Veteran Blue Ponies hoping to stampede their way through 2019

The past two seasons haven't gone exactly as planned for the Havre High football team, but after taking some incremental steps forward last season, the Blue Ponies are looking for a big leap in 2019 - big enough to get the team back into the playoffs for the first since 2015.

But in order to end that drought, the Ponies will need to win at least two or maybe three more games, following a 2-7 campaign a season ago.

"We feel really good." HHS head coach Ryan Gatch said. "Our numbers are great; our energy is great and we have a lot of kids that have invested a lot of time in this program. This is a fun group of guys to be around and our team chemistry is just awesome."

Like any high school football team, the Ponies will have some key losses to deal with and one the toughest players to replace will be wide receiver Ethan Roberts, who earned Second-Team All-Conference in the Central A after 557 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

Roberts was the top target of starting quarterback Reese Bulkley, who is expected to assume the starting job again in 2019, although he will be pushed by sophomore Trenton Maloughney, who also served as the backup last season.

"Reese is looking good and Trenton is also looking good," Gatch said. "Right now, Reese is doing a really good job of running the offense, Trenton is, too, but Reese has gotten a lot of game reps. I thought he progressed and improved with every game. I like where he's at."

Having an experienced quarterback is always a bonus at the high school level and Bulkley himself said last season's experience has helped him grow into the position after moving over from wide receiver.

"I think that one year of experience is going to help me be more confident," Bulkley said. "That first year was kind of scary. Now I feel a lot more confident. I know what to expect."

Bulkley's top pass catcher may have graduated, but he will have a familiar face next to him in the backfield in senior running back Mason Dionne. The three-year starter on defense and two-year starter at running back racked up 690 yards on the ground last season and six touchdowns on his way to earning First-Team All-Conference honors in the Central A. Dionne also contributed with two touchdown passes and a touchdown reception.

Dionne will also start at middle linebacker and is one of many critical two-way stalwarts for HHS. Dionne will play running back and linebacker and he will be joined by Orion Thivierge, who will start at both linebacker and wide receiver. The sophomore, who started a few games at defensive back last season, could be the top wideout in the passing game, while his speed on defense will be critical.

"Obviously, we want to go to the playoffs this year," Dionne said. "And this year, I think we will have the chance to do that. We just have to stay focused and work on our goal of being 1-0 right now."

Dionne was the only Pony to earn First-Team honors on offense and the only guy who did it on defense was defensive end Kellen Detrick, who racked up 33 tackles, three sacks and five tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2018. He will be joined on the defensive line by senior Quinn Springer and also by Dexter Beck, two returning starters that received All-Conference honorable mention last season. Beck led the team in sacks with four, as well as five tackles for loss. Springer also had an admirable campaign with 27 tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss.

While Havre is loaded with talent on the defensive line, HHS is equally talented on the offensive line. The starting five is highlighted by left tackle Kasee Henderson, a 6-foot-5, First-Team All-Conference selection in 2019. And with Beck, Springer and Ethan Carlson each joining him on the offensive line, the Ponies should be sound in the trenches.

"We have to be physical," Henderson said. "If you don't have a good offensive line or a good defensive line, you aren't going to win. You aren't going to be successful. We were physical last year but a lot of us were first-year starters last season and now we have more experience under our belt."

The Ponies will also have a host of other contributors like, Bradyn Winchell, Brock Nystrom, Carson Lunak, Carter Nystrom, Ethan Carlson, John South, Noah Nitz, Troy Powell and more, all of whom have varsity experience.

It's clear that Havre will have a bunch of familiar faces playing on both offense and defense in 2019, but in terms of the schedule, a familiar foe won't be back on the slate and that's Belgrade, a long-time rival from the old Central A. The Panthers and Ponies have been battling it out on the gridiron for decades, but after Belgrade left for Class AA, the rivalry will end and for the first time in years, Havre will play only eight games.

"We will miss playing Belgrade," Gatch said. "That was a really intense rivalry and that was a fun game for our kids to play in, they have a great program. But outside of that, the schedule is pretty much the same, except for a bye week."

The Ponies will open the season with a long road trip to Sidney on Aug. 30. Havre will then alternate between playing at home and on the road for the rest of the season. Glendive will come to Blue Pony Stadium for the home opener Sept. 6. Laurel (Sept. 20), Livingston (Oct. 11) and Lewistown (Oct. 25) will also come to Havre this season. The other road games for Havre will be at Hardin (Sept. 13), Miles City (Sept. 27) and Billings Central (Oct. 18).

As a whole, the Eastern A will have just nine teams this season as Belgrade left and both Lockwood and East Helena, the newest members, aren't ready for varsity football yet. But, the league will still get six playoff berths, meaning six of the nine teams will earn their way into the postseason, providing the Ponies with a great opportunity if they can navigate the always-difficult Eastern A.

"I am really happy we get to go to Sidney that first week of the season," Gatch said. "The entire conference is going to be challenging, but we are excited to go down there the first week of the season and play much better than we did a year ago. We didn't play well down there and we want to show that's not the type of program we are. And being 1-0, that is our goal right now. That is what our focus is."

Havre opens its season Friday night at Sidney. The Ponies play their first home game Sept. 6 against Laurel.