Blue Ponies back on the road to face state runner-up

After a 2020 season to forget, the Havre High football team is off to a 2-1 start to 2021. However, they will face maybe their toughest opponent so far this season when they head on the road to play Billings Central tonight. The Rams are coming off a 2020 season where they made it all the way to the Class A state championship game. While the Blue Ponies will have their hands full tonight, HHS head coach Ryan Gatch expects a competitive game.

"(We're going to) fly around and have fun," Gatch said. "Out hit and out hustle these guys. It's going to be a fun game."

Even though the Rams lost many players from last year, they have started the season with a 2-0 record. They started the year with a 17-9 win over Miles City at home before a 30-12 win on the road against Glendive. Gatch believes the Rams' running game has been the driving force behind their two victories.

"They can run the ball real well. They're well-coached," Gatch said. "They're one of the top football teams in Class A, and so they got a lot of tradition that goes with it."

Clay Oven and Kade Boyd have made an impact for the Rams on both sides of the ball. Boyd has three rushing touchdowns this season and is coming off a 2020 year where he was named second-team all-conference as a safety. Oven also has a rushing touchdown and was also named second-team all-conference last year but as an outside linebacker. If the Ponies are going to limit the Rams offense, they will need to keep them at the line of scrimmage.

"Getting to the football. Running to the football, getting underneath our out blocks. From the defensive line perspective, we got to be better fundamentally," Gatch said about what his defense needs to do tonight. "We've got solid schemes, we've got solid players and so we need to get after it."

In the Ponies' two wins this season, their offense has been able to score first. The main reason behind this success has been their running game led by Orion Thivierge who has five touchdowns this season. If Havre can get the running game going again for an early lead, Gatch believes they can control the pace of the game.

"The thing about Eastern A football is the team that can establish the run game first is usually the team that's able to win the game as well," Gatch said. "Anytime you're a team that can score first you have a chance to be in the driver's seat."

Not only will the Ponies need to get the running game going against Billings Central, but they will also need to avoid mistakes. In their one loss to Lewistown, turnovers and costly penalties ended offensive drives and gave Lewistown great field position. If Havre can avoid these mistakes and run the ball well, Gatch believes they have a chance against Billings Central.

"When we go down there and when we play any of our football games, we got to win the turnover battle. We got to cut back on unforced errors which are our penalties, especially the ones away from the ball," Gatch said. "(If) we're able to sustain drives, (if) we're able to hold onto the football, (if) we're able to score in the red zone, it's going to look good for the Ponies."

HHS football will play tonight at 6 p.m. against Billings Central at Herb Klindt Field.