George Ferguson Column: What we saw, what we'll see

In person, there wasn't a whole lot for fans to see in Havre, or on the Hi-Line this weekend. But what they saw was a couple of dominating wins in football, and a few heated rivalries.

At Blue Pony Stadium last Friday night, there was plenty to see, but it went by fast. That's because Havre built up a 40-point lead on Browning in the first half, and from there, the mercy rule was in effect. The mercy rule in football is running clock, and it stops for things like touchdowns, penalties and time outs only.

But a running clock and a dominant Havre High performance wasn't the only thing I saw Friday night. It bears repeating that Levi Huston's fourth-quarter rushing touchdown was something to behold, and the fans that stuck around for the fourth quarter were treated to one of those moments that small-town high school football is all about.

Huston is a senior for the Blue Ponies, and he only joined the team this past summer. He hadn't played much in varsity games all season, and hadn't played a down on offense until Friday night. But when his chance came, he made a memory that will last a lifetime. He busted right through the Browning line and scored a rushing touchdown.

Now, the "senior walk" following the last home game each season, is a special tradition at HHS, but I know that it was a little more special for Huston because he it came on the same night that he scored his first, and most likely, his only high school football touchdown.

Tradition was also part of two more big rivalry games this past weekend. In the Class C ranks, Chinook and Chester/J-I squared off Saturday night in Chester, and the Sugarbeeters deserve a big congrats. Not only did they beat their arch rival on the road, but they secured enough points to secure the Northern C championship for the first time in four years. The Beeters finished tied with Simms, Belt and Great Falls Central at 6-2, but their dominating win over C/J-I gave them the tiebreaker, the conference championship and possibly home field advantage through the Class C semifinals.

We didn't get to see her run, at least most of us, but a special congrats goes out to Havre High's Rachel David for earning Class A All-State honors at this past Saturday's state meet in Helena.

And that brings us to what we'll see this weekend.

Everybody knows Hoon Field in Chinook is a tough place to play. It's a special venue and it's especially fun when the Beeters are playing there in the playoffs. Well, the playoffs return to Hoon Field Saturday when the Beeters host Victor in the first round of the Class C playoffs.

Three Hi-Line teams are in the playoffs, but only Chinook will be at home. We'll see the Havre Blue Ponies travel to Miles City for yet another game against the rival Cowboys, while North Star heads south to take on Lone Peak in the six-man playoffs.

We'll also see a big weekend on the campus of Montana State University-Northern, and the Lights and Skylights need their fans to show up in big numbers this weekend.

The MSU-N volleyball team is home to host Westminster College Friday night, then the Skylights will play their final home match of the season when they face UM-Western Saturday night. Saturday night will be senior night at Northern, and the Skylights will also honor their Adopted Parents Program as well.

Saturday afternoon, the Lights are back in Blue Pony Stadium. Northern will face Carroll College, and though the Saints will be a heavy favorite, the Lights will play their best football of the season, I just know that we'll see that.

There's also postseason volleyball and hockey on tap this weekend. In Chester, the District 6C East tournament will run Thursday and Friday. On the line are two berths in the Northern C Divisonal, and it should be one heck of a tourney.

And Saturday night, the Glacier Nationals return home to start a five-game home stand with a Frontier Division game against the Billings Bulls.

So once again, it's going to be one of those weekends, where we'll see plenty around here.