Dogs derail Havre to claim trophy
<p>Whitefish senior wide receiver Sean Foley (3) is finally brought down by a Havre defender during their game on Saturday, August 31, in Whitefish. Whitefish won the match up 45 to 27. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
It took all of 13 seconds for Whitefish to light up the scoreboard Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field.
Speedster Sean Foley returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown in the Bulldog football season opener against Havre. Foley’s return put Whitefish out front in the game and ignited what promises to be an exciting football season.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound senior also turned in touchdown runs of 1, 1 and 5 yards and returned a punt 53 yards for another as Whitefish derailed Havre 45-27. The victory keeps the traveling railroad trophy in Whitefish for another season.
“We knew he would be good, but not how good ... how much of a threat he would be,” Whitefish coach Chad Ross said of Foley’s day. “He performed great.”
Sophomore quarterback Luke May was 14 of 16 passing for 193 yards. He rushed for 75 yards on 14 attempts.
Whitefish (1-0, 0-0) never trailed in the game as the defensive unit kept the Blue Ponies offense in check.
Defensive back Dave Rizzolo picked off a pass at the Whitefish 30-yard line with less than two minutes left in the first half. He stopped another Havre drive when he intercepted a pass in the end zone in the third quarter.
“I felt like we handled them pretty well,” Rizzolo said. “They never got anything going against us.”
After the game, Foley and Rizzolo hoisted the Railroad Trophy high over their teammates in celebration of an impressive start to the season.
“A good win,” Ross said after the game.
“We’ve had a rough couple years. Hopefully this will help bring the winning tradition back.”
Whitefish hosts Browning on Friday at 7 p.m. in a nonconference game.
Havre 0 13 0 14 — 27
Whitefish 10 14 14 7 — 45
First Quarter
W — Sean Foley 91 kickoff return (Nathan Boone kick), 11:47
W — Boone 36 field goal, 3:35
Second Quarter
H —Kody Pribyl 1 run (Tyrell Piece kick), 11:29
W — Chris Park 4 run (Boone kick), 9:55
H — Nate Rismon 19 pass from Dane Warp (kick blocked), 7:27
W — Foley 1 run (Boone kick), 3:24
Third Quarter
W — Foley 1 run (Boone kick), 6:46
W — Foley 5 run (Boone kick), 1:22
Fourth Quarter
W — Foley 53 punt return (Boone kick), 10:57
H — Warp 3 run (kick failed), 7:31
H — Thomas Gruber 10 pass from Warp (Warp run), 3:16