Pony track teams ramp up in Belgrade

To start the season, the Havre High track and field program was focused on conditioning and getting kids into the right events for them, as well as the Blue Pony team. But heading into another competition filled weekend on the road, the Ponies are ready to put their focus and attention on beating that competition.

Coming off a home dual with the Great Falls High junior varsity Bison Tuesday, the Central A Ponies will get back on the road. Saturday HHS will compete at the Belgrade Invitational. With teams from the Class B, Class AA and Class A in attendance, the Ponies will key their focus on the Class A schools, giving them a better idea of what they might see later on at the divisional and state meets. Dillon, Anaconda, Butte, Billings Central, Belgrade, Lewistown and Livingston will garner a lot of attention by the Pony competitors.

“This is a great time to see all of those Class A teams,” Havre High head coach John Ita said. “And the first weekend of May we head west and will see a lot of the Class A teams from that area, so going to Belgrade is good timing.”

And the Ponies have been leading on a talented group of upperclassmen and veterans to carry the load this season. But starting Saturday, some young talent will be leaned on more than ever.

Peyton Filius, Haley Ohm, Lacey Waid, Martha Stocker and Carliegh Rennick have been very consistent for the HHS girls, and shout turn in great times and marks Saturday. But moving forward, coach Ita is really going to lean on Rachel David (distance), Megan Erickson (distance), Naomi Terry (hurdles and jumps) and Ceyara Plante (jumps) even more. And on the boys side, athletes like Thomas Gruber, Gunnar Aageson, Kade Rismon, John Faber and Ryne Antley have been the most consistent, but the likes of Nate Rismon and Mike Loftus will also have to continue to grow and step up.

Loftus has shown a lot of promise, and has been a blur in the 100 and 200 so far this season. Loftus has great speed and will also step in and compete in the 400, short relay, and long relay moving forward.

“He is going to get a big-boy dose of competition this weekend,” Ita said. “Because this is what the big boys do. We have been sparing him from the open 400 until now, we will see if his body can handle these events.”

But at this point in the season, all of the HHS competitors need to perform well in every meet and invitational. Previous meets were reserved for getting better and settling into their events, but now, coach Ita and the HHS athletes are focused on turning in their best possible times and marks, winning events and winning team titles.

“This weekend is all about the competition,” Ita said. “The kids are loaded up with their events now, and now we are going to see whose bodies can take it and whose can’t. The kids are tired, but everybody else at the track meet is tired, so we will see who is going to step up and compete and who is not.”

Saturday the Havre High track and field team will compete at the Belgrade Invitational in Belgrade.