Pony boys earn more tennis hardware

Earning a trophy at the state tennis tournament is no small feat. Neither is earning an individual medal. But the Havre High tennis team accomplished both of those tasks as the 2015 Class A state tennis tournament last week in Missoula.

For the second straight season, the Blue Pony boys finished an outstanding third, bringing home a trophy to add to an already growing total. Since 2004, the Blue Ponies have earned a state trophy a whopping 10 times, and that success goes even further back to 1999.

The Ponies also got on the medal podium once again as junior singles standout Jeff Miller reached the state championship match for the second straight year. Miller was the defending state champion coming in, but Corvallis senior D.J. Pekoc flipped the script from last year, beating Miller in the title match Friday afternoon at the University of Montana tennis courts.

Still, HHS head coach George Ferguson said, not only was Miller’s run to a second-place finish a big success, but so was the plight of his entire team on the final weekend of his 13th year with the Blue Ponies.

“It was a really fun state tournament,” Ferguson said. “All of our kids left it all on the court in every match, and at the end of the day, that’s all you can ask. They all played their hearts out, and as usual, we were led by Jeff. He played some fantastic tennis, and like all of our kids, he left it all out there on the court. So I couldn’t be more proud of what all of our kids did, and all they accomplished this weekend.”

Miller did indeed lead the way. He fought through a tough draw, including a three-set win over Dillon’s Mark Waldrup in Thursday’s quarterfinals. He returned Friday morning to dismantle highly touted freshman Alex Raymond of Hamilton in the semifinals, before falling to Pekoc 6-2, 6-3 in the championship match. The loss was just Miller’s fourth of the year, and only his second to a Class A opponent since his freshman season.

“Jeff played extremely well at the perfect time,” Ferguson said. “And the final was a lot closer than the score would indicate. He and D.J. had some great battles throughout the match. It was fun to watch because it was two of the elite players in all of Montana going at each other in the last match of the season. It was a very high level of tennis. Hats off to D.J., too. He’s a great player and he earned it on Friday afternoon. Jeff threw everything he had at him, and he just kept battling right back. So congrats to D.J. He’s a good kid and an outstanding tennis player.

“But, the loss in the final doesn’t diminish one bit the season Jeff had or the player he is,” Ferguson continued. “He’s on a very short list of the top players in this state at any level right now, and he proved that once again by dominating all season long and being in the championship match for the second straight year. I’m very proud of Jeff. He’s a great player, a great student-athlete and a great representative of Havre High. And you know, it’s already kind of sad to think, he’s only got one more year left in our program. He’s a once in a generation player, and he had another amazing season.”

And the HHS boys capped another amazing season with yet more hardware at the state tournament. The Ponies took six boys to the state, and the doubles tandem of Jerod Boles and Noah Landgraf added to the point total with two wins, including a first-round victory over Whitefish. Boles and Landgraf, the Central A champions, were upset by a strong Stevensville team in the loser-out bracket, as they suffered a three-set loss, leaving them one match short of the medal stand. But like Miller, Ferguson said the loss to Stevensville can’t overshadow the kind of season his top doubles tandem had.

“I know that Jerod and Noah were disappointed because they didn’t finish where they were hoping to,” Ferguson said. “But, first off, we wouldn’t have won a trophy without the wins they got at state, and secondly, they were an extremely big piece of why we had such a successful season. Those two played some great tennis this year. They only lost four times all year, and they made us a strong and balanced team again this season. I couldn’t be more proud of them for the season they had and all that they did for our team. They were an awesome doubles team, and they are both awesome players.”

Jake Sedahl and the tandem of Wyatt Lindbloom and Nate Korb also played well this weekend, and all of them came agonizingly close to giving Havre even more points. Sedahl lost a heartbreaking three-setter to Billings Central’s Joey Nichols in the first round, while Lindbloom and Korb lost three-setters to teams from both Polson and Dillon.

“That was tough,” Ferguson said. “Jake and Wyatt and Nate were so close to advancing, and that’s tough to come up short like that. But I’m proud of them all. They fought their hearts out all day on Thursday. They battled and they should be very proud of the way they played. The state tournament is really tough, every match is tough, every point is tough, and they played great and gave us everything they had. And again, that’s all I can ask. But like the rest of the team, they were a big reason why we were as successful as we were and their names are on a state trophy. So they should all hold their heads high and be proud of that.”

