MORE MAGIC: Top local sports stories for 2020

There are always a litany of great sports stories in any given year on the Hi-Line. After all, sports are just that big around these parts. And if it weren't for a global pandemic, 2020 would have been no different.

Like anywhere else in the United States, and beyond, the coronavirus is the story of 2020. It's impossible for it not to be, even within the scope of sports in Havre, and around the Hi-Line.

Yes, from canceling the remainder of the state basketball tournaments, to completely wiping out spring sports, to Big Sky and Frontier Conference football and many other fall sports called off, to high school fall sports played in the new normal, such as no fans or limited attendance, mask wearing and canceled games, when we look back on 2020, there's no way around the fact that COVID-19 will have dominated the headlines.

Even here at the Havre Daily News, the pandemic was the biggest sports story in 2020. But it wasn't the only sports story. No, through it all, there were still the usual glorious moments, national and state championships, personal bests, heartbreaks and heroics that make the Hi-Line such a special sports place.

No doubt, 2020 still had its share of amazing sports moments in the Havre Daily News' coverage area, and here they are, our Top 10 sports moments of 2020, that weren't associated with the pandemic.

And while there were many great and magical moments this past year, here's hoping that 2021 brings back the word normal to go with all the special moments yet to come.

1. Nick Kunz wins an NAIA championship

He wasn't a top seed, but when the NAIA national wrestling tournament was all over, then-MSU-Northern junior Nick Kunz was able to call himself the top 125-pounder in the country. Back in March, Kunz, seeded 10th, won four straight matches, including a double-OT thriller in the semifinals and beating favorite Justin Portillo in the national championship match. The Helena native became the sixth individual national champion under head coach Tyson Thivierge, who also reached a milestone of his own this past year, winning his 100th dual of his coaching earlier in December.

2. Lights Stadium

Though the 2020 Frontier football season was called off due to COVID, when the Lights do get to finally play, they'll do so in their brand new on-campus stadium. Less than a year after the stadium project was officially introduced, Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel and others cut the ribbon on the new Lights Stadium back in August, while also naming the field after the great Mike Tilleman, who would pass away in September. The construction of Phase I of the Lights Stadium project included a three-sided bowl with grass, a 1,000 seat grandstand and press box, an artificial turf field, a Daktronics scoreboard and video screen, as well as an entrance plaza and other amenities.

3. HHS crowns more mat champions

Finals night at the State Wrestling Tournament is always a coronation for Blue Pony wrestlers and the 2020 tournament was no different. HHS senior Connor Harris (152) captured his first state title in his last try at the Metra back in February, while then sophomore Orion Thivierge also won his first title at 160, while Cameron Pleninger reached the final for the Blue Ponies, who finished tied for third.

4. Harlem star sets state scoring record

Brad Cichosz did so much in his high school career, from cross country to track state titles. But he made his biggest splash on the basketball court, and in particular on a snowy February night when Harlem beat Poplar 101-53. In that game, Cichosz set Montana's single-game scoring record with 68 points. In the incredible performance, Cichosz also hit a state-record 12 3-pointers.

5. Fort Benton Sweeps the 9C

The Fort Benton girls were no strangers to the District 9C basketball championship and, with a powerful team, the Longhorns beat Turner for their third straight district title in February at the HHS gymnasium. However, the Fort Benton boys made it a true stampede as the Longhorns toppled Chinook for the 9C boys title on the same weekend, making it a Fort Benton sweep. The Fort Benton boys would also go on to win the Northern C crown a week later in Great Falls, earning their first state tournament berth since they were Class B back in 1992.

6. Havre Northstars earn a trip to state

When 2020 began, the Havre Northstars American Legion baseball club had already secured a spot in the Class A state tournament, as that tournament was going to be played at Legion Field in Havre. However, after the pandemic took hold, Legion baseball was in limbo for a time, and ultimately, Havre lost its hosting duties. So the Northstars went out and earned the right to play at state on the field. Head coach Patch Wirtzberger's team would post a strong regular season, then win a couple of thrillers at the Northern District tournament, ultimately finishing second and reaching the club's first state tourney since 2005.

7. HLP girls make their own history

The Turner girls got over a huge hump at the 9C tourney a couple of years ago. And while Turner made more history this past winter, the 2020 9C tourney was also the coming out part for the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds. After years of struggle, the T-Birds finished third at the 9C, punching their first ticket to the Northern C in 27 years. And like Turner, once in the Northern C, HLP didn't stop, instead, the T-Birds won even more big games for head coach Cory Morgan.

8. Kyndall Keller wins Gatorade POY, shines for Lady Griz

The 2020 basketball season was yet another special one for Blue Pony great Kyndall Keller. She again led Class A in scoring and, ultimately, earned the prestigious Montana Girls Gatorade Player of the Year. Keller, who had already signed with the University of Montana, would also find herself becoming a key contributor for the Lady Griz as a true freshman, including scoring a game-high 17 points in a win over Seattle U in early December.

9. Jacob Miller swims to a championship

The Havre High boys won a Class A state championship in the pool in 2019. A year later, then-Blue Pony senior Jacob Miller won one of his own. Miller captured the 100-meter breaststroke state title back in February, then only a few months later, signed on to swim collegiately for NCAA Division II Adams State University.

10. Big Sandy boys have a huge year

What a ride it's been for the Pioneers. In February, Big Sandy reached its first Northern C tourney in 10 years, and once there, wound up playing rival Fort Benton in the championship game, ultimately falling to Belt in a challenge game. Then, in the fall, led by record-setting running back Kade Strutz, the Pioneers won their fourth straight Six-Man North championship, and reached the state semifinals for the third straight season, capping an incredible 2020 for Big Sandy boys sports.

Honorable Mention: Blue Pony, Fort Benton spikers make back-to-back trips to the state tournament; Havre High girls basketball wins Northeast A again, makes yet another deep run at interrupted State A tourney; Blue Pony golfer Josh Warp finishes fifth at Class A state tourney; Longtime Blue Pony Activities Director Dennis Murphy retired in the spring; Havre High's Kellen Detrick signs with Montana Griz football; Harlem girls, Rocky Boy boys go back to State B tourney, yet again; MSU-N runner Field Soosloff reaches NAIA cross country championships, Lights ranked for the first time in program history. Former Ponies Dane Warp and Dani Wagner both earn NAIA All-American, Warp was also a finalist for Little Sullivan Award. Fort Benton football makes a deep playoff run again.