Northern C welcomes Hays/Lodge Pole, Chinook and Harlem ready to roll
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The Hi-Line and especially Chinook has been blessed with some great football the past several years.
The Sugarbeeters have been at the top of the field for quite some time having won Class C Eight-man State Football championships in 2010 and 2015 as well as multiple Northern C crowns.
This fall is expected to be another great season on the gridiron and the Harlem Wildcats and Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds expect to join the Sugarbeeters in the win column throughout the fall.
Chinook was hit hard by graduation this spring and while the team lacks a lot of game time experience, a solid core of returning veterans and a talented group of underclassmen waiting to get their shot should make for another exciting season.
In Harlem,second year head coach Kelly Mills has an exciting group of athletes out for football.
The Wildcats failed to find the win column a season ago, but after beginning the season with just 16 kids dressed they finished with much improved numbers and became more competitive as the season wore on.
This fall 27 kids were dressed for practice and the team boasted the return of three All-State/All-Conference performers.
A rejuvenated and upbeat atmosphere encompasses the team and the Wildcats have high hopes for this fall.
The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds will make the switch from the Eastern C to the Northern C division.
The competition for the Thunderbirds will remain very stiff as they will now have to face perennial Class C powerhouses in Chinook, Chester-Joplin-Inverness, Belt and Simms but will no longer have to make the very long trips to Wibaux and Fairview.
The Northern C is annually one of, if not the toughest of divisions on Class C football year in and year out and 2016 is no exception.
Nearly every team has holes to fill from last years highly successful season but as is always the case in high school football a good program can fill them.
The Sugarbeeters, Hawks, Great Falls Central, Simms and Belt bring a history of winning to the division and will battle it out for four playoff spots.
However don’t count out Cascade, Centerville, Power-Dutton-Brady or the Thunderbirds, anything can happen.
The Northern C nine team field means no bye weeks for teams and that could work both ways but one things for sure, every team will be in action every week and every week is a big one.
The Wildcats compete in the District 2B along with the Glasgow Scotties, Malta Mustangs, Wolf Point Wolves and Poplar Indians.
Harlem could very well be in the mix for one of the two playoff spots available. Their non-conference schedule will include Shelby, Conrad, Rocky Boy and Cut Bank.
As is the case every year, rule changes, points of emphasis and player safety are addressed.
Some of the most noteworthy changes are a decision to eliminate clipping in the free block zone. Clipping is now illegal anywhere on the field. Another change is in mouth guards they can now be clear or white and gloves are required to meet specific standards. For all rule changes, interpretations and information please go to the MHSA website, http://www.mhsa.org.
