News you can use
News you can use
High school football returns to the Hi-Line this weekend. A handful of area Class C 8-Man and Six-Man teams will make their season debuts. Area Class C volleyball is also underway. As always, the Havre Daily News wants to publish all our area varsity teams' results in our Hi-Line Roundups, which run every Tuesday.
After a rollercoaster of emotions and uncertainty about the 2020 fall football season along the Hi-Line due to COVID-19, the fall season was given the green light to go forward. With many of the Class C schools heading back to school at full-capacity, the 8-man and 6-man football teams will look to go at their season in that way, too. With that, Class C teams along the Hi-Line will be competing tonight and Saturday in their season-openers.
The first weekend of football for the 2020 season begins with the Fort Benton Longhorns against the Ennis Mustangs tonight in Ennis, followed by three Saturday games, where the Chinook Sugarbeeters will play against the Park City Panthers at 7 p.m. in Park City, the Big Sandy Pioneers will go against the Valier Panthers at 7 p.m. in Big Sandy and the North Star Knights will take on the Power-Dutton-Brady Titans at 7 p.m. in Power.
Who better to start off the action than the Longhorns, who cruised their way to an semifinal appearance in Class C 8-man last season. With returning players like Hayden Diekhans, Hayden Axtman, Brock Hanford, Trey Gibson, Monty Terkildsen and William Ullery, Fort Benton is looking stacked once again. The run-heavy and defensive prowess of the Longhorns will be a major test for the Mustangs at home.
Ennis had some struggles last fall against plenty of 8-man powerhouses, including in their season opener against the Longhorns, who stomped them 60-12. Ennis pushed a lot throughout the season to pick up some wins, but it will not be an easy task trying to stop Fort Benton, especially to start the season. But like many things, the Longhorns cannot underestimate the Mustangs tonight.
Then comes the Saturday games, with the Sugarbeeters starting the day off with an afternoon showdown against Park City. Last season, Chinook dealt with some ups and downs throughout the season, including a thumping by the Panthers. But with Damon Hannum, Benton Elliot, Erik Pula, Hunter Molyneaux, Toby Niederegger, Reese Elliot and Ethan MacLeod back on the field, the senior class and on is full of depth. There will be a lot of passing attack coming from the Beeters this season, which will look to be deadly on the field.
Even so, Park City carries both a strong offensive and defensive attack, meaning there is no easy way around the Panthers. Especially in 8-man football, if you cannot keep up with the other team, you will fall behind, which is something that Park City loves to dish out to other teams. The Chinook defense will have to stay consistent and strong opening weekend.
Big Sandy will be starting its Six-man season at home Saturday, too. A season and home-opener to start 2020 will be nice for the Pioneers, who will look to journey back to the postseason like they did in 2019, making it to the semifinals on an undefeated run. With returners like all-state running back Kade Strutz, defensive standout Brady Pleninger and pass attackers like Kody Strutz and all-state passer Parker Proulx, Big Sandy has a lot to look forward to again this season.
But the Valier Panthers will look to upset the Pioneers to start off the season. Valier went through an up and down season last year, as well, but when another year comes around, anything can happen. It will not make it any easier to battle Big Sandy on its home-turf, either. Simply put, the Pioneers have to play all-out against the Panthers at home.
North Star will share an evening slot Saturday, as well. After driving to a valiant postseason appearance as the North's No. 4 seed in 2019, the Knights will be on guard to try and get back to the playoffs once more. Returners like senior Jaden Sargent, Payne Ditmar and Gavin Spicher will look to help the young North Star team to find glory once more. Offense was a strength for the Knights last season, while the North Star defense is ready to match that energy early on.
The Titans pushed through a tough 2019 season to make it to the playoffs last year and will look to do so once again. With a combination of strong offense and defense, Power-Dutton-Brady does not hold back when given the chance. It takes a lot to get to the postseason in 6-man football, so the Knights will have to play lockdown-football to get the win Saturday.
With that, Class C football along the Hi-Line is ready to get back on the field to start off the season. First impressions are important and every team playing this weekend will be looking to make it a good one. The weekend of action starts with the Fort Benton Longhorns (0-0) versus the Ennis Mustangs (0-0) tonight in Ennis, followed by some Saturday games, where the Chinook Sugarbeeters (0-0) will play against the Park City Panthers (0-0) at 7 p.m. in Park City, the Big Sandy Pioneers (0-0) will play the Valier Panthers (0-0) at 7 p.m. in Big Sandy and the North Star Knights (0-0) take on the Power-Dutton-Brady Titans (0-0) at 7 p.m. in Power.
Class C volleybaqll is also off and running, so to speak.
Some matches were held Thursday night, but this weekend, there is a full slate of matches from around the area.
Of course, this time of year, preseason tournaments and jamborees would take center stage to start the volleyball season, but due to the MHSA's new COVID-19 regulations for fall sports, volleyball matches can only be held between two teams. No tournaments, no trainagulars and no dual-net events are permitted this season.
As for Havre High football and volleyball, the regular season is still two weeks off. The Blue Pony volleyball team starts its season at Malta Sept. 10, while the Pony football team hosts Laurel Sept. 11 at Blue Pony Stadium. Havre High will host a second Blue/White football scrimmage tonight at 7, while the Pony volleyball team will hold another Blue/White game Saturday at the HHS gymnasium.
Reader Comments(0)