By Ryan Divish/Havre Daily News Sports Editor/rdivish@havredailynews.com
To the victors go the spoils.
The Havre High football team won the Class A state championship this season, finishing undefeated and dominating its competition.
Now several Ponies are reaping the benefits of that success with five players being named to the 59th Montana Shrine Bowl.
Perhaps, the biggest honor will go to HHS head coach Troy Purcell, who was named the East team's head coach. His staff will consist of Great Falls High head coach Gregg Dart, Sidney head coach Mike Gear, Malta head coach Scott King, Lewistown head coach Gary Gebert and Pony defensive coordinator Jason Christenson.
Purcell and Christenson will be coaching several familiar faces from this season's squad.
Quarterback Gary Wagner will share signal calling duties for the East along with Billings Skyview's Shann Scott. Wagner threw for 2,893 yards and 36 touchdowns this season.
He will get the chance to hook up with favorite target, Marc Mariani, who will suit up at receiver along with Derek Green of Billings Senior, Mike Guelff of Billings West and Brian Bollwitt of Great Falls High.
Mariani set a school record with 1,273 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns.
Havre's Tyler Wheeler will be protecting Wagner, earning a spot on the offensive line. Wheeler was also an alternate for the defensive line.
Christenson had two of his defensive backs make the squad as Coda Tchida and Ted Wells will lineup in the East secondary.
Tchida had five interceptions this season, while Wells was one of Havre's hardest hitters and made myriad of big plays on special teams.
Should certain players decide not to play, Havre could have additional players on the squad. All-staters Colby Mader and Rick Houim were named alternates on defense at linebacker and defensive end, respectively.
Besides the five players from Havre, the East squad also features five players from Class AA champion CMR and five from AA runner-up Billings Skyview.
The West team will be coached by Helena High head coach Tony Arntson, and features Missoula Big Sky's backfield of quarterback Tom Langham and running back Casey McGrath.
The east won last year's matchup 48-14. The game is scheduled for July 16 at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls.
EAST
Offense
Centers - Ben Benhart, 5-11, 325, Belt; Cory Sonnemann, 6-1, 260, Billings Skyview
Offensive linemen - Terran Hillesland, 6-7, 294, Sidney; Jeff Hansen, 6-4, 255, Great Falls Russell; Tyler Wheeler, 6-0, 215, Havre; Wes Deegan, 6-0, 265, Stanford; Jerek DePuydt, 5-11, 215, Malta
Tight ends - Kevin Klaboe, 6-1, 215, Billings West; Cole Prevost, 5-11, 190, Sidney
Wide receivers - Derek Green, 6-3, 175, Billings Senior; Mike Guelff, 5-6, 140, Billings West; Marc Mariani, 6-0, 160, Havre; Brian Bollwitt, 5-10, 170, Great Falls
Quarterback - Gary Wagner, 6-2, 165, Havre; Shann Scott, 6-2, 185, Billings Skyview
Running backs - Brandon Utterback, 5-11, 190, Fort Benton; Kevin Hanson, 5-8, 155, Malta; D.J. Bergen, 5-10, 165, Billings West
Kicker - Luke McKinley, 5-10, 175, Great Falls Russell
Defense
Ends - Garrett Thompson, 6-2, 205, Great Falls Russell; Jackson Ledgerwood, 6-2, 210, Fort Benton; Marcus Old Coyote, 6-4, 280, Hardin
Linemen - Cory Richardson, 6-0, 220, Billings Skyview; Nate Jones, 6-1, 240, Great Falls; Joe Schreibeis, 6-4, 215, Billings West; Preston Nelson, 6-4, 215, Billings Central; Aaron Barnett, 6-4, 220, Fairfield
Linebackers - Shawn Lebsock, 6-2, 220, Billings Skyview; Kyle Bushman, 6-0, 195, Billings Central; Austin Mullins, 6-3, 210, Great Falls Russell; Skippy Sims, 6-0, 195, Malta; Chase Gazzerro, 5-11, 185, Great Falls Russell
Backs - Shann Schillinger, 6-0, 175, Baker; Coda Tchida, 5-9, 170, Havre; Kahlin Anderson, 6-1, 170, Fort Benton; Brian Guisti, 6-0, 185, Centerville; Ted Wells, 6-0, 180, Havre
Return specialist - Derek Maciel, 5-8, 170, Billings Skyview
Alternates
Offense
Center - Paul Gluekert, 6-0, 230, Miles City; Linemen - Nate Besich, 6-0, 225, Great Falls Russell; Pat Pitman, 6-0, 235, Billings Skyview; Dustin Merritt, 5-10, 280, Sidney; Tight end - Brian Jeide, 6-0, 180, Lewistown; Wide receivers - Jeremy Olson, 6-2, 175, Lewistown; Kris Feragen, 5-11, 175, Huntley Project; Quarterback - Tyge DeVries, 6-4, 185, Roberts; Running backs - Kyle Bushman, 6-0, 195, Billings Central; Tyler Pasha, 6-0, 175, Highwood.
