Ponies tee off the season at Prairie Farms on Thursday

The Havre High boys and girls golf teams have gotten off to hot starts the last couple of years, and with the start of the 2012 season here already, the Blue Ponies are hoping the trend continues.

Each and every year, the Central A Ponies get their season started at home.

This year, the annual season opening tournament will

Havre High's Spencer Ross and the Blue Pony varsity and junior varsity boys and girls golf teams will start their season Thursday morning at Prairie Farms Golf Course.

take place on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at the Prairie Farms Golf Course in Havre. Lewistown, Browning, Great Falls High and CMR will join the Ponies. This will also be the first year Great Falls and CMR bring varsity teams.

"We always start the season off well," Havre High head coach McKinsey Rodriguez said. "So you know, I am not too worried about that this year. Alli want them to do is go out, get the feel for the tournament, and really figure out what their position is on this team."

Last season both Pony squads won their season and home debuts, finishing as the No. 1 teams at Prairie Farms. But this season should be an even bigger test for HHS, as this is the first year the CMR Rustlers and Great Falls Bison bring their top varsity golfers to Havre.

The Ponies have the talent it will take to be a top tem this year, they just have to play consistent from start to finish, especially on their home course.

Ramsey Drew, David Denny and Spencer Ross will look to lead the Pony boys as veteran golfers, but also look for freshmen Jeff Miller and Jerod Boles to shine, as they have already shown they too have state potential. Miller qualified No. 1 for the Pony team, while Boles came in at No. 2.

And for the girls, five talented juniors who are really coming into their own should lead the way this weekend as well as the rest of the season. Nikki Gabrielson (only returner who qualified for state for the Ponies), Katie Beck, Megan Cline, Dani Murphy and Boston Swenson should shine for the Ponies, as a solid returning core. But the girls also have some freshmen talent in Payton Howard and Randi Gabrielson, who are also looking to clinch varsity spots this season.

"I definitely think that if we can hit it straight we can be successful here (Prairie Farms)," Rodriguez said. "If we aren't hitting the ball too far, I am not too worried about it, hopefully we can just stay out of the weeds, they are tall this year. If we can just hit straight and stay out of the weeds, then we will be sitting good."

As for the talent coming to Havre Thursday, obvioulsy CMR will be strong. The CMR girls have been one of the top Class AA golf teams for the better part of the last decade, while the Rustler boys are looked at as a strong team this season. Both Bison teams will also bring AA caliber players to Prairie Farms.

Lewistown is considered one of the contenders in the Central A this season, while the Browning girls have also been on the rise the last two years.

The Ponies are looking to repeat as winners of their debut tournament on Thursday, and have the talent and golfers to do so. And for a long-term goal, the Ponies are also looking to grab early momentum and ride all season long, something they have struggled with the last couple of years. But if HHS can start hot, and play well all season long, they should find success not only on Thursday, but also through divisionals and at the state level.

HHS and the rest of the field will tee off on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at the Prairie Farms golf course in Havre. The Ponies also host the Havre Invitational on Sept. 7 at Beaver Creek Golf Course.