Blue Ponies kick off in Hardin

There is nothing quite like the excitement that comes before a season-opening game, and for the Havre High football team, kickoff for tonight's game with Hardin, can't come soon enough.

The Blue Ponies, who were 5-4 a season ago, aren't just starting a new season tonight, they are starting a new era, an era of Eastern A football. After years of playing in the Central A conference and opening the season against cross-state rival Whitefish, Havre is now a member of the 10-team Eastern A, which means every game is a conference game, starting in Hardin tonight. Kickoff between the Ponies and Bulldogs is set for 7.

"We are ready to rock and roll," HHS head coach Ryan Gatch said. "The last couple of days, the kids have really been bouncing around and they are ready to go. Everyone is fired up for the first game, but they are really excited and we have had a couple really good days of practice this week."

The Eastern A has always been known for its strength in football, especially with perennial powers like Billings Central, Laurel, Sidney and Miles City. Yet, with the additions of Havre, Belgrade Livingston and Lewistown from the Central A, the league is now even stronger, which will make earning one of the six spots in the Class A state playoffs even more difficult.

"It's going to be really interesting to see how it all plays out," Gatch said. "One thing that we talked to our kids about was getting off to a fast start. We can only control what we can control and that's going out there and executing and playing good defense."

While Hardin didn't come as close as the Ponies did to making the playoffs last season, at 3-6, the Bulldogs were in contention until late in the year. However, considering the Bulldogs won just one game combined in 2014 and 2015, the fact that the program notched three victories in 2016 was a huge success.

Certainly, Hardin lost some talent from last year's squad, particularly All-Conference offensive lineman Darnell Lefthand. But the Bulldogs do return a pair of All-Conference defenders in defensive back Codi Small and linebacker Gidion Herbel. The team also boasts a slew of other key returners such as Malik Toure, Justin Zeir, Ricky Hill and Charles Storey.

"They are an experienced football team," Gatch said. "They have 14 seniors and a lot of good kids back from last year. They don't quite have the size that they did up front, but they are going to be a tough football team."

The Bulldogs may not have the horses up front that they did a season ago, but they are still going to try and establish the run. And with Small, Zeir and Storey, they have more than enough backs capable of pounding the rock.

"Hardin is a physical football team," Gatch said. "They have a lot more running backs than wide receivers. I expect to see about three running backs. One of the kids they have running the ball (Small) he was their quarterback last year, but now they have him listed at running back. So they have a few different backs and I am a little worried that they will come out with that wing look, so that's something we need to be ready for."

However the Bulldogs decide to attack, the Havre defense should be more than ready to meet the challenge. The Ponies did lose some key players from that side of the ball, but still return starters at each level of the defense. Juniors Austin Ratliff and Taylor Gopher will be important up front, along with Brock Smith and Tysen Sangrey.

At the second level of the defense, Havre will be looking to linebackers Mason Dionne and Jazz Schroeder to help stem the Hardin run game, while also counting on the secondary, which features Ivar Aageson, Ethan Roberts, Brady Ophus and Jacob Irvin, to help stop the run.

"Jazz, he is going to be our main guy at linebacker," Gatch said. "He's our Mike, he is going to be making the calls. But we like all those guys and we are going to need all of them to step up and be physical."

When Havre has the football, look for a more balanced approach. HHS will try to establish its own running game, but with Trey Murphy back at quarterback and a slew of talented wide receivers around him, the Ponies will take to the air, too. Just as Aageson, Roberts, Ophus and Irvin will play key roles on defense, they should all have opportunities to make plays as wide receivers, too. Aageson is the leading receiver back, while Roberts, who did not play last season, showed off his playmaking ability in Havre's Blue-White scrimmage.

"We have some really athletic skill guys," Gatch said. "Ethan has really added some speed to our team, so we have five really good athletes out there, which is a nice problem to have. We want to get them involved, but part of that is seeing how our offensive line is going to hold up."

Yet, even with some big-play potential in the passing game, the bread and butter for Havre will still be the ground game, which will feature Dionne, Schroeder and Jeramiah Hughes.

"Mason is going to be our starter there," Gatch said. "He has been having a really good camp, but Jazz and Jeremiah are also going to get touches and we have that philosophy of whoever gets the hot hand, we are going to stick with them. But I think all those guys are going to get some touches."

Season-opening games always seem to have a little more intensity, but now that Havre and Hardin are conference rivals, the importance of the game and excitement level leading up to it, are both more palpable.

"I think it just makes things in the regular season a little more exciting," Gatch said. "Last year we had the power poll and now we are trying to make sure our kids understand that every game matters now for the playoffs. I think they get that, but it adds more excitement to it for sure."

The Ponies and Bulldogs kick off their respective seasons tonight at 7 in Hardin. Havre will then host Lewistown at Blue Pony Stadium in its home opener Sept. 1.

Havre Blue Ponies

(0-0) 2016: 5-4 in Central A

at

Hardin Bulldogs

(0-0) 2016: 3-6 in Eastern A

Tonight at 6 p.m.

in Hardin

Radio: 610 KOJM AM