Pony netters take a shot at glory

Eight Havre High tennis players have one more chance at glory. That's because those eight players have played their way into the 2013 Class A state tennis tournament.

The Blue Ponies will play in the state tournament Thursday-Friday in Polson and Ronan, and there's plenty to be excited about. Only two of Havre's eight players have previous state tournament experience, while the Ponies also qualified four of their five seniors. And HHS head coach George Ferguson couldn't be happier about the kids who are making the trip.

Havre High freshman Jeff Miller is one of eight Blue Pony tennis players hoping to be a major factor in this weekend's Class A state tennis tournament in Polson and Ronan.

"There's so many reasons I'm excited about this group," Ferguson said. "Getting our two senior doubles teams to state is very meaningful. Those kids have been on varsity since they were freshmen, so their last high school matches will be in the state tournament. That's really special.

"And overall, boys and girls, we're taking kids who can score points," he added. "These are eight very good tennis players, all of whom are capable of winning matches and scoring enough points to be in the trophy hunt. I really believe that. This is a great group of kids and this is going to be an exciting week for them."

It's also exciting because just last season, Havre took just three boys and one girl to state. The Ponies upped that number to five girls this year, something Ferguson said he fully expected to happen.

"We were such a young girls team last year," Ferguson said. "I knew this would be our year. And it worked out that way. I think we were good enough we could have gotten our third doubles team and another singles player to state, but the draws didn't unfold that way. But these five girls, I knew they had what it took to get this far. They just had to play their best at divisional, and that's exactly what they did. Now, they get a chance to go for the ultimate prize this week. And that's really exciting."

Ferguson said he truly believes is girls team can be in the trophy race if they win the matches they're favored in and pull some upsets along the way. Corvallis and Glendive will likely battle it out for the top two spots, but after that, it's a wide open race, and Havre has the firepower to battle teams like Polson, Hardin, Lewistown and Billings Central.

Havre will have two doubles teams in the field this week, including seniors Jennifer Cichosz and Lainey Chagnon. The duo came within one match of making it as juniors, but this season, they won a dramatic Central A semifinal to punch their ticket to Ronan. Cichosz also went to state as a sophomore, so she has some quality experience to draw on, while Chagnon has been a model of consistency since moving to doubles midway through her junior season. The duo will open up with Whitefish's Hailey Cravens and Kendall Settler, who finished third at last week's Northwest Divisional.

Joining Chagnon and Cichosz (18-16) are juniors Breck Don and Ellery Bresler (29-7). They too missed out on a trip to the state tournament by one match last season, but they were tough as nails at last week's Central A, winning a pair of three-setters to finish third. They will begin against the top Polson team of Karly Rochin and MollyBeth Hendrix, who finished second at the Northwest A last week.

"I knew we were going to be strong in girls doubles this season," Ferguson said. "And it came true by finishing second and third at divisionals. Those four girls have been playing at a really high level as of late, and I expect that to continue this week. They just needed some confidence and belief in their abilities, and I think we finally broke through at divisionals. They now know they can play with the top teams in the state, and they are ready for this tournament."

Junior Brandy Lambourne is making a return trip to the state tournament, as she finished third in the Central A for the second straight season. Lambourne is having an outstanding junior season, going 22-9 at the No. 1 singles spot. And though she had a slip-up in last week's Central A semifinal, Ferguson said her experience and her toughness should pay off this week. She opens the state tournament against Emily Getts of Columbia Falls, the No. 2 seed from the Northwest A.

Havre High junior Brandy Lambourne is making her second straight trip to the Class A state tennis tournament.

"Brandy has played great tennis this season," Ferguson said. "She has really improved all parts of her game. But I think the biggest thing that will help her this week is the experience she gained at state last year. She played really well as a sophomore, and I think she's even more ready to knock some people off this week."

The singles draw features two-time state champion Morgan Opp of Glendive, as well as her teammate Jordan Johnson. Corvallis sophomore Laramie McCugh will also be a contender this week. In doubles, other favorites include Corvallis' Sydnee Madruga and Megan Lengyl, as well as top teams from Dillon, Hardin and Whitefish.

