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Panthers run over Ponies

Belgrade attack too much for Havre High to overcome on homcoming

On a picture perfect night at Blue Pony Stadium, the Havre High Blue Ponies and the Belgrade Panthers squared off in a Central A conference showdown. Each team came into the game with conference title aspirations, but by the time the night was through, there was no doubt about which team has the leg up on the Central A title now.

From the opening minute of the game to the final gun, Belgrade controlled the game, and even though the Panthers fell behind briefly, the outcome was never in doubt as the Panthers defeated the Blue Ponies 40-27 Friday night, spoiling homecoming for HHS.

The Havre defense had no answer for the Panthers' physical running game, which gained 259 yards on the ground and hit on a number of big plays that broke the spirit of the Ponies.

To make matters worse, HHS turned the ball over four times, while Belgrade turned it over just once.

HHS fell to 2-4 on the season and 1-1 in conference playe with the loss. With the win, No. 4 Belgrade improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play.

The Panthers also took control of the Central A conference with the road victory after knocking off Lewistown on Sept. 26.

“Big plays, they had more than we did,” HHS head coach Jason Christenson said. “When you go against a quality team like them and are able to score 27 points, you should be able to win the ball game. We gave up some big plays and had some turnovers that hurts us. The penalty bug also hurt us. But, Belgrade is a good football team, they are the top team in the conference, they are well coached and their kids played hard. We just have to go back to the drawing board.”

The big plays started early for the Panthers. In fact, the first came after just three plays. With Havre facing a third down on its opening possession, HHS quarterback Dane Warp was intercepted by Derrick Marks, who returned it for a touchdown to give Belgrade a 6-0 advantage just 56 seconds into the game.

After the Panthers defensive touchdown and a defensive stop, the Belgrade offense went to work, and on its first offensive possession, quarterback Brayden Konkol broke free on a third-and-two at the Panthers 38-yard line for a 62-yard rushing touchdown to push the lead to 13-0 with 7:31 remaining in the first quarter.

On the ensuing possession, HHS finally got things going. Early in the drive, the Ponies faced a third-and-10 on their own 23, when Dane Warp found Isaac Warp for 17 yards and a key conversion. Two plays later, Dane Warp then found Jase Kato for 16 yards to move the Ball into Belgrade territory.

Then, following completions from Warp to Jase Stokes for 17 yards and 12 yards, respectively, Havre had first-and-goal at the Belgrade one. Stokes finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run and trimmed the deficit to 13-6 with 4:34 to go in the opening stanza.

On the next drive, Belgrade drove to the Havre 41-yard line before Konkol fumbled and Gunner Aageson pounced on it to give the Ponies the football at their own 44-yard line.

On a third-and-four two plays later, Warp found Parker Filius for 15 yards and a key first down on Belgrade’s side of the field. After two completions to Nate Korb pushed the ball to the Panthers 28-yard line, the Ponies and were staring a fourth-and-11 at the Panther 26, when Warp found Stokes for a 14-yards and a first down.

Three plays later, it was fourth-and-four for Havre at the Belgrade six. Stokes got the call again and answered the bell, finding pay dirt and giving HHS the lead at 14-13 with 8:08 left in the first half.

It would be the only time Havre had the lead and it was short lived.

On the next possession for the Panthers, Konkol found Tanner Campbell on a third-and-six for a key first down and two plays later the All-State quarterback scampered 42 yards for a touchdown to re-claim the 20-14 lead for Belgrade with 5:59 left in the half.

Less than two minutes later, the Panthers blocked a punt and recovered the ball at the Havre six. Koby Ruff scored on a three-yard rushing touchdown two plays later and suddenly it was 27-14 Belgrade with 2:27 remaining in the second quarter.

Unfortunately for Havre, the half was still not over.

Belgrade forced the Ponies to punt with less than a minute before halftime and after taking over the ball at its own 30-yard line, Belgrade wiped away any doubt about which team would win the game with a 70-yard touchdown run by Ruff that broke Havre’s back and put the Panthers up 34-14 at halftime.

“Every time we needed to make a big play we made one,” Belgrade head coach Eric Kinnaman said. “We had a defensive touchdown, a blocked punt. Havre is a dangerous football team but every time they got back into it, we were able to respond.”

Havre showed signs of life when Dane Warp found Issac Warp for a touchdown midway through the third quarter to get HHS back within striking distance at 34-21. But, again Belgrade had the answer.

On the very next possession for Belgrade, the Panthers backup quarterback Evan Luhrsen hit Campbell on a 44-yard catch and run touchdown that gave them a 40-21 lead with just minutes remaining in the third.

The Ponies added a touchdown with less than two minutes to play when Dane Warp and Isaac Warp hooked up in the end zone again but it was too little too late.

Leading the way for the Ponies in defeat was Dane Warp, who completed 27-of-40 passes for 275 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Stokes had an impressive outing for HHS with 172 total yards, including eight receptions for 140 yards.

Parker Filius contributed with eight catches for 59 yards, while Isaac Warp had three receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown.

On defense, Stokes was the standout for Havre with 11 tackles. Gunner Aageson added nine, while Ruben Stewart had eight. Jase Kato added six tackles and fumble recovery.

The Ponies will not have much time to dwell on the loss because Havre will travel to Lewistown this Friday in a crucial Central A matchup. The winner will likely earn the second seed from the conference, which would mean a home game in the first round of the Class A state playoffs. Kickoff this Friday is set for 7 p.m.

“We just have to start believing that we are a good football team,” Christenson said. “(We) just have to take care of our problems like penalties or turnovers. And if we do that we can compete with the better teams in the state. We just can’t shoot ourselves in the foot. The kids just have to keep believing in it and if they good things will start happening.”

Belgrade 40, Blue Ponies 27

Belgrade 13 21 6 0 – 40

Havre 6 8 7 6 – 27

BEL—Derek Marks 23 interception return (kick failed)

BEL—Brayden Konkol 62 run (Shane Huntsman kick)

HAV—Jase Stokes 1 run (kick blocked)

HAV—Stokes 7 run (Stokes run)

BEL—Konkol 38 run (Huntsman kick)

BEL—Koby Ruff 4 run (Huntsman kick)

BEL—Ruff 70 run (Huntsman kick)

HAV—Isaac Warp 7 pass from Dane Warp (Gunner Aageson kick)

BEL—Tanner Campbell 43 pass from Evan Luhrsen (kick failed)

HAV—I. Warp 23 pass from D. Warp (pass failed)

Havre Individual Stats

Passing – Dane Warp. 21-40-275-2.

Rushing – Jase Stokes 7-32, Dane Warp 12-7, Parker Filius 3-13.

Receiving – Jase Stokes 8-140, Parker Filius 8-59, Isaac Warp 3-41, Nate Korb 3-19, Jase Kato 1-16, Jacob LaBrie 1-4.

 

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