Friday Night Lights: TURNING IT AROUND IN CAT COUNTRY

Under the lights of Friday night, anything can happen. There are miracles, upsets, memorable moments and, especially when it comes to the Hi-Line, there is great football. Plenty of teams along the Hi-Line have had their shining moments on the field, but the Harlem High football team found something special: a win.

But it was not just any victory, it was Harlem's first win on the turf since the 2016 season, effectively ending a rough battle the program has had for years.

Last time the Wildcats dominated the field, it was the early 1990s. Since then, it has been struggle after struggle for Harlem, but that all changed in early September, when the Wildcats won over the Poplar Indians 42-26. Even if it was just one win on the season, it was a time for celebration for Harlem football.

Harlem head coach Derek Azure described the scene after the Wildcats beat Poplar in week one.

"Emotions were pretty crazy from parents, grandparents, community members and from our team," Azure said. "There was a lot of tears and hugs and photos."

After beating the Indians and going through a whirlwind of joyous emotions, Harlem was fueled up for the next battle against conference rival Wolf Point Wolves. It was quite the showdown for the Wildcats, who found their way to the endzone plenty of times to come away with a 34-21 victory over the Wolves. As of now, Harlem is 2-0 overall and 1-0 in conference, tying with Northern B powerhouses like Malta, Glasgow and Fairfield in conference standings.

Now, despite the drought since 2016, Harlem owns a wining streak. Many challenges were thrown in their path besides Poplar and Wolf Point, like the COVID-19 concern leaving the 2020 season questionable in the first place. But now, there is not only certainty that the Wildcats are grateful to play, but their happy to have some wins on their record, as well.

The momentum from the first two wins of the season is huge for Harlem and to keep that going, Azure knows what the plan is going forward.

"I feel if we all just continue to do our job every play good things will continue to happen," Azure said.

Veteran players like Andrew Rasmussen, Zach Kinyon, Brent Cole, Amari Stanley and John Hughes have been on the grind for these wins. Offensively, Rasmussen has been trucking his way to help the Wildcats down the field, while Stanley is making big strides as a slot receiver, giving Harlem a great tandem of a passing and rushing attack on the turf.

Then comes the lines. The offensive line has been a big part in not only protecting the quarterback, but also helping Rasmussen find some open field, including when he rushed for 309-yards in 15 carries against Poplar. A great o-line often makes a big difference in a game. That can be said about the Wildcat defensive line, too, who have been working hard to disrupt their opponents offensive drive these past two games.

Of course, every team has some shining moments from its players, and Azure recounted plenty of Wildcats who have gotten them to the win streak.

"I really can't single anyone out but a lot of our players have been a huge surprise to everyone," Azure said. "Andrew Rasmussen has ran the ball hard, Amari Stanley has been a threat in the slot and my line on both sides the ball is playing strong and confident."

And the challenges ahead will test Harlem greatly, especially when it comes to Northern B rivals like the Mustangs, Scotties and Eagles, but those games are something that Azure looks forward to.

"I think what excites me the most is I want to see how we compete against the traditional powers of Northern B football," Azure said.

It feels good to be 2-0 right now if you're the Harlem Wildcats. A win-drought since 2016 has been hard for the team, but after rolling past Poplar and Wolf Point, the Wildcats are on the right track to having a great season. Coach Azure has been making great strides leading Harlem, while his players will surely be excited for more tests ahead. Be prepared because the Wildcats will be playing their hearts out as the season goes on.

Next up is a non-conference game against the Roundup Panthers tonight at 7 p.m. in Roundup for a shot at continuing the Wildcats winning-streak.