Blue/White Saturday signals the begining

The real fun is still a week away, but the Havre High football and volleyball teams will certainly have some fun Saturday.

This Saturday marks the annual Blue/White Day for HHS, where the Ponies host intrasquad volleyball and football scrimmages. The action starts at 2 p.m. in the HHS gymnasium where the Pony volleyball team will scrimmage and continues with the annual Blue/White Football Game, set for 5:30 p.m. inside Blue Pony Stadium.

Both events will certainly be surrounded by plenty of fun, but both games are also key for the programs as they are down to just one week of preparation before the regular season begins.

The Blue Pony volleyball team, under the direction of Tamecia Jarvis, returns a deep and talented squad, led by seniors Cassidy Acor, Jessa Chvilicek and Sam Oliver, among many others. In fact, the Ponies return a huge core of varsity talent, so this season could be a big one in the Pony Corral.

The Blue/White Volleyball game is typically a scrimmage with a freshman game, a JV game and a varsity game, so, every Pony on the roster will get a chance to get some quality reps in before Havre's regular season starts next weekend at the Eastern A Tipoff in Laurel.

Saturday night's Blue/White football game is also key as the Ponies, under head coach Ryan Gatch, wrap up fall camp and gear up for their season-opening game at Sidney Aug. 30.

Typically, the Blue/White game is a controlled scrimmage between the No. 1 offense against the No. 2 defense, and the No. 1 defense against the No. 2 offense. But Gatch has something special in store for this year's game. The Pony coaches will draft players, from freshman to seniors, and create two squads, which will go head-to-head in the controlled scrimmage.

The game will give plenty of Pony players, including returning standouts like Reese Bulkley, Mason Dionne, Kellan Detrick and Kasee Henderson much-needed reps, but it will also give Havre's younger players a chance to get live reps, as well.

Of course, hopes are high for a Blue Pony squad that has a strong veteran presence, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, as Havre enters the season looking for its first playoff berth in four years.

The annual Blue/White Day begins with volleyball in the afternoon inside the HHS gymnasium. The fun shifts to Blue Pony Stadium for the Blue/White Football Game at 5:30 p.m. The Blue Pony Booster Club will also have plenty of food and fun at the football game, as well.

All of the fall sports at Havre High will be in full swing by the end of next week.