Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Keegan Kennelly, Havre High Wrestling

There is no question that the Havre High wrestling team has become a dynasty under the direction of head coach Scott Filius. The Blue Ponies are the two-time defending Class A state champions and are on a mission to win their third consecutive title this season.

But a big reason for the Ponies’ long-term success has been the continued development of talented wrestlers such as Havre junior Keegan Kennelly. It's wrestlers like Kennelly, who has contended for an individual state title since his freshmen season, who are the lifeblood of Havre wrestling, and why the Ponies should continue to dominate the Class A ranks for the foreseeable future.

From the jump as a freshmen, it was clear that Kennelly was going to have a bright career. And after losing only a handful of matches and capturing numerous individual titles, Kennelly fell just short of an individual state championship in the 98-pound weight class. He was defeated by Clay Stillwagon of Butte Central, who earned the win by pinning Kennelly in 4:24 in the title match.

As a sophomore, Kennelly moved up in weight to 106 pounds but the results stayed the same. He again won a number of individual tittles, including the CMR Holiday Classic for the second year in a row. He was also the only Havre wrestler to win an individual title at the Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula last January. At the end of the season, you could count his losses on one hand. But at state, Kennelly once again fell short of his ultimate goal, dropping an 8-5 decision Kohltin Starkel of Dillon in the state title match.

Now in the midst of a junior season that started impressively with a first-place showing at the Havre Invitational at 120 pounds, Kennelly is determined to get that elusive individual state championship.

Kennelly is among a select group of Havre wrestlers that will skip the Holiday Classic in order to compete in a prestigious wrestling meet in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, this weekend, which will include more than 60 teams from across the Northwest.

Before Kennelly and the Ponies leave town for their final meets before the holiday break, the Havre Daily News caught up with him for five questions

HDN: How have the losses at state helped motivate and prepare you for this season?

Kennelly: “It just made me stronger. And it made want to work harder because it's so frustrating to put all that time and effort in and then come up short. But I think this is the year that I can do it.”

HDN: What do you think about competing in Coeur d'Alene instead of the CMR Holiday Classic?

Kennelly: “I don't know all the teams or the schools that will be there but there are a lot of good teams from the northwest that are going to be there. I'm looking forward to going up against some new competition. It will be a blast.”

HDN: Who is your favorite athlete to watch?

Kennelly: “Well I am a big Dallas Cowboys fan, so I would have to say DeMarco Murray. He's a really hard runner.”

HDN: What has been the highlight of your Havre wrestling career so far?

Kennelly: “I would probably have to say last year, winning at the Rocky Mountain finals in Missoula. I actually pinned a kid in a leg cradle, so it was pretty cool.”

HDN: What is your long-term goal with wrestling, are you hoping to wrestle in college?

Kennelly: “I don't know if I want to wrestle in college or not. Maybe down the road I will. Right now, I am just focused on winning two state championships and winning two more state championships as a team.”