While the Havre boys team finished third behind three-time state champion Billings Central and runner-up Corvallis, Blue Pony senior Tatiana Ralph was the Havre girls team.

Ralph was HHS’ lone qualifier, and she saved her best for last. Ralph battled her way through a three-set thriller in the first round, before losing to eventual state champion Barclay Fagg in the quarterfinals. From there, she defeated Livingston rival Olivia Hintz before falling to Corvallis’ Amber Whissenbach Friday morning.

“Tati played some really great tennis,” Ferguson said. “Tennis is an individual sport, but still, it was hard for her being the only girl to make it. But she was awesome, especially on Thursday. She really fought and battled and I’m really proud of her for that.

“I’m really going to miss her,” Ferguson added about Ralph. “She has been a special part of our girls program for a long time. She’s been a leader and she’s helped kind of bridge the gap for us when we were a really young team this season. So it’s sad that her time in our program is over, but she made the most out of it at state and I’m very proud of her for that.”

And at the end of a hot, sunny weekend in Missoula, Ferguson wasn’t just proud of the seven Ponies who played at the state tournament, he was proud of all of his players and was already looking forward to the spring of 2016.

“It was another great year,” Ferguson said. “It was so much fun. These kids we have in our program right now, from the seniors we will miss so much, to the great group of newcomers we had on the team this year, they are a pleasure to coach. They are why I do what I do. They worked really hard, had a lot of fun and together, all of them continued the tradition of us being one of the best programs in Class A. So I’m proud of all the kids we had out for the team this year, and I can’t wait for next spring so we can do it all over again.”

State A tennis

at Missoula

BOYS

Final team scores - Billings Central 34, Corvallis 19, Havre 16, Glendive 14, Hamilton 11, Stevensville and Dillon 6, Livingston, Polson and Anaconda 4, Whitefish 2.

Singles

Semifinals - DJ Pekoc, Corvallis, def. Walter Briones, Libby, 6-3, 6-4; Jeff Miller, Havre, def. Alex Raymond, Hamilton, 6-4, 6-3.

Final - Pekoc def. Miller, 6-2, 6-3.

Third/fourth - Briones def. Raymond, 6-1, 6-0.

Fifth/sixth - Mark Waldrup, Dillon, def. Carsen Boynton, Anaconda, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Loser-out: Boynton def. Nichols, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; Waldrup def. Hoffer, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; Raymond def. Boynton, 6-4, 6-2; Briones def. Waldrup, 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles

Semifinals - John Knisely/Harrison Fagg, Bill. Cent., def. Noble Vance/Callum Gannon, Livingston, 6-0, 6-0; Thomas Pankratz/Jacob Newbury, Bill. Cent., def. Jory Opp/Dennis Berg, Glendive, 7-5, 6-2.

Final - Knisely/Fagg def. Pankratz/Newbury, 6-1, 1-6, 6-0.

Third/fourth - Jory Opp/Dennis Berg, Glendive, def. Colton Belcourt/Curtis Liston, Stevensville, 7-6 (2), 6-2.

Fifth/sixth - Riley Jessop/Caleb Powell, Corvallis, def. Vance/Gannon, 6-3, 6-2.

Loser-out: Belcourt/Liston def. Boles/Landgraf, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2; Jessop/Powell def. Heath/Palin, 6-3, 7-5; Opp/Berg def. Jessop/Powell, 6-3, 6-3; Belcourt/Liston def. Vance/Gannon, 7-5, 6-0.

Thursday

Singles

First round: Zack Schermerhorn, Bill. Cent., def. Danyon Rice, Lewistown, 6-1, 6-1; Alex Raymond, Hamilton, def. Cody Wood, Libby, 6-2, 6-0; Mark Waldrup, Dillon, def. Max Smyley, Whitefish, 6-2, 7-6 (4); Jeff Miller, Havre, def. Alladin Baer, Glendive, 6-0, 6-1; DJ Pekoc, Corvallis, def. Eric Holdhusen, Whitefish, 6-0, 6-0; Joey Nichols, Bill. Cent., def. Jake Sedahl, Havre, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3; Carsen Boynton, Anaconda, def. Josh Hoffer, Glendive, 6-1, 6-3; Walter Briones, Libby, def. Jesse Knapp, Corvallis, 6-2, 6-2.

