Top Local Sports Stories of 2024

The Hi-Line never ceases to produce some thrilling sports moments. And the last 12 months were no different as the year showcased amazing championships, incredible moments and thrilling team and individual performances.

Here's a look back at some of the top sports moments from Havre and the Hi-Line in 2024.

Box Elder boys pull off state title double, including first state championship in football

It wasn't much fo a surprise that the Box Elder boys basketball team ran the postseason table in 2024, winning the District 9C, Northern C and Class C state titles. Led by star junior Tracen Jillott and a deep team, head coach Jeremy MacDonald led the Bears to yet another state crown in hoops.

However, as summer came and went, another title, with virtually the same group of kids was in the works. And in November, that title came to fruition as Box Elder beat Bridger 85-46 in the Six-Man State championship game, as head coach Thomas Dilworth led the Bears to a perfect season and the school's first state championship in football. The win capped an incredible run for the Bears and the rare, basketball-football double.

Dustin Kraske retires from coaching basketball

The most successful basketball coach in Havre High history isn't on the sidelines this winter. Instead, Blue Pony great Dustin Kraske stepped down as Havre High girls basketball coach following the 2024 Class A state tournament. Kraske guided Havre to state championships in 2014, 2018 and 2019, and then to a three-peat from 2021-23. The Blue Ponies were winners of seven divisional tournament championships. His overall record was 306-117, a winning percentage of .723.

Kraske, who is still the Principle at Havre High, turned the program over to assistant coach Tommy Brown, who has HHS off to a 5-1 start this season.

Big Sandy girls return to state

After nearly two decades, the Big Sandy girls finally made it back to the Class C state girls basketball tournament. Via an amazing postseason run, including a run to the Northern C title game, the Pioneers, led by a a standout junior class, made it back to the state tournament back in March. Big Sandy was once a perennial power in Class C hoops, but had fallen on hard times over the years. Until this past season as Big Sandy made a historic run.

Pony football makes another deep playoff run

The Havre High football team lived up to expectations this past fall. The Blue Ponies competed strong in the Eastern A, qualified for the playoffs and won their first-round home game over East Helena back in October. But Havre's biggest win under head coach Jake Eldridge came a week later when the Ponies stunned the No. 1 team in Class A in Frenchtown as Havre beat the Broncs 47-30 in a wild game. Havre would fall in semifinal heartbreaker to Laurel the following week, but, behind a dominant senior class, it was yet another exciting season of Pony football.

Chinook girls thriving in Class B sports

Moving back to Class B hasn't been an issue for Chinook girls basketball or vollleyball.

The Sugarbeeters advanced past the difficult Northern B in both basketball last March, and volleyball this past November, reaching both Calls B state tournament. Chinook won district titles in both sports as well.

Kaydence Reiter, Havre relay team wins on the track

It was a huge postseason for the Havre High boys and girls track and field teams.

Last May, then Blue Pony junior Kaydence Reiter, who will compete in track for the University of Montana, won the Class A girls 100 meters with a time of 12:27.2. Reiter would also finish as second in the 200 as she and her teammates helped the Ponies to a fourth-place finish overall. Meanwhile, the Havre boys got a state championship from the 4x100 relay team. he team was composed of Brayden Kimberling, Brisbin Reiter, Michawl Emge and Carson Harris.

Lights end Frontier winless streak with final win

The MSU-Northern football program picked up a long-awaited victory in November, snapping a 28-game Frontier Conference losing streak with a 19-13 win over Rocky Mountain College in the season finale at Tilleman Family Field.

The Lights' defense held Rocky to 28 yards rushing and had eight quarterback sacks, including five from Michael Watkins. Watkins also had two forced fumbles as Northern kept the Battlin' Bears off the scoreboard in the second and third quarters.

The Lights took a 19-7 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Zach Brooks, a score that proved crucial as Rocky pulled within 19-13 on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Graedyn Buell to Jack Waddell with 1:35 to play.

Brooks also threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Devin Shelton in the second quarter, and Lucas Thacker scored on a 1-yard run just before halftime as Northern built a lead.

Rocky took an early 7-0 advantage on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Buell to Joseph Dwyer, but the Bears couldn't muster any more scoring until Waddell's TD catch in the final minutes.

Northern closed the season with a 1-9 overall mark and a 1-7 record in the Frontier. It was the Lights' first conference win since a 22-20 victory over Eastern Oregon on Oct. 23, 2021. It also snapped an 18-game losing streak overall.

Britton Elliot wins two gold medals for HHS swimming

It was an amazing final day of swimming for Havre High senior Britton Elliot at the Class A state meet last February in Great Falls.

Elliot stole the show as she won a pair of individual Class A state gold medals Saturday. Elliot won both the 40-meter freestyle and the 100-meter freestyle at the state meet, which catapulted Havre into a second-place finish by the end of the meet.

Elliot also anchored Havre's 200 free relay team, which, along with Elizabeth Carroll, Miriam Carroll and Olivia Erickson, took second.

Spangler brothers play for tennis title

The brother tandem of Carter and Max Spangler made an epic run in the boys tennis postseason last May. After winning the Northeast A championship in doubles, the duo went on to win three straight matches at the Class A state tournament in Missoula. The victories vaulted HHS to the state championship match where they came up just short against Billings Central. Still it was an awesome run for the brothers from Havre.