Some things never change: Havre fans on both sides of the Divide will be tuned into the Brawl of the Wild

The Brawl for the Wild is finally back as Montana and Montana State face off this weekend. The Griz and Bobcats will meet in Bozeman Saturday and, just like every season, it will be a big game for both teams.

The Cats will be looking to finish the year undefeated in Big Sky play. The Cats have had an excellent season to rise to No. 3 in the FCS rankings as they have gone 7-0 in conference games and 9-1 overall. Their lone loss this year was a 68-28 loss to FBS team Oregon State.

The Griz have had more trouble this season as they are 4-3 in the Big Sky and are 7-3 overall this year. After a 5-0 start to the year, the Griz lost three games in a row to fall out of contention for a Big Sky title. But they have since won two in a row to rise to No. 12 in the FCS poll.

Because of the success of both programs, they both have fans scattered across the state and that is true on the Hi-Line. Like many towns across the Treasure State, Havre is full of fans of both programs, so we decided to ask them who they think will bring home the Great Divide Trophy.

The 2022 Brawl for the Wild will kick off at Noon at Bobcats Stadium in Bozeman. As they anticipate the upcoming game, here’s how fans on the Hi-Line think the game will go.

Mark Irvin

The first-year athletic director for Havre High School, and longtime educator, has been a fan of the Griz long before he went to the University of Montana for graduate school. Back in the mid 1990s, Irvin worked at a radio station for Miles City and got the chance to meet Don Read, UM’s head coach at the time. Irvin got the chance to go out to dinner with Read and talk more about football. While he had often gone to Cats games before then, Irvin could not help but fall for and root for the Griz football program.

“Don Read was a legend over there,” Irvin said. “He was just such a neat human being and just very humble and very friendly. It was a neat experience (to meet him).”

Just like any sports fan, Irvin has experienced the highs and lows of being a Griz fan over the years. One low point he remembers was a game at Washington-Grizzly Stadium a few years ago where the Griz were about to punch it in for a touchdown. Instead, the Griz fumbled the ball and the Cats went on to win the game.

But Irvin has also seen many highs for the Griz. He enjoyed watching them play under head coach Joe Glenn when the Griz won their last national championship in 2001. He has also enjoyed seeing the Griz and Cats go at it over the years. Even though the Griz defeated Washington last year, that did not compare to the Griz defeating the Cats, 29-10, in last year’s Brawl for the Wild.

For this year’s Brawl for the Wild, there is an extra level of excitement with ESPN’s College Gameday coming to town. With some more national attention this weekend, Irvin believes the Griz will pull out the win on the road.

“I think the Griz are going to win a close one,” Irvin said. “I think they’ll come out pretty motivated and they’re pretty salty on defense so it should be a very good game. I think they’re going to win a slugfest.”

Score: 26-19, Griz

Patch Wirtzberger

Wirtzberger did not attend either college, but, growing up, he rooted for the Cats because they were the underdogs compared to the Griz at that time. While he attended MSU-Billings to play baseball, Wirtzberger often went to Cats games just down the road in Bozeman.

Wirtzberger has made many fond memories over the years rooting for the Cats. One of his favorites was when he attended the Brawl for the Wild in Bozeman in 2005 in a game he called the “mud bowl.” After the game, he and his friends rushed the field to celebrate the Cats win.

Another recent memory was last year when he and his son went down to Frisco, Texas this past January for the FCS National Championship between the Cats and North Dakota State. While the Bison defeated the Cats, 38-10, to win the title, the experience is not one that Wirtzberger and his son will forget.

While the Cats have been the better team so far this year, a rivalry game always closes the gap between teams. He expects a good game between the two squads, but Wirtzberger believes Bobcats Stadium will make the difference.

“I think in a rivalry like this, the home team always has the advantage as you get your crowd behind you,” Wirtzberger, the head coach of the Havre Northstars, said. “The Cats have been playing pretty good and the Griz are coming on strong at the end of this season here so it should be a really close one. But I have to take the Cats.”

Score: 38-35, Cats

Shawn Huse

The Montana State University-Northern men’s basketball coach did not really have a choice but to root for the Griz, since both his father and brother played football at UM. Over the years, Huse got to watch his brother play in person for the Griz. During that time, Huse’s brother Thad played with Griz legend Tim Hauck, which helped bring the two families closer.

“We definitely have a lot of ties to Grizzly football,” Huse said. “There’s all those ties there and I think that’s seeped over to all of us at the end of the day.”

