Hays/Lodge Pole has had to Overcome So Much

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds have had to overcome more obstacles than most teams in the past 18 months.

A season ago the Thunderbirds were directly impacted more than any Blaine County School and possibly any school in the state of Montana.

Hays/Lodge Pole did their best to get a fall sports season in but quarantines, lock-downs and the Covid-19 Pandemic all led to the cancellation of the Volleyball, Football and Cross Country seasons before they ever truly got started.

Gone were Homecoming festivities, post season competitions, senior night tributes and any sort of team activity.

The kids, coaches, parents and fans all persevered, pushed through and did their very best to complete a winter and spring season with far fewer cancellations.

By spring some sense of normalcy returned as the Thunderbirds did get to hold a graduation ceremony.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Volleyball and basketball teams which includes several members of the football and cross country teams were involved in open gyms, spent time in the weight room and took part in tournaments around the region during June and July.

With sights set on a full 2021 Fall Sports season things were looking up for the Thunderbird student athletes.

The Pine Grove Fire started a day before high school practice was set to get underway. Almost immediately the fire grew exponentially, burning more than 15,000 acres in less than 24 hours.

The school suddenly became an evacuation center and the students were caught in another tragic event.

The first week of practice was pushed back a week to Monday, August 23. With practice requirements for participation in competition for Football, Volleyball and Cross Country in place the early part of the schedule will have to be canceled or rescheduled.

If one thing is for certain the Thunderbirds have proven to be resilient and will be ready to go when they get to compete for the first time this fall.

Coaching the Thunderbird football team this fall will be Mark Maget. Gemma Mount and Cindy LaMere will lead the Thunderbird Volleyball team while Natacha Doney will coach the Cross Country team.

Good luck to the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbird teams this fall.

Volleyball

Varsity Schedule

Sat. Aug. 28 Native American Classic - Rocky Boy TBA

Fri. Sept. 3 Geraldine/Highwood Rivals** (Geraldine) 5:00/6:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 10 Chester/Joplin-Inverness Hawks** 4:00/5:30 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 11 Box Elder Bears 5:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 17 Big Sandy Pioneers 5:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 18 Centerville Miners** 4:00/5:30 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 24 Fort Benton Longhorns** 4:00/5:30 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 1 Chinook Sugarbeeters 5:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 2 North Star Showcase (Senior Night) TBA

Fri. Oct. 8 Box Elder Bears 5:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 9 Big Sandy Pioneers 1:00 p.m.

Wed. Oct. 20 Chinook (Senior Night) 5:00 p.m.

Oct. 28-31 District - Chinook TBA

Nov. 4-6 Divisional - Fort Benton TBA

Nov. 11-13 State - Bozeman (MSU) TBA

** Double Header Varsity Matches

Football

Varsity Schedule

Fri. Aug. 27 Rocky Boy Northern Stars 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 4 Simms Tigers 1:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 11 Chester/Joplin-Inverness Hawks 1:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 17 Chinook 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 24 Shelby Coyotes 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 2 Harlem Wildcats (Homecoming) 1:00 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 9 Cascade (Senior Day) 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 11-16 Regular Season Cross Bracket TBA

Oct. 18-23 BYE or possible League Game TBA

Oct. 30 Round 1 Postseason Playoff TBA

Nov. 6 Quarterfinal Playoff TBA

Nov. 13 Semifinal Playoff TBA

Nov. 20 State Class C Championship TBA

Cross Country

Varsity Schedule

Saturday, August 28 Browning High School TBA

Friday, September 3 Cut Bank Time Trials TBA

Saturday, September 4 Poplar High School TBA

Saturday, September 11 Havre High School 10:00 a.m.

Saturday, September 18 Glasgow High School 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday, September 22 Hays/Lodge Pole Senior Day 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 9 Malta (JH/HS) 9:00 a.m.

Friday, October 15 Harlem (JH/HS) 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, October 23 State @ Missoula TBA