Top Local Sports Stories 2018

Sports are often times about fulfilling dreams. Athletes and teams of all ages, all sports dream big, and when those dreams come true, they become magical sports moments.

Over the last 12 months, many athletes, many teams and many special players have made their dreams come true here in Havre, and all over the Hi-Line. Yes, just like seemingly every year, 2018 was full of incredible sports moments in our coverage area.

Havre and the Hi-Line produced multiple state championships, both on team and individual levels in high school sports. The area produced dynamic all-state and all-conference players from all levels of high school sports, as well as all-Americans at the college level.

In other words, in the last 12 months, our coverage area has once again delivered another incredible year of sports. So many highs, so many exciting moments and so many great stories. So, here's our look back at the year in local sports, and our Top 10 stories from 2018.

1. Pony girls undefeated state championship

2018 will be a year the Havre High girls basketball team will never forget. The Blue Ponies captured their second Class A state championship last March in Great Falls when they bested Hardin in the title game 42-35. It was head coach Dustin Kraske's second state championship in the last four years, but this one was unique and historic in that the Ponies were a perfect 24-0. Havre was 6-0 in the postseason, between winning the Eastern A and Class A titles, and HHS went on to place three players on the Class A All-State Team. Havre's run in 2018 also extended into the new season, as the Blue Ponies sit at 6-0 this season and are currently on a school-record 30-game winning streak.

2. Box Elder's historic state championship

It wasn't long ago that the Box Elder boys basketball team was on a historic run. But in 2018, it was the girls turn. Despite falling in both the District 9C and Northern C championship games, the Bears went on to capture their first girls state championship in 20 years back in March. In Butte, Box Elder beat Northern C rival Winnett-Grass Range 52-34 in the Class C title game, giving longtime head coach Joel Rosette his first state championship and Box Elder its first girls title since 1998. The Bears also went a perfect 18-0 during the regular season, had three All-State players, and gave the school its third basketball state championship in the last six years.

3. Scott Filius retires/Ponies get another trophy

The Havre High wrestling team is used to the podium at the All-Class State Tournament, but this coming February, if the Blue Ponies get there, it will be the first time in 23 years that they'll do it without Scott Filius. Filius, who was inducted into the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame last year, retired after more than two decades of incredible coaching at HHS. Filius led the Ponies to 12 Class A state titles, and now, he turns the reins over to former Blue Pony great Beau LaSalle. Last February, the Ponies finished second at the state tournament to a strong team from Sidney, while HHS placed nine grapplers and saw Martin Wilkie win his third straight state title, and Tyler Schaub win his second.

4. Lights are elite on the mat

The Montana State University-Northern wrestling team proved once again it is one of the elite programs in the NAIA. The Lights of head coach Tyson Thivierge battled their way to a fourth-place trophy at the NAIA national tournament, their fourth trophy in the last five seasons. The Lights also saw Matt Weber (141), Brandon Weber (157), Andrew Bartel (165), Chris Nile (174) and Isaac Bartel (197) all earn All-American honors with both Webers reaching the NAIA championship round. The Lights also started the 2018-19 season strong, including yet another win over arch rival Providence in a dual back in November in Havre.

5. Havre High crowns spring sports state champs

It was certainly a fruitful spring for Blue Pony spring athletes. The Blue Pony doubles team of Trey Murphy and Kennedy McKay captured the Class A state championship in Polson in May, while Havre High's Ivar Aageson won a state championship in the Class A boys 300-meter hurdles on the same day in Laurel.

6. Rocky Boy makes it a double

March was a fun time to be a Rocky Boy basketball fan. The Rocky Boy girls won both the District 1B and Northern B titles for the first time in school history, while the Rocky Boy boys also marched their way to a third-place finish at the Class B state tournament. Excitement was at an all-time high at Rocky Boy as the school sent the two teams to the state tournament for the first time together since Rocky Boy moved up to Class B. The Stars and Morning Stars also produced a combined five All-State players.

7. Tornado gold on the track

The Class C state track meet was a coming out party for the Turner Tornadoes. In May in Great Falls, Eddie Harmon repeated as the 800-meter Class C state champion, setting a meet record in the process. But teammate Cody Welsh also won gold in the 300 hurdles, giving the Hi-Line a sweep of that event in Class A/C, and helping Turner finish fourth in the team title race.

8. Fort Benton girls rack up hardware

Whether it was basketball season or on the track, the Fort Benton girls were really good in 2018. In February, the Longhorns stunned undefeated Box Elder in the District 9C championship game, in what was an overtime thriller in which Aspen Geise hit a buzzer-beating game-winner. The Longhorns, of head coach Cassie Pimperton would come within one win of reaching the state tournament as well, but, they weren't done. Fort Benton's track team would go on to sweep the 9C and Northern C team titles, before finishing second in the Class C state meet. The Longhorns also won state titles in both the 100- and 400-meter relays.

9. Rolin wins his first game

It was quite the year for MSU-Northern head football coach Andrew Rolin. Hired in December of 2017, it was a long journey to his first official game with the Lights. But that day will be one he'll never forget. On Aug. 25 in Blue Pony Stadium, Rolin's young Lights delivered a season-opening win when they thumped Mayville State 49-20.

10. Turner girls make history

There was a time not long ago when the Turner girls basketball program didn't have enough players to field a varsity team. But 2018 was a long way removed from those days. In February, Turner beat CJI in a thriller in the 9C consolation game, pushing the Tornadoes to their first divisional tournament in 21 years. Turner would go on to win two games at the Northern C the following week, and at the end of 2018 are a threat to do even bigger things this winter.

More Top Moments: Hi-Line United wins Montana Gold Cup; Chinook's Rebecca Stroh places in wrestling, Beeters get a trophy; Curt Leeds retires from HHS basketball, Walynn Burgess is the Ponies' new head coach; Burgess also led North Star to its first Northern C appearance in quite some time; Marc Mariani officially retires from the NFL; Blue Ponies make it to state softball in Tony Vigliotti's first season at the helm; Ryan Reeves wins Frontier Defensive Player of the Year again, named NAIA All-American; Big Sandy football rolls to a second straight Six-Man playoff run; Mickey Williams returns to coach the Northstars; Parker Filius shining at Purdue; Winter hurts spring sports.