Tough road games await Blue Pony girls

The Havre High girls basketball team is on fire so far in conference play. The next two games, however, will be against tough, non-conference opponents.

Sure, the Blue Ponies have played games against schools like Greats Falls High, CMR and Malta out-of-conference, so what makes these two games any different? For starters, tonight's opponent for Havre will be the Browning Indians on the road in Browning. The Indians are a former Central A rival of Havre's and are a team to be reckoned with. Then, Havre hits the road once more to play the Class B Fairfield Eagles Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Fairfield.

HHS (7-1) has had an exciting history with Browning for many years, often sparking some great performances on both sides. The Ponies and Indians have even met before in the state race in recent years. Now, Havre and Browning will be going head-to-head as part of the top teams in Class A this year.

Even with the teams' extensive past with one another, every year starts off very fresh. But the Blue Ponies have made big strides in Class A in recent years and with the talent the team has, it will be a tough fight for any opponent.

The two-time defending state champions have gone through some adjustments this season, but the talent is still unmissable. If anything has stood out over the season, it would be Havre's defensive prowess, which has achieved some impressive feats so far in the season.

What first comes to mind is the Ponies' showcase last week against Northeast A and long-time rival Lewistown, where Havre won by a 59-point margin over the Golden Eagles. Other moments of individual defensive performances have been prominent from sophomore Sadie Filius and junior Kylie Walker.

The Blue Pony offense is the other half to fear on the court. Players like seniors Kadia Miller and Kyndall Keller have utilized their experience and leadership to drive the offense this year, while others like Sadie Filius, Loy Waid and Katie Wirtzberger boost the attack power for Havre.

But Browning is a great powerhouse on the hardwood this year, as well. Offensively, the Indians score around 58 points per game, with Dulci Skunkcap averaging 10.5 points per game and Tatum Runningcrane not far behind with an 8.4 point average per game. Defensively, Browning has been dominant on the defensive board, totaling 176 rebounds so far in the year. On top of it all, the Indians are sitting atop the Northwest A as of now.

Tonight's game against Browning will be a tough contest for the Ponies, but the next matchup will continue to test their might on the road as well. After all, the Fairfield Eagles are one of Class B's elite, led by former Chester coach Dustin Gordon.

Havre and Fairfield have put up some heated games in recent years, too. The Eagles have kept a consistently powerful team in Class B for a good while and have offered the Ponies a great out-of-conference challenge.

Plus, Fairfield, like Browning, is another team HHS plays twice in the season.

In any case, it will not be the first dance for both teams considering their history, but Saturday's game will act as the first look at the Eagles for Havre. After all, the first of the two games in the year often make for an interesting sight. Fairfield will not be a team so easily beat and that alone will produce a fun matchup for the Ponies on the road.

Havre visits Browning tonight at 6, followed by a 6;30 p.m. game Saturday night in Fairfield.