Fresh Start: Ponies host Sidney Eagles tonight

After almost a year, football is finally back at Blue Pony Stadium when Havre High hosts their season opener against Sidney tonight. As the Blue Ponies look forward to the beginning of their fall season, they also look forward to the atmosphere they will experience at Blue Pony Stadium this weekend.

"I expect us to play with a lot of energy and excitement because it's going to be a home opener. Kids are going to be really hyped," HHS head coach Ryan Gatch said. "We'll make a lot of plays. Sidney will make a lot of plays and there'll be a hard fought game. Got two highly competitive schools that are getting after each other."

Havre looks for a win to begin their season and begin their quest of improving on their 1-5 record from last season. The Ponies also look to get revenge this weekend after they lost to Sidney last season, 37-14. Sidney qualified for the playoffs last season after they went 4-4 and finished fourth in the Eastern A.

Gatch believes that if the Ponies are going to defeat Sidney this year and open the season with a win, they will need to slow down Sidney's dominant rushing attack. From last season, the Eagles return running back Aden Graves who scored a pair of touchdowns against Havre last fall.

"(Their) physical run game, we've always had issues of matching upfront. Their offensive line has always been really good," Gatch said. "Defensively, we're going to have to hunker down and we have to stop the run. We have to really sell out to stop the run."

Gatch is also concerned that if the Sidney running game can get going, that will open up their passing attack as well. Gatch does not expect the Eagles to throw the ball more than 20 times in the game, but when they do, he expects them to use play action or boot actions off their run game. Zander Dean will lead the Eagles at quarterback this fall and will have the likes of second team all-conference tight end Ryan McGinnis to throw to.

One way Havre can limit the Eagles' offense is if they keep them off the field. Quarterback Trenton Maloughney and running back Crawford Terry will look to keep the chains moving to keep the Eagles off the field.

"You want to give your team a chance to win in the fourth quarter and if you're on the field, then you're scoring touchdowns and other teams not on the field, they're not scoring touchdowns," Gatch said. "(It would) be great to be able to keep control of the ball. To hit our long passes to loosen them up. Got to hit a couple bombs on them early."

The Ponies will also have to score early on to stay in the game. Last year, Havre did not score until the second half when they were already trailing 30-0. In Havre's way on defense will be returning Sidney defenders such as first team all-conference safety Graves and honorable mention all-conference defensive lineman Grady Nelson.

After a tough 2020 that saw the Ponies deal with COVID-19 as well as a losing record, Havre looks for a repeat of 2019 where they qualified for the playoffs. If Havre is going to return to 2019's success, they will need to open the season strong against Sidney.

HHS football begins their season against Sidney at Blue Pony Stadium tonight at 7 p.m.