Havre track teams just want to compete

Due to winter weather the Havre High track and field team has already seen a major delay to the start of its season. But with a break in the weather, and it finally starting to feel like spring, again, the Blue Ponies were planning on finally starting their season this weekend.

Still, mother nature just won't seem to cooperate.

The Blue Ponies were set to finally open their season Saturday at the Lewistown Invitational, but that meet has already been called off due to too much snow still on the ground in the Lewistown area. That makes two cacenlled meets for the Ponies as last week's season-opening Cut Bank Time Trial's were also called off.

And with even more bad luck, the Cut Bank meet was possibly going to be made up on Saturday, and HHS could have attended since the Lewistown meet was cancelled. But as of Friday morning, the weather forecast for Saturday was bad enough that Cut Bank is not an option either. So as of press time, HHS is planning an intra-squad meet at the Havre Middle School Track.

The field the Ponies were going to be up against in Lewistown would make for a tough weekend,

"We have only practiced up at our track twice, and getting the sprinters to come out of the blocks today (Wednesday) was a big deal," HHS first-year head coach Trevor VanCampen said. "Getting to compete will let us know where we stand and where we need to improve."

And everybody is going to be under the coaching microscope for the Ponies this weekend, even if it's just a dual against each other in Havre.

It's early, and the Ponies don't know where they stand as a team yet, and they don't know how they compare to other programs. This being the first real weekend of competition, outside of themselves, VanCampen isn't looking for any one individual to step up and shine. This weekend is about competing, and finding out where they stand.

"We don't know where we stand as far as the rest of the state goes," VanCampen said. "We are just ready to go and see how we look."

Some returning names that should produce for the Pony girls are Brooke Jappe, Rebecca Martin, Mikell Kinsella, Ashlynn VanVoast and Sammy Evans. Also, Peyton Filius, Kate Christianson and Alexia Olson should make some noise on Saturday.

And for the boys, Kendal Murie, Marc Klimas, Kade Barsotti, Tyson Kultgen, Corderro Stricklan, Mason Case, Kade Grismon and Thurman Holdsclaw should prove to be dominant forces.

"The kids are just excited to compete." VanCampen said. "The kids are having fun, but they are hungry."

With both the Lewistown and Cut Bank's cancelled, HHS will officially open the season on Wednesday with the Cal Wearley Invitational at the HMS Track.

Note: Havre Daily News sports editor contributed to this story.