Quarterfinals: Raymond def. Schermerhorn, 6-2, 6-3; Miller def. Waldrup, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; Pekoc def. Nichols, 6-1, 6-0; Briones def. Boynton, 6-2, 6-2.

Loser-out: Wood def. Rice, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3; Smyley def. Baer, 0-6, 7-5, 6-2; Holdhusen def. Sedahl, 6-3, 6-3; Hoffer def. Knapp, 7-5, 7-5; Boynton def. Wood, 6-0, 6-1; Nichols def. Smyley, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6; Waldrup def. Holdhusen, 6-1, 6-3; Hoffer def. Schermerhorn, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles

First round: John Knisely/Harrison Fagg, Bill. Cent., def. Logan Hall/Kyson Wilson, Dillon, 6-1, 6-0; Cadis Chowning/Tommy Mercer, Polson, def. Wyatt Lindbloom/Nate Korb, Havre, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Noble Vance/Callum Gannon, Livingston, def. Jason Brant/Colin Maloney, Libby, 6-2, 6-4; Jarod Asche/Bret Vester, Glendive, def. Colton Belcourt/Curtis Liston, Stevi, 6-7 (0), 6-2, 6-1; Colin Kenney/Quaid Harlan, Polson, def. McKye McCarthy/Trip Crouse, Lewistown, 6-3, 6-3; Jory Opp/Dennis Berg, Glendive, def. Riley Jessop/Caleb Powell, Corvallis, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9); Thomas Pankratz/Jacob Newbury, Bill. Cent., def. Josh Heath/Bridger Palin, Hamilton, 6-1, 6-2; Jerod Boles/Noah Landgraf, Havre, def. Ryan Brown/Chaffin Rost, Whitefish, 6-2, 6-2.

Quarterfinals: Knisely/Fagg def. Chowning/Mercer, 6-1, 6-1; Opp/Berg def. Kenney/Harlan, 6-0, 6-0; Vance/Gannon def. Asche/Vester 5-7, 7-5, 7-5; Pankratz/Newbury def. Boles/Landgraf 6-0, 6-4.

Loser-out: Hall/Wilson def. Lindbloom/Korb, 6-2, 0-6, 7-5; Belcourt/Liston def. Brant/Maloney, 6-0, 6-2; Jessop/Powell def. McCarthy/Crouse, 6-1, 6-2; Heath/Palin def. Brown/Ross, 6-3, 6-3; Heath/Palin def. Cowning/Mercer, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Jessop/Powell def. Asche/Vester, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6; Belcourt/Liston def. Kenny/Harlan, 6-1, 6-3; Boles/Landgraf def. Hall/Wilson, 6-3, 6-4.

GIRLS

Team scores - Livingston 35, Billings Central 30, Corvallis 21, Glendive 18, Columbia Falls 9, Polson 8, Hardin and Whitefish 5, Libby and Havre 3, Dillon 2.

Singles

Semifinals - Laramie McHugh, Corvallis, def. Emilee Coleman, Livingston, 6-4, 6-0; Barclay Fagg, Bill. Cent., def. Emily Getts, Columbia Falls, 6-2, 6-2.

Final - Fagg def. McHugh, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Third/fourth - Coleman def. Getts, 6-3, 6-3.

Fifth/sixth - Amber Wissenbach, Corvallis, def. Marlee Congdon, Polson, 7-5, 7-5.

Loser-out: Congdon def. Fernandez, 6-2, 6-1; Wissenbach def. Ralph, 6-4, 7-5; Getts def. Congdon, 2-6, 6-0, 6-0; Coleman def. Wissenbach, 6-1, 6-7, 6-4.

Doubles

Semifinals - Mariel Kelley/Chelsea Woods, Livingston, def. Megan Pritchard/Sarina Aamold, Bill. Cent., 6-2, 6-3; Marenah Crockett/Ceeara Staiger, Glendive, def. Lindsay Lane/Lindzi Printz, Livingston, 6-3, 6-4.

