'Dogs down defending champs

WHITEFISH - Zach Fennelly said it had nothing to do with "payback."

Well, maybe just a little.

"We just wanted the W," the junior Whitefish High School quarterback said afterward.

Fennelly hooked up with senior receiver Chris Hicks for a 51-yard touchdown strike late in the first half and then hit two key passes to keep a game-winning TD drive alive in the third quarter as Whitefish opened the Class A football season with a 21-13 victory over the defending state champion Havre Blue Ponies.

Havre, which had beaten the Bulldogs the last two years, scored first Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field and had a couple more early chances to take command. But the WHS defense dug in to make sure things didn't get out of hand.

"We battled," said WHS coach Mike Ferda.

"We had our opportunities to fold up a little bit."

Havre took a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter when Jared Weigel blocked a Whitefish punt and scored a play later on a 3-yard run.

Whitefish, however, responded with a big-time effort by Cody Idol, who returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Daniel Jones' PAT kick tied the game at 7-all with 7:02 left in the first quarter.

"That was big," said Ferda.

"We were down in the first period of the game, they start on a short field and score. We could have buried our heads then. But that (Idol's TD) set the tempo for us to win that football game."

The Blue Ponies had excellent field position on a series prior to its touchdown thanks to another botched Whitefish punt. But with the ball at the Whitefish 25, Havre went four-and-out.

Havre marched from its own 47 inside the Whitefish 5-yard line following Idol's TD, but Bruce Beecher was well short on a 22-yard field goal attempt.

Havre had scored two players earlier on that drive, but the TD was called back because of a procedure call.

Whitefish finally took a 14-7 lead at the half when Fennelly lofted a perfect strike to Hicks, who raced untouched the final 20 yards to the end zone.

That came with 6:22 left in the second quarter.

Both offenses struggled in the first half with Havre totaling 105 yards and Whitefish 140.

Fennelly said an adjustment by the line helped set up the touchdown pass to Hicks.

"We started (narrowing) our splits so it wasn't easy for Havre to get through," he said.

"That seemed really big."

It also gave Fennelly time to pass on that play.

"They were forcing their defense, dictating what was happening (to us offensively)," said Ferda of the Blue Ponies.

"Their blitzing and blowing plays up. That was destructive."

Whitefish handled Havre's stunting much better in the second half.

"We need to run the football, but we need to pass the football so teams don't stack up against us." said Ferda.

"Pass protection will be important for us."

When Fennelly had time, he was right on the mark.

He hit Hicks on a 38-yard pass play on third down and came back with a 19-yarder to Luke Fennelly crossing over the middle, which put the ball at the 1-yard line.

Tim Lehner, 13 rushes for 56 yards, scored from a yard out and Whitefish led 21-13 with 1:05 left in the third period.

That eight-play drive covered 67 yards.

Zach Fennelly, who took a pretty good beating, sat out just one series, but returned with a heavily taped left ankle.

"It was getting kind of scary," he said of being in the pocket.

"They were coming hard; about every play."

He completed 6 of 12 passes for 154 yards and the TD. He threw one interception.

The Blue Ponies' second TD came in the third period following a Whitefish turnover. Tanner Donovan hit Weigel on a 31-yard touchdown pass.

The kick failed, leaving the Blue Ponies short, 14-13, at the 6:22 mark.

Donovan also had a rough outing, hounded by Whitefish's defensive front for much of the game. Whitefish's Mike McCracken and Brad Kuntz both had three sacks.

Havre had 167 yards total offense to 283 for Whitefish.

Hicks finished with four receptions on the day for 112 yards and the TD. He also had an interception.

Whitefish plays at Browning on Friday.

BULLDOGS 21, BLUE PONIES 13

Havre 7 0 6 0 - 13

Whitefish 7 7 7 0 - 21

First Quarter

Havre - Jared Weigel 3 run (Bruce Beecher kick)

Whitefish - Cody Idol 95 kickoff return (Daniel Jones kick), 7:02

Second Quarter

Whitefish - Chris Hicks 51 pass from Zach Fennelly (Jones kick), 6:22

Third Quarter

Havre - Weigel 31 pass from Tanner Donovan (kick failed)

Whitefish - Tim Lehner 1 run (Jones kick), 1:05