Four HHS girls earn Central A honors

It’s no secret that the Havre High girls basketball team dominated the Central A conference this past season. In fact, the Blue Ponies were so good, they went undefeated against the rest of the league in both regular season and postseason play on their way to a fourth straight Central A title.

That’s why it should come as no surprise to anyone that when the Central A All-Conference team was released, it was littered with Blue Ponies.

Of course, you can’t talk about postseason awards in the Central A without mentioning Havre senior Morgan Mazurkiewicz, who was unquestionably the best player in the league and proved it by leading the Central A in scoring with 16.1 points per game.

Mazurkiewciz, who earned Second-Seam honors last season, also led the Central A in free throw percentage and assists, while ranking second in steals and ninth in rebounding as she earned First-Team honors this season.

However, she was not the only Havre player to make the team as Dani Wagner, who had a breakout 2014-15 campaign for the Ponies was also awarded First-Team honors after a stellar season that saw her average 12.9 ppg, which was good enough for fourth in the conference, while also ranking third in rebounds and fifth in steals.

Both Mazurkiewicz and Wagner were also selected Class A All-State for the 2014-15 season.

The rest of the Central A First Team includes the second-leading scorer in the Central A in Browning’s Tiara Gilham, as well as Kaylea Skunkcap, also of Browning and Jaree Mane of Lewistown. Skunkcap is a senior but Gilham and Mane are juniors and along with Wagner, will return next season. Gilham also joined Mazurkiewicz and Wagner on the All-State list.

While Havre dominated the First-Team selections, the Ponies are also represented on the Second Team by sophomore Naomi Terry, who put together an impressive season for HHS. Terry finished ninth in the conference in scoring with 10.7 ppg.

The rest of the Second Team features senior Alexis Clingingsmith of Belgrade, senior Tara Olson of Lewistown as well as senior Megan Schoenen and junior Sierra Higgs, who are each from Livingston.

And last but certainly not least, HHS senior Tori Mazurkiewicz, who lost much of her senior season due to an injury, was still an Honorable Mention to the All-Conference team in large part because of her suffocating defense. Before suffering her injury, the senior guard for Havre was in the top 10 in the conference in both steals and assists.

Once again, veteran Blue Pony head coach Dustin Kraske was named Central A Coach of the Year.

Central A All-Conference Team

First Team

Morgan Mazurkiewicz, Havre, Senior (All State); Dani Wagner, Havre, Senior (All State); Tiara Gilham, Browning, Junior (All State); Jaree Mane, Lewistown, Junior; Kaylea Skunkcap, Browning, Junior.

Second Team

Naomi Terry, Havre, Sophomore; Tara Olson, Lewistown, Senior, Megan Schoenen, Livingston, Senior; Sierra Higgs, Livingston, Junior; Alexis Clingingsmith, Belgrade, Senior.

Honorable Mention

Tori Mazurkiewicz, Havre, Senior; Erin Singleton, Belgrade, Senior; Lexie Anderson, Lewistown, Senior; Meghan Gibson, Livingston, Junior; Shelbi St. Goddard, Browning, Senior.