"The one thing I don't do is look ahead and try to figure out where our kids might end up," Ferguson said. "I know some coaches do that, and that's fine, but I think it's kind of pointless if you don't win your first-round match. So for our girls, the focus is on that first match they play. Getting past those matches are huge and right now that's all we're worried about.

"I'm just so excited for these five girls," he added. "This has been a long time coming and it's the culmination of a lot of hard work by them. They've really put their heart and souls into tennis and regardless of what unfolds this week, I'm so proud of all of them. They've earned this moment and I just want them to go out and enjoy it and play the best tennis of their lives."

Playing the best tennis of their lives will be required for the Havre boys, who will once again be somewhat short-handed. For the third straight season, the Ponies are taking three boys to state, and this year, all three are first-timers. Last year, seniors Justin Jensen, Brayden Grimson and Simon McCann made the trip, with Jensen making a spectacular run to a third-place finish.

And though the Ponies have no state tournament experience, a medal could certainly be in the cards for freshman Jeff Miller. All year, Miller (25-8), who has played competitive tennis nearly his whole life, has had high expectations. He lived up to his first goal after winning the Central A title last Saturday. But now, his goals shift to the state tournament.

"I said last week that Jeff has had a target on his back all year long, especially in our division," Ferguson said. "Teams have known about him for a long time because he plays the summer tennis circuit and he had three brothers who were all championship-caliber players in our program. But this week, Jeff gets to be the hunter a bit more. There are strong players from the other divisions who know they have to watch out for Jeff. And that's kind of exciting because I think it takes some of the pressure off him.

"For Jeff, it's all about finding his comfort zone," Ferguson added. "He's already a great player, one of the most talented players in the tournament this week. But he's still a freshman, and at times, he's struggled with his confidence. Tennis is so mental, especially when you get to the level of play he's at. So if he can remain confident, if he can bring his A-Game to this tournament, he's going to do some real damage. He's going to be one of the players everybody is looking out for this week. Really, for him, it's all mental. He's got all the physical tools, he's got the complete game to be a major factor this week. He just has to believe in himself and trust his game."

Miller's draw will also play a factor. He opens with Glendive's Nathan Sickler, who played at state last year and took fourth at the Eastern A last week. Miller also has Polson standout Brady Hislop and defending Class A champion Dillon Meyer of Billings Central in his half of the draw. Other singles players to watch for include fellow Central A's Aiden Goodman of Livingston and Andrew Bruno of Lewistown, as well as Corvallis' Alama Powell.

And Miller isn't Havre's only first-time headed to state this week. Seniors Nick Rhines and J.J. Hovet will be Havre's lone doubles team in the draw. The duo played great tennis on their way to a second-place finish at the Central A last weekend, and Ferguson believes they've really peaked at the right time. They play the Glendive duo of Blake Stanhope and Gavin McPherson, who placed third at the Eastern A last week. Other tough teams in the field include Corvallis' Bridger Walczynski and D.J. Pekoc, the defending state champions, as well as Billings Central's John Knisley and Harrison Fagg.

"I can't overstate how proud I am of Nick and J.J.," Ferguson said. "They have come so far in such a short amount of time together. It's pretty rare that you pair a doubles team up two months ago and they have this kind of success. But that speaks to how hard they've worked and how dedicated they are to our program. This is going to be a great week for them, and regardless of what happens, one they'll never forget. But at the same time, I think they have a chance to do really well. They are peaking at the perfect time."

As for the boys race, with just three players, it will likely be difficult for Havre to catch favorites Billings Central and three-time defending champion Corvallis. However, if the Ponies play well, they could battle Polson for a trophy by the end of the weekend.

"I think both our teams have a chance at a trophy," Ferguson said. "Obviously, a lot has to go right for us because there are some really good teams, and some outstanding players on both sides. That's the state tournament. But regardless, this is going to be a great week for us. These eight kids will represent our school and Havre tennis the right way. I know they'll give their all and they'll put their heart into this tournament. That's just the kinds of kids we have in our program.

"I'm already so proud of this team," he added. "And I know they'll all give their absolute best at this tournament. This is state. That's what it's all about and I'm so happy all these kids get the chance to experience it. It's going to be a lot of fun."

The 2013 Class A state tennis tournament begins on Thursday with boys matches in Polson and girls matches in Ronan. Friday, the remainder of the tournament will be played in Polson.