HHS netters battle Eagles

The weather has been shaky as of late. Plenty of moisture, plenty of chilly temperatures and even some wind, lighting and thunder.

And the Havre High tennis teams have seen it all. And the Blue Ponies did again on Saturday as they traveled to Lewistown for an all-day matchup with the Lewistown Golden Eagles.

For the last three years, Havre has had an open date on its schedule, but the Ponies and Eagles were able to make this weekend work out, and despite some dreadful weather, HHS head coach George Ferguson couldn't have been happier with Saturday's trip.

"We played a ton of matches," Ferguson said. "Our varsity kids got in two duals with full scoring which was great because we don't get to play full sets very often. We also played some fun exhibition matches, and while I didn't count them all up, I think we played about 30 junior varsity matches which was awesome. It was a great experience for our young kids. Our JV's don't get a chance like this so I was really excited for them.

"The weather was rough," he added. "We played the first part of the day on some really wet courts and in rain, snow and wind. A couple thunderstorms even blew through and we saw a little hail. But we drove a long way for some tennis and our kids were awesome about competing and battling through the weather. They were focused and determined and strong-minded and they played as well as they could in those conditions. I was really proud of all our kids for competing so hard through all of it. And who knows, we'll be back in Lewistown for divisionals, and the weather could be the exact same, so we got some good experience in it."

As for the tennis, the Blue Ponies defeated the Eagles in their official duals.

The HHS boys beat the Eagles 4-3 with freshman Jeff Miller dispatching Lewistown rival Andrew Bruno at No. 1 singles. It was the second straight week Miller has taken out Bruno, a returning state qualifier. Ned Malone easily won at the No. 2 singles spot, while the duo of Nick Rhines and J.J. Hovet won handily at No. 1 doubles. Junior Zach Hellegaard clinched the dual with a solid win at No. 3 singles.

Miller went 2-0 for HHS in varsity action, while Rhines and Hovet lost a three-set heartbreaker the second time around. Malone stepped up and played well at No. 1 for Havre in his second match, falling in a tough match to Bruno. Hellegaard went undefeated in his two varsity matches, and is still unbeaten on the year at the No. 3 spot for HHS.

"Lewistown has been shuffling their boys lineup when they play us," Ferguson said. "So each week, their doubles lineup is different. But that's OK because we know they are strong in doubles and we'll just keep battling. I thought all of our kids did a good job and played really well. Guys like Wyatt Lindbloom, Jerod Boles, Patrick Leeds, Jamie Lieberg and Noah Landgraf all ended up playing six or seven times, so that was great and they got a lot of great experience."

The Havre girls also beat the Eagles 4-3 in the official varsity dual. Wins from Tatiana Ralph and Madison Huebsch at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, as well as a strong showing by Haley Graham and Shannon Herring in doubles at No. 3 helped clinch the dual for the Ponies. Breck Don and Ellery Bresler also came back to win a three-setter at No. 2 doubles to help Havre earn the victory.

In alternate varsity matches, Jade McCormick was able to move up and play No. 1 singles against Lewistown stalwart Jeanna Mane, while Brandy Lambourne, and the doubles team of Lainey Chagnon and Jennifer Cichosz won at No. 2. Don and Bresler played well in a loss to Lewistown's top duo at No 1 doubles.

"I saw some good things from our girls," Ferguson said. "The first time Lainey and Jenn play a real match against Lewistown and it goes three sets, so that shows them they are right there against that team. It was really good to have Jade (McCormick) back in the lineup after she was out last week with an injury. I was really proud of the way Tatiana Ralph played and Madison Huebsch played varsity this week and did a great job. All the freshmen we took played really well, and like the boys, all of our girls, varsity and JV, competed hard and got a lot of great experiences out of the day."

The Blue Ponies are in the midst of a hectic two weeks of tennis and it continues Tuesday with three more duals in Great Falls. Havre will take on the Butte Central Maroons Tuesday morning, then Class AA powers Great Falls High and CMR in the afternoon.

Havre vs Lewistown

All Duals

BOYS

Official Varsity Dual

Havre 4, Lewistown 3

Singles

Jeff Miller, HAV def. Andrew Bruno, LEW, 6-1, 6-3; Ned Malone, HAV def. Kyle Myhre, LEW, 6-1, 6-1; Zach Hellegaard, HAV def. Carl Wright, LEW, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3); Parker Phillips, LEW def. Jacob Holden, HAV, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles

Nick Rhines/J.J. Hovet, HAV def. Zach Hould/Bryson Behl, LEW, 6-1, 6-4; Hooper Armour/Bryce Petersen, LEW def. Brian Smith/Noah Landgraf, HAV, 6-2, 6-2; Alex Irish/Preston Kynett, LEW def. Wyatt Lindbloom/Jerod Boles, HAV, 6-2, 6-4.

