Pony thinclads race to the finish line

Pony thinclads race to the finish line

The athletes of the boys and girls Havre High School track and field teams have battled and made it through another tough season. But before hanging up their track spikes until next season, a handful of Blue Ponies will get one last weekend of competition.

Today and Saturday the state's top Class A track and field talent will gather in Missoula. The state meet will take place at the MCPS Track Complex on the campus of Big Sky High School.

This season hasn't been an easy one for the Central A Blue Ponies and it won't get any easier over the next couple of days. But after battling through the poor weather, canceled meets and injuries, the Ponies are ready and eager to make the trip to Missoula.

"State is always a fun meet to get to go to because we are going to see the top performers in the state," Havre High head coach Trever VanCampen said. "And while we are excited to be making the trip, we know as a team that we won't be able to compete for team hardware, we just don't have the numbers. But the kids that are going down are hard workers and will compete for individual awards."

HHS is sending seven girls and six boys, as well as both the 400-meter and the 1,600-meter relay teams to the state meet.

On the girls squad, the Ponies will be represented by Alexia Olson (100-meter), Peyton Filius (800-meter and 1,600-meter), Katie Christianson (3,200-meter), Paighton Gilman (shot put and discus), Jaye Ceynar (pole vault), Lacey Waid (pole vault) and Sammy Evans (200-meter, triple jump and 400-meter). And on the boys side of things, HHS will be represented by Ty Bauer (800-meter), Kendall Murie (3,200-meter), Thurman Holdsclaw (pole vault), Matt Emge (pole vault), Zach Plum (pole vault) and Mason Case (100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter).

The boys relay teams are made up of short: Plum, Tyson Kultgen, Kade Barsotti and Case, long: Bauer, Barsotti, Case and Murie.

The girls relay teams will feature short: Ceyner, Olson, Ashlynn Van Voast and Evans, long: Filius, Van Voast, Olson and Evans.

"Our athletes that qualified for state are the kids that have worked so hard for it from the beginning of the season," VanCampen said. "They are considered to be our leaders on the team and they put themselves in a nice situation to enjoy the end of the season, which is the state meet."

Evans is the only Pony returning to state that placed at state a season ago. Last season Evans took second place in the triple jump, leaping over 35-1. Layne Waid also placed for the Ponies last season, grabbing third place in the pole vault with a height of 13-0, but is missing from the boys team due to graduation.

And while the Ponies just do not have the numbers to compete team-wise this weekend, they do have the individual talent to at least make their mark. Corvallis, Dillon, Whitefish and Polson should be amongst the girls team favorites, while Columbia Falls, Corvallis and Belgrade should be amongst the boys team favorites.

But even without the abundance of success returning to state meet, the Ponies have some talent that should be able to find their way into a top spot.

Evans will have a shot at placing in all three of her events and is coming off of a No. 1 triple jump performance at divisionals. Also for the girls, the Ponies could find some success from Olson in the 100-meter, Ceynar in the pole vault, Filius in the 1,600-meter, Christianson in the 3,200-meter and Gilman in the discus.

And for the boys, Case has a very good chance of placing in both the 100 and 200-meter, while Holdsclaw could place in the pole vault with another improved performance this weekend. Murie also has a shot in the 3,200-meter, while Bauer could find success in the 800-meter. Plum is the most experience pole vaulter for the Ponies, so also look for him to step up.

Bauer, Murie and Gilman are seniors this season and won't return for the Ponies.

The Blue Ponies are coming out of a tough Central A meet, where they faced a tough field with a lot of outstanding talent. The Central A was extremely talented and deep this season, but the Ponies remain positive. After facing the talent they faced last weekend, the Ponies are entering the state meet prepared and anxious, not only for this weekend, but next season as well, as they continue to build toward the future.

"I really feel that we have some talent that can place this weekend," VanCampen said. "And anytime, as a coach that you have a kid place, it is just so rewarding. That takes a lot of hard work by those athletes and we as coaches are here for them, helping them blossom into the athlete we know they can be. This will be a good experience for them and something that they can all apply towards next season. And we are going to be expecting these kids to step up and be leaders next year as well."

Havre will compete at the state track meet today and Saturday at the MCPS Track Complex in Missoula.