Defense
Ends - Rick Houim, 6-0, 215, Havre; Brian Jeide, 6-0, 180, Lewistown; Linemen - Tyler Wheeler, 6-0, 215, Havre; Nick Behm, 6-2, 260, Glendive; Linebackers - Colby Mader, 6-0, 190, Havre; Aaron Kulschner, 5-10, 160, Livingston; Kyle Lewis, 6-0, 180, Cut Bank; Backs - Matt Pancich, 5-8, 140, Great Falls Russell; Kelton Munson, 5-10, 175, Billings West.
Coaching staff - Head coach: Troy Purcell, Havre; Assistants: Jason Christenson, Havre; Gregg Dart, Great Falls; Scott King, Malta; Gary Gebert, Lewistown; Mike Gear, Sidney.
WEST
Offense
Centers - Dusty DeBoer, 6-1, 265, Bozeman; Nick Taylor, 5-11, 265, Plains
Linemen - Kellen Johnson, 6-3, 235, Stevensville; Matt Crow, 6-3, 215, Butte Central; Chris Dyk, 6-8, 240, Dillon; Andrew Uptain, 6-0, 230, Belgrade; Jon Gallatin, 6-3, 200, Polson
Tight end - Blaine Baker, 6-5, 240, Libby; Andy Barham, 6-4, 220, Bozeman
Wide receivers - Travis Browne, 5-10, 180, Stevensville; John Ori, 6-0, 140, Dillon; Jack McGillis, 6-5, 190, Missoula Hellgate; Corey Anderson, 5-10, 145, Dillon
Quarterbacks - Garrett Graves, 6-2, 190, Missoula Sentinel; Tom Langan, 6-1, 185, Missoula Big Sky
Running backs - Jordan Clary, 6-1, 190, Butte; Sean Hanrahan, 6-0, 190, Bozeman; Casey McGrath, 5-8, 185, Missoula Big Sky
Kicker - Trevor England, 6-3, 170, Corvallis
Defense
Ends - John Farrier, 6-0, 185, Kalispell; Dane Fletcher, 6-2, 200, Bozeman; Dan Beaudin, 6-5, 225, Noxon
Linemen - Kyle Hardee, 6-4, 225, Frenchtown; Brandon Hoffenbacker, 6-5, 270, Kalispell; Brian Schroeder, 6-1, 260, Drummond; Kellen Mickelson, 6-3, 230, Missoula Hellgate; Chris Sandy, 6-2, 215, Helena
Linebackers - Jace Palmer, 6-3, 200, Missoula Big Sky; Brandon Day, 6-0, 190, Helena; Jace Lyons, 6-0, 215, Missoula Sentinel; Matt Tummel, 6-2, 205, Helena; Ryan Rios, 6-0, 215, Libby
Backs - Ty Palmer, 6-3, 200, Missoula Big Sky; Ryan Dennehy, 5-11, 180, Butte; Aaron Merrick, 6-0, 185, Butte; Drew Perry, 6-0, 170, Columbia Falls; Dustin Feasel, 6-0, 185, Superior
Return specialist - Kyle Rosenbaum, 5-9, 170, Columbia Falls
Alternates
Offense
Center - Colter Nuanez, 6-0, 230, Missoula Big Sky; Linemen - Dan Compton, 6-3, 265, Bozeman; Bryce Dagley, 6-1, 260, Missoula Big Sky; Ben Schmidt, 6-2, 210, Butte; Tight end - Jace Ladenburg, 6-1, 215, Columbia Falls; Wide receivers - Levi Ewan, 6-3, 210, Three Forks; Jesse Barnes, 5-10, 170, Hamilton; Quarterback - Ryan Courson, 5-9, 160, Missoula Hellgate; Running backs - Tommy Clement, 5-9, 230, Boulder; Kevin Owens, 5-10, 190, Polson.
Defense
Ends - Luke Freeman, 6-0, 195, Helena Capital; Dusty Peterson, 5-10, 180, Missoula Hellgate; Linemen - David Lambers, 6-0, 240, Bozeman; Tommy Clement, 5-9, 230, Boulder; Linebackers - Buck Sullivan, 6-0, 200, Butte; Terry Lundeen, 6-0, 185, Polson; Hunter Armstrong, 6-0, 185, Townsend; Backs - Clancy Marks, 6-0, 175, Missoula Big Sky; Levi Ewan, 6-3, 210, Three Forks.
Coaching staff - Head coach: Tony Arntson, Helena; Assistants: Greg Ritter, Butte Central; Shane Henderson, Butte; Bill Walker, Bozeman; Darrell Langford, Boulder; Rick Nordahl, Dillon.