Final - Kellley/Woods def. Crockett/Straiger, 6-2, 6-0.

Third/fourth - Pritchard/Aamold def. Lane/Printz, 6-2, 7-5.

Fifth/sixth - Meg Fitzgerald/Molly Putnam, Bill. Cent., def. Jaysun Albert/Savannah Green, Hardin, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

Loser-out: Albert/Green def. Peterson/Fyall, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4; Fitzgerald/Putnam def. Hewston/Carlyle, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3; Pritchard/Arnold def. Albert/Green, 6-1, 6-1; Lane/Printz def. Fitzgerald/Putnam, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

Thursday

Singles

First round: Barclay Fagg, Bill. Cent., def. Mollie Lemm, Polson, 6-1, 6-0; Tatiana Ralph, Havre, def. Adrianne Southam, Dillon, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5; Amber Wissenbach, Corvallis, def. Shelly Ouelette, Livingston, 6-2, 6-1; Emily Getts, Columbia Falls, def. Brittney Schaff, Hardin, 6-2, 6-2; Emilee Coleman, Livingston, def. Tessa Sawyer, Dillon, 6-1, 6-1; Marlee Congdon, Polson, def. Erin O'Leary, Bill. Cent., 6-1, 6-2; Paula Fernandez, Libby, def. Freddie Geiger, Glendive, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Laramie McHugh, Corvallis, def. Olivia Huntz, Livingston, 6-0, 6-1.

Quarterfinals: Fagg def. Ralph, 6-0, 6-0; Getts def. Wissenbach, 6-2, 6-2; Coleman def. Congdon, 6-1, 6-3; McHugh def. Fernandez, 6-0, 6-1.

Loser-out: Southam def. Lemm; Ouelette def. Schaff; Sawyer def. O'Leary; Hintz def. Geiger; Ralph def. Hintz, 6-4, 7-5; Wissenbach def. Sawyer, 6-0, 6-1; Congdon def. Ouelette, 6-0, 6-2; Fernandez def. Southam, 6-2, 6-0.

Doubles

First round: Megan Pritchard/Sarina Aamold, Bill. Cent., def. Taylor Totland/Sophie Badten, Livingston, 6-1, 6-4; Talor Rost/Shawna Lenz, Polson, def. Jennifer Womack/Nicole Thompson, Dillon, 6-2, 7-5; Heather Luedke/Hannah Medsen, Whitefish, def. Danielle Haacke/Saya Shimazaki, Stevi, 6-3, 6-2; Mariel Kelley/Chelsea Woods, Livingston, def. Jaysun Albert/Savannah Green, Hardin, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3; Dakota Vaccaro/Miriam Montgomery, Corvallis, def. Olivia Hewston/Cassie Carlyle, 7-5, 6-4; Marenah Crockett/Ceeara Staiger, Glendive, def. Ciara Backer/Beth Olson, Lewistown, 6-2, 6-3; Lindsay Lane/Lindzi Printz, Livingston, def. Meg Fitzgerald/Molly Putnam, Bill. Cent., 6-2, 1-6, 6-4; Anna Peterson/Katie Fyall, Whitefish, def. Rachel Nye/Kodi Ferris, Dillon, 6-0, 6-2.

Quarterfinals: Pritchard/Aamold def. Rost/Lenz, 6-4, 6-2; Kelley/Woods def. Luedtke/Madsen, 6-1, 6-1; Crockett/Staiger def. Vaccaro/Montgomery, 6-3, 6-4; Lane Printz def. Peterson/Fyall, 7-6 (10), 6-4.

Loser-out: Totland/Badten def. Womack/Thompson, 6-1, 6-4; Albert/Green def. Haacke/Schimazki, 6-0, 6-1; Hewston/Carlyle def. Backer/Olson, 6-0, 6-0; Fitzgerald/Putnam def. Nye/Ferris, 6-5, 7-5; Fitzgerald/Putnam def. Rost/Lenz, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6; Hewston/Carlyle def. Ross/Madsen, 7-5, 6-1; Albert/Green def. Vaccarro/Montgomery, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; Peterson/Fyall def. Totland/Badten, 6-1, 6-0.