Alternate Varisty Dual

Singles

Andrew Bruno, LEW def. Ned Malone, HAV, 6-4, 6-2; Jeff Miller, HAV def. Kyle Mhrye, LEW, 6-0 6-0; Carl Wright, LEW def. Jacob Holden, HAV, 7-5, 6-2; Zach Hellegaard, HAV def. Parker Phillips, LEW, 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles

Zach Hould/Bryson Behl, LEW def. Brian Smith/Noah Landgraf, HAV, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3); Hooper Armour/Bryce Petersen, LEW def. Nick Rhines/J.J. Hovet, HAV, 1-7, 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (15-13); Wyatt Lindbloom/Haley Graham, HAV def. Josy Allen/Alex Irish, LEW, 6-2, 6-3.

JV Boys Matches and Exhibitions

Jeff Miller/Ned Malone, HAV def. Bruno/Songer, LEW, 6-3; Noah Landgraf/Brian Smith, HAV def. Andrew Olsen/Kyle Myhre, LEW, 7-6 (7-5); Zach Hellegaard, HAV def. Cole Eades, LEW, 6-1; Jacob Holden, HAV def. Xavier Plouffe, LEW, 6-1; Jerod Boles/Wyatt Lindbloom, HAV def. Daq Wright/Zac Phelps, LEW, 6-3; Brian Smith/Noah Landgraf, HAV def. Karstin Neil/Kody Neil, LEW, 7-6 (7-2); Logan Wilcox/McKye McCarthy, LEW def. Jamie Lieberg/Patrick Leeds, HAV, 6-2; Cole Eades, LEW def. Patrick Leeds, HAV, 6-0; Xavier Plouffe, LEW def. Jamie Lieberg, HAV, 7-6 (7-5); Andrew Olsen, LEW def. Patrick Leeds, HAV, 6-0; Noah Landgraf, HAV def. Austin Songer, LEW, 6-4; Karstin Neil/Kody Eades, LEW def. Jerod Boles/Wyatt Lindbloom, HAV, 6-0; Jerod Boles/Wyatt Lindbloom, HAV def. Logan Wilcox/McKye McCarthy, LEW, 6-3; Johnny Raney/Trip Crouse, LEW def. Jamie Lieberg/Patrick Leeds, HAV, 6-1; Zach Hellegaard/Jacob Holden, HAV def. Johnny Raney/Trip Crouse, LEW, 6-3; Noah Landgraf/Brian Smith, HAV def. Kevin Mathison/Derek Bourne, LEW, 6-1; Dalton Jensen/Kris Welsh, LEW def. Patrick Leeds/Jamie Lieberg, HAV, 7-6 (7-4); Jerod Boles/Wyatt Lindbloom, HAV def. Noah Aamold/Matt Smith, LEW, 6-1; Noah Landgraf, HAV def. Thomas Helm, LEW, 6-0.

GIRLS

Official Varsity Dual

Havre 4, Lewistown 3

Singles

Jeanna Mane, LEW def. Brandy Lambourne, HAV, 6-0, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3; Hannah Thomas, LEW def. Jade McCormick, HAV, 6-3, 6-4; Tatiana Ralph, HAV def. Brianna Petersen, LEW, 6-2, 6-3; Madison Huebsch, HAV def. Kaycee Gobble, LEW, 7-5, 6-2.

Doubles

Jen Monger/Andrea Neilsen, LEW def. Lainey Chagnon/Jennifer Cichosz, HAV, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3; Breck Don/Ellery Bresler, HAV def. Marlee Thomas/Kaitlyn Kinderski, LEW, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-1; Haley Graham/Shannon Herring, HAV def. Ciara Backer/Josy Allen, LEW, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

Alternate Varsity Dual

Singles

Jeanna Mane, LEW def. Jade McCormick, HAV, 6-0, 6-0; Brandy Lambourne, HAV def. Hannah Thomas, LEW, 6-0, 6-0; Brianna Petersen, LEW def. Madison Huebsch, HAV, 6-2, 6-1; Tatiana Ralph, HAV def. Kaycee Gobble, LEW, 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles

Jen Monger/Andrea Neilsen, LEW def. Breck Don/Ellery Bresler, HAV, 7-5, 6-2; Lainey Chagnon/Jennifer Cichosz, HAV def. Marlee Thomas/Kaitlyn Kinderski, LEW, 6-1, 7-5; Preston Kynett/Ciara Backer, LEW def. Jerod Boles/Shannon Herring, HAV, 6-0, 6-2.

JV Girls Matches and and Exhibitions

Brandy Lambourne/Jade McCormick, HAV def. Jeanna Mane/Kaitlyn Kinderski, LEW, 6-4; Shannon Herring, HAV def. Brianna Petersen, LEW, 6-1; Sarah Holsinger, HAV def. Hayden Ziokolski, LEW, 6-2; Rainey Stoner/Madison Huebsch, HAV def. Kodi Myhre/Aubrey Godbey, LEW, 6-0; Beth Olson/Rita Campano, LEW def. Courtney Gobin/Alara Vogel, HAV, 6-2; Sarah Holsinger/Alara Vogel, HAV def. Ciara Backer/Hayden Ziokolski, LEW, 6-1; Beth Olson, LEW def. Rainey Stoner, HAV, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Rita Campano, LEW def. Alara Vogel, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Kodi Myhre/Aubrey Godbey, LEW def. Sarah Holsinger/Courtney Gobin, HAV, 7-6 (7-3).