It will be a tough game for the Griz this weekend with a road trip to Bozeman. The Cats are undefeated at home and in conference play this season, so they should be favored. But after dealing with injuries and losses earlier in the season, Huse expects the Griz to respond and pull off the upset.

“It looks like maybe they’re back to who they were early on this season,” Huse said. “They would have to win a close game if they’re going to pull it off in that stadium because Montana State is a great team so it should just be a fun game to watch.”

Score: 31-30, Griz

Nicole Hungerford

Hungerford, who works at Hill County Health Department, attended MSU in college, and easily became a Cats fan as she went to every home game. Over those years, she made many memories having fun with her friends and enjoying the atmosphere of the games. Even after leaving college, she makes sure to watch all their games on television to root for them.

Heading into the game, the Cats are favored since they have a better record and homefield advantage. The Cats will also be getting some players back this weekend, so Hungerford expects the Cats to finish the year undefeated in Big Sky competition.

“I just feel like they’re playing better this year and they have a healthy team,” Hungerford said. “Some of them that were injured or were in concussion protocol are coming back this weekend so I think that’ll definitely be a benefit to them.”

Score: 31-24, Cats

Matt Huse

With family having deep roots in the UM football program and Missoula, Matt would be hard-pressed not to root for the Griz. Over the years, the high school student has enjoyed watching the Griz play. Most recently, he made one of his favorite memories at a game in Missoula when the Griz defeated Cal Poly in the snow.

Just like every time they meet, the Cat-Griz game this weekend should be exciting. While he will not get to go to the game because of the start of high school basketball season, Matt, who has attended a couple of games this year, looks forward to seeing the atmosphere at Bobcat Stadium.

“I’m looking forward to a really big crowd and I’m excited to see how loud it will be,” Matt said. “With College Gameday at the Griz-Cat game, I think it will be really cool.”

As a Griz fan, Matt has to go with his team. Matt expects players such as Justin Ford and Malik Flowers to make an impact this weekend for the Griz and he believes a punt return touchdown from Flowers will make the difference in the game.

“I got the Griz winning,” Huse, who plays golf, basketball and tennis at Havre High, said. “It’ll be really close but the Griz will pull through in a thriller and end up winning.”

Score: 21-14, Griz

Cindy Brandon

After both of her parents graduated from UM, Brandon, a pharmacist at Bullhook, went to pharmacy school in Missoula and graduated with honors. With ties like that to Griz Nation, of course she would wind up a fan. After leaving college, she has continued to root for the Griz.

One of her most memorable moments being a Griz fan was watching them play in the national championship game against Richmond in Chattanooga in 2008. She did not get to go to the game, but she got to watch it at home with her twin babies. While the Griz lost the game, she got to watch hometown hero Marc Mariani represent Havre on a national stage.

The Griz have faced adversity this season, including injuries to key positions like quarterback. But if the Griz can stay healthy this game, Brandon expects them to win.

“I’m hoping the Griz will win,” Brandon said. “I think the Griz win if we have our quarterback. If not, I think it’s going to be a tough game.”

Score: 21-14, Griz

Reid Kato

Kato, a junior at Havre High, who plays golf, tennis and basketball, comes from a house divided. His dad, Jim, is an alumn of Montana State and his mom, Carrie, is a Griz alumn. He also has an older sister who currently goes to school at UM. So there’s always been some conflicts.

While he has not gone to a Cats game since a young age, he and his father watch every game along with some friends and so, his allegiance lies in Bozeman. Since he has watched the Cats play throughout the season, he believes the Cats are good enough to pull away at the end against the Griz this weekend.

“I think the Cats will win because they’ve been playing really well,” Kato said. “I just think they’ll come out and just be ready.”

Score: 27-14, Cats

Lizzi Haney

With her mother being an MSU alum, it was natural for Haney, a senior at Havre High, to become a Cats fan. She even got to spend some more time at the MSU campus with volleyball camps through the years and the Class A State volleyball tournament this past weekend.

“It’s just a really cool atmosphere and it’s just a huge school to support so it just makes it really fun,” Haney, who helped the Blue Ponies to a second-place finish at state volleyball and who also plays basketball nd softball, said.

As a Cats fan, Haney expects them to win this weekend. With it being a rivalry game, Haney anticipates the Cats and Griz going back and forth throughout the afternoon.

Score: 49-42, Cats