Blue Ponies' state title bid ends at Laurel

Oh so close.

The Havre High football team's run through the Class A playoffs nearly took them all the way to the state championship game. Leading Laurel 20-14 at halftime, the Loctomotives steamrolled their way past the Ponies in the second half as they ended Havre's season with a 35-28 win in the Class A semifinals last Saturday in Laurel.

The Ponies beat the Locomotives in the regular season in Havre, and things looked good again when Havre took a 12-0 lead in the first stanza.

Griffin Terry started the game strong for the Blue Ponies, throwing a couple of touchdown passes to give the visitors a (12-0) lead. Laurel got on the board with a touchdown run of their own, but Tate Nelson answered right back with a scamper into the end zone from 4 yards out and Pierce Caplette was the benefactor of a two-point conversion to up the lead to 20-17. Laurel did answer with a score just before half-time to make the game 20-14.

In the third, Laurel; tied things up at 21-21, but, Terry scored on the ground to put the Ponies back in front 28-21. Laurel scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, and leading by seven points with less than two minutes to go, Laurel got the ball back and put the game away with a pair of first downs.

Nelson and Terry both had strong games on the ground for the Blue Ponies, who finished an outstanding season with an 8-4 overall record and a Class A final four appearance.

Laurel will meet Eastern A and local rival Billings Central in the Class A title game this Saturday.