HHS's Christenson coaching in Badlands Bowl

The Havre Blue Ponies don’t have an all-star football player playing this year’s Badlands Bowl, the annual all-star game between Montana and North Dakota. But the Ponies will be well-represented nevertheless.

The annual all-star game between Montana and North Dakota kicks off Saturday night in Dickinson, North Dakota, and HHS head coach Jason Christenson will be an assistant coach on the Montana staff. Christenson will be an assistant for former Havre High mentor and current Bozeman High head coach Troy Purcell.

Christenson and Purcell coached together at HHS when Purcell guided the Blue Ponies to the 2004 Class A state championship. Purcell left for Bozeman the following season and has since won two Class AA state titles. Purcell’s Hawks rolled to an unbeaten season and the 2013 Class AA state championship last fall.

After Purcell’s departure from Havre High, Christenson served several years coaching linemen under head coach Mark Samson at Montana State University-Northern before returning to take the head job at Havre High three seasons ago. The Blue Ponies reached the quarterfinals of the Class A playoffs last fall before losing to Columbia Falls.

Havre High safety Trevor Jensen is also an alternate on the Montana roster for the game.

The 2014 Badlands Bowl will be held Saturday night with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Henry Biesiot Activities Center in Dickinson, N.D.

2014 Knights of Columbus Badlands Bowl

June 21, 2014

at Dickinson, N.D.

6 p.m.

Offense

QB -- Will Weyer, Bozeman.

RB -- Hunter Gappmayer, Bozeman; Noah James, Kalispell Glacier.

WR -- Peter Granger, Butte; Connor Sullivan, Ennis; John D'Agostino, Bozeman; Zach Hollenbach, Missoula Loyola; Troy Arntson, Helena; Mick Paffhausen, Dillon.

OL -- Derek Wham, Ennis; Austin Oldenburger, Manhattan; Jimm Grinde, Great Falls CMR; Ben D'Alton, Billings Central; Jack Hape, Bozeman; Trevor Hopf, Billings Skyview; Donovan Hucke, Dillon.

TE -- Eric Dawson, Great Falls CMR; Chase Bertelsen, Wibaux.

Defense

DE -- Zach Gavlak, Stevensville; Alex Thomas, CMR; Kole Swartz, Missoula Hellgate.

DL -- Keavon Buckley, Bozeman; Chris Emter, Livingston; Thomas Bear Robe, Billings Syview.

LB -- Tyler Pfennigs, Great Falls CMR; Troy Scott, Dillon; Grant Collins, Bozeman; Todd Ogden, Kalispell Glacier; Matthew Martinez-Tillman, Laurel.

DB -- Alex Brunett, Jefferson; Chandler D'Agostino, Bozeman; Ben Herzog, Miles City; Evan Epperly, Kalispell Glacier; Wyatt David, Bozeman.

Alternates

Kevin Oberweiser, Drummond; Mason Melby, Baker; Mike Naro, Bozeman; Wyatt Laasko, Bozeman; Teague Blome, Hamilton; Wes Marsh, Billings Central; Mitch Kaufman, Laurel; Koni Dole, Huntley Project; Jacob Bakken, Wibaux; Shawn Purcell, Hardin; Trevor Jenssen, Havre; Alex Picicci, Billings Skyview; Nick Amestoy, Helena; Kellen Maharg, Helena; Sean Foley, Whitefish; Joe Zimmer, Billings Senior; Kevin Buckley, Bozeman; Levi Lynde, Red Lodge; Andy Nordstrom, Red Lodge.

Head coach: Troy Purcell, Bozeman. Assistant coaches: Levi Wesche, Bozeman; Mike Ludwig, Laurel; Jason Christenson, Havre; Clint Layng, Jefferson; Jay Fredrickson, Ennis.