George Ferguson
Havre Daily News Sports Editor
gferguson@havredailynews.com
With one week remaining in the 2005 high school football regular season, some teams are battling and fighting for their playoff lives. But for some teams, the hunt is over.
On Friday night, the Harlem Wildcats' difficult season in District 1B play continued as they were drubbed by the Shelby Coyotes 35-12 in Harlem.
The Wildcats were very much in the game at first, trailing 7-0 at halftime. But Shelby scored 14 straight points in the third quarter to widen its lead to 21-0. The Wildcats finally answered late in the third period when Miles Werk scored from 1 yard out.
In the fourth quarter, Harlem's defense could not aid in the comeback effort as Coyote running back Mick Irvin ripped off a 44-yard touchdown run to put Shelby well out in front, 28-6. Harlem did manage one final touchdown late in the contest when quarterback Rick Haluszka found Sid Goes Ahead for a 12-yard TD pass, but it was a case of too little, too late.
Harlem is now 1-6 this season as it prepares to face Shepard for its final game of the season on Friday night.
SHE - Mick Irvin 31 run (kick by Derek Sisk good).
SHE - Fumble recovery by Sisk in end zone (kick by Sisk good).
SHE - Luke Thacker 38 run (kick good by Sisk).
HAR - Miles Werk 1 run (kick failed).
SHE - Irvin 44 run (kick by Sisk good).
HAR - Sid Goes Ahead 12 pass from Rick Haluszka (pass failed).
SHE - Brent Thacker fumble recovery in end zone for TD (kick by Sisk good).
Big Sandy 50, Chester/J-I 14
In Northern C football action Friday night in Chester, the Big Sandy Pioneers kept a firm hold on second place in the North Division standings by running all over Chester/J-I, 50-14.
The Pioneers scored 14 points in the first quarter and tacked on 16 more in the second period to build an insurmountable 26-0 halftime lead.
Big Sandy quarterback Justin Willis had a solid night throwing the football, with touchdown passes of 55 and 44 yards to Ryan Pokorny. Willis also scored on touchdown runs of 3 and 42 yards. Pokorny's night included a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
The Hawks' scores came well after the game was out of reach. Derek Fraser found the end zone on a 34-yard run, and Matt Wicks took an interception back 55 yards for a touchdown.
The Pioneers (6-1) will wrap up the regular season on Wednesday afternoon when they host Sunburst. Chester/J-I (3-4) will also finish its season on Wednesday at home against Hays-Lodge Pole.
Big Sandy 14 12 18 6 - 50
Chester/J-I 0 0 0 6 - 14
BS-Ryan Pokorny 55 pass from Justin Willis (Willis run)
BS-Willis 3 run (run failed)
BS-Pokorny 44 pass from Willis (pass failed)
BS-Pokorny recovered fumble in end zone (run failed)
BS-Lawrence Jappe 8 run (Pokorny pass from Willis)
BS-Willis 42 run (Garritt Ophus pass from Willis)
C/JI-Derek Fraser 34 run (Kevin May run )
C/JI-Matt Wicks 55 interception return (run failed)
BS-Trevor Darlington 12 run (Kyle Danreuther run)
Sunburst 44, North Star 6
On Saturday, North Star High School's chances of sneaking into the Class C playoffs came to an abrupt end in Sunburst. The Refiners routed the Knights 44-6, keeping Sunburst's chances of making the playoffs slim but alive.
Sunburst quarterback Mitch Diegel threw for 121 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Refiners. Diegel also ran for a pair of TDs.
North Star's lone score came in the opening quarter when Cody Donoven returned a kickoff 78 yards. Donoven's run pulled the Knights to within seven points at 13-6. From there the Refiners scored 31 unanswered points.
North Star (3-4) will wrap up its inaugural season at home on Wednesday when it hosts division-leading Chinook.
North Star 6 0 0 0 - 6
Sunburst 24 20 0 0 - 44
SUN-Craig Cook 11 pass from Mitchell Diegel (pass failed)
SUN-John Hovland 25 pass from Diegel (run failed)
NS-Cody Donoven 78 kickoff return (kick blocked)
SUN-Matt Tomsheck 3 run (Reece Clark run)
SUN-Safety, Cook tackled North Star runner in end zone
SUN-Tomsheck 35 pass from Diegel (run failed)
SUN-Clark 68 run (Tomsheck pass from Diegel)
SUN-Diegel 6 run (Tomsheck run)
Hays-Lodge Pole 70, Rocky Boy 0
Saturday afternoon also saw the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds reach the win column for the first time all season. The T-Birds crushed Rocky Boy 70-0 on the Stars' home field.
Hays-Lodge Pole's defense pitched a shutout over four quarters and the offense scored 52 first-half points. The T-Birds put up an astounding 36 points in the game's first 12 minutes.
Hays-Lodge Pole (1-6) will finish its regular season at Chester/J-I on Wednesday afternoon. The Stars (1-6) will wrap up their regular season this afternoon against Power-Dutton-Brady.
Chinook 42, Gardiner 40
On Friday night, the Chinook Sugarbeeters kept their hopes of a perfect regular season alive with a dramatic 42-40 overtime win over fourth-ranked Gardiner. The game was played in Harlowtown and no stats were available.
The nonconference win over the Bruins ups the sixth-ranked Beeters' record to 7-0 on the season. Chinook will wrap up its regular season Wednesday afternoon at North Star High School in Rudyard.
