HHS spikers open the season in Livingston

The Havre High volleyball team has been eager for its fresh start and after waiting one week more than most teams, the Blue Ponies are excited to finally hit the court.

Not only are the Havre players looking forward to their first games of the season today in Livingston against Livingston and Belgrade in a Central A doubleheader, but so is new head coach Tamecia Jarvis, who is making her HHS debut. Havre will open with Livingston at 4, followed by the Belgrade match at 6.

“Things have been going really well,” Jarvis said. “They have been working hard to get better and really hustling in practice, which is the only thing I care about. We had to wait a little bit longer than most teams, so we are behind a little bit, but we are ready to get going.”

Of course, things won’t be easy for the Ponies during their first weekend of volleyball. Not only do they face a Livingston squad that swept them a season ago, but HHS will also have to confront Belgrade, the 2014 Class A state champions.

“We know that these matches are going to be tough,” Jarvis said. “But, if we could get a win, that would be huge for our confidence. I think the biggest thing for us is that we just need to hustle to every ball and play together as a team.”

Then, after the Ponies finish their conference doubleheader, they will stick around in Livingston to take part in the annual Windy City Classic. The Ponies will take part in group play Saturday morning when they will face, Bridger, Browning, Lewistown, Butte Central and Manhattan.

The tournament is a great way to start the season, especially for the Ponies, who are still trying to come together as a team under a new coach and playing in a new system.

“I think that it’s going to be great for us,” Jarvis said. “We are going to get to play in a lot of matches and we are still learning to play well together and I think this will give us some good experience.”

The Ponies will be led into action by returning All-State performer Dani Wagner, who excels in multiple areas on the floor. At times last season, she was a setter, but she proved to be most effective when she played the role of outside hitter. Consequently, because of her skill and versatility she was among the Central A leaders in just about evert statistical category.

Along with Wagner, junior Naomi Terry, who also saw time as the team’s setter a year ago, will play a key role. Others that will see significant time this weekend for Havre will be seniors Madison Huebsch and Reggie Benard, as well as juniors Sammy Huston, Jacey McDonald and Ceyara Plante.

“We have some very good athletes,” Jarvis said. “And we just need to keep working on them playing together and playing well together. But, I think no matter what, we are going to play and be intense and we will hustle.”

The early season test will show a lot about where the Ponies sit in the Central A conference hierarchy as they will face the top three teams in the Central A, with the match against Lewistown coming in tournament play.

Matches in the group play of the Windy City Classic are one game apiece and depending of the results of the group play, HHS could advance to the championship bracket of the tournament, which will be played out Saturday night.

Jarvis and the Ponies will make their season debut on Friday in Livingston. The first match will get underway at 4