honored in Great Falls

When it comes to sports writer's, we can be an interesting sort. We, as sports junkies, compete for a lot of the same stories, only finding new and creative ways to write about the same games, the same athletes and the same feats.

At times, it can be very competitive, just like the games we cover.

But, sports writers are also a close-knit group, too. Why? Because we like the same things, we have a lot in common, and we do a fun unique job in which we're cut from the same cloth many times.

I myself have made some good friends over the years, while indirectly competing with those same guys and gals for the same stories and the same coverage. And through those years, one of the people I have grown to respect the most is the Great Falls Tribune's Scott Mansch.

I first met Scott while we were both covering the All-Class State Wrestling Tournament many years ago in Billings. At the time, we were both assistants to sports editor's, and, immediately, I really looked up to Scott, and all that he had done in his career to that point.

Fast forward years later, and Scott and I are colleagues. We do essentially the same job now, and often times, we are competing for the same stories, covering the same games and watching the same athletes, year-after-year.

Despite all that, Scott and I have a great working relationship, and, as the years have gone by, it has started to feel much less like a competition, and more like an informal partnership.

And, because of how much I respect Scott, and the great work that he does, I have to take this time to commend him, and thank him for something he put together. Last weekend in Great Falls, the Trib, with Mansch leading the way, held their first-ever Northcentral Montana Sports Awards banquet. I wasn't able to attend, but I heard from many that it was an outstanding event, and, thanks to Scott's hard work and dedication to our profession, his idea was also an outstanding way to honor so many kids who are so dedicated to what they do ... playing sports, and more importantly, being student-athletes.

And, with the title of the awards certainly meaning the Hi-Line, and Havre falling into that category, a lot of our local athletes were honored last Saturday.

Havre High quarterback Dane Warp, who finished his brilliant football career as the MHSA's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, and an incredible career on the hardwood, which will continue this fall at Carroll College, was honored as the Northcentral Montana Boys' Athlete of the Year, alongside Malta's Sophia Stiles, who was named Girls' Athlete of the Year.

But, the honors didn't stop there for the Blue Ponies, or the local coverage area.

Box Elder was given the Northcentral Montana All-Sports Award after an incredible school year that included a Class C state championship in boys basketball, and runner-up finishes in Six-Man football and girls basketball.

The Chinook wrestling team, led by head coach Perry Miller, was also honored for courage, after the Sugarbeeters traveled to the state tournament in February, and won the Class C state championship in honor of fallen teammate Jesse Dannels, who passed away in a car accident the Sunday before the tournament.

Havre High's Jeff Miller was also named the Northcentral Montana Boys' Tennis Player of the Year following a brilliant career for the Blue Ponies, which included a 2014 Class A state title, and back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2015 and 2016.

Former Chester star and current Belt girls basketball head coach Jeff Graham was also honored at the banquet as the Girls Coach of the Year.

So, for a coverage area that extends pretty far and wide, that's a lot of accolades for Havre High and the Hi-Line, and all of the accolades given to our local athletes were well deserved.

It was indeed a special year around these parts, and one that won't soon be forgotten. And, thanks to my good friend Scott Mansch, even more people, far beyond the reaches of the Hi-Line, got to see and hear about just how special many of our local athletes and teams were this past school year.