George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com
In NAIA sports, its not uncommon for basketball and wrestling to cross over with football and volleyball in October and November. But its rare when a school hosts all four sports on the same weekend. Starting tonight at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse, that's exactly what Havre fans will be treated to as Montana State University-Northern plays host to one of the biggest sports weeks in recent memory. The MSU-N wrestling team will be in action twice this week, including tonight's Maroon/Gold Dual No. 2. The Lights, and new head coach Tyson Thivierge will also make their regular season debut against North Idaho College on Friday night at 8. Friday night is the first of two action-packed days of sports at MSU-N and in Havre. The fun begins on Friday afternoon at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse with the first dull day of the Coaches vs Cancer/Northwestern Energy Classic. The basketball tournament, hosted by the Lights and Skylights, will feature teams from Rocky Mountain College, Northern New Mexico and Haskell Indian Nations on the men's side, and RMC, Vanguard University and Northern New Mexico on the women's side. Friday's action starts at 12 p.m. with the RMC men taking on Northern New Mexico. At 2 p.m., the RMC women face nationally-ranked Vanguard University, and the Skylights take the floor at 4 p.m. against Northern New Mexico. The Lights will wrap up the first full day of competition at 6 against Haskell. The sports action doesn't end with hoops on Friday night either. At the Havre High gymnasium, the MSUN volleyball team will play host to RMC in Frontier Conference action at 7 p.m. And the MSU-N wrestlers face North Idaho at 8 p.m. back at the fieldhouse. Saturday is no small day either. The MSU-N football team continues to drive towards the NAIA playoffs with a game against UM-Western at 12 p.m. at Blue Pony Stadium. Meanwhile, there are three basketball games on tap at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday with RMC's women facing off against Northern New Mexico. The Lights play Northern New Mexico at 6 p.m. and the tourney concludes with the Skylights facing Vanguard, one of the NAIA's top teams at 8 p.m. Saturday will also feature the MSU-N volleyball team in its final home match of the season as the Skylights face Carroll College at 7 p.m. at the HHS gymnasium. Area fans are also in for a treat this weekend, as Harlem native Ben Carrywater returns to the Hi-Line. Carrywater is a star guard for Haskell, and local fans can get their first look at Carrywater on Thursday night when Haskell plays RMC in the first game of the Coaches vs Cancer Classic at 7 p. m. Carrywater was a Class B standout for Harlem and a three-year starter for the Wildcats. He is in his fifth year at Haskell. Haskell also features Browning freshman D.J. Fish. The big week at Northern begins tonight with MSU-N wrestling at 7 at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse.
