Ponies ready for the big races

Once upon a time, the Havre High swim teams dominated the Class A portion of the Montana State Swimming Championships — and then along came Billings Central.

Now, however, the tide in the pool might again be turning as the Blue Ponies head to the 2016 Montana State Swimming Championships, which run Friday and Saturday in Great Falls.

And that tide might be turning especially fast for the Havre High girls, who bring a loaded team to Great Falls ready to compete with the very best, and ready to bring Havre its first swimming state championship in six years.

Of course, the Pony girls, a senior-laden team rich with talent and speed, still have to compete with all of the Class AA schools as far as individual races are concerned, but, in the trophy race, Havre certainly looks to be the favorite in Class A this weekend, even over defending champion Billings Central, and a strong Columbia Falls’ squad.

“The girls’ first race is against all the AA teams to get into finals,” said Havre head coach Jill Cammon.  “If (when) our girls secure their positions in finals, then they can compete for the A title.  Really, they race themselves for their best times.  If they can beat their own personal records they will bring in the points needed to win the Class A title.”

And the Ponies certainly have the swimmers to do just that. Havre is expected to really shine in the relay races where they have been dominant all year long. But, HHS also has a group ready to race at the highest level individually as well.

Senior Aubri McCann has the fourth best time in the state this year in the 100-meter breaststroke, and is looking to make the finals in that event for the second year in a row. Amelia Miller has had an incredible season, and is fifth in the state currently in the 500 freestyle and 10th in the 200 free. Senior Lita Cammon is Havre’s top sprinter, and she heads to state with the ninth-best time in the 50 free and the 12th –best time in the 100 free.

Havre has others who could find their way into the finals as well, such as Alara Vogel in the breaststroke, Jackie Martin in the butterfly, Hannah Lunak in the backstroke and Ally Padgett in the 200 individual medley. Hailee Kilgore will round out Havre’s roster at the state meet, a roster in which Cammon said has swam well all year, and is ready to be even better this weekend.

Over the weekend, McCann will swim the 100 breaststroke, Lita Cammon the 50 free and 100 free, Kilgore the 100 backstroke, Lunak the 50 and 100 free, Martin the 50 free and backstroke, Miller the 200 and 500 free, Padgett the 200 IM and Vogel the 100 free and the breaststroke.

“I expect them to swim their best times,” coach Cammon said. “They’ve been training hard all year to arrive at this meet.  This season they have put forth incredible effort, I expect the times to drop at state.”

The Havre High boys have also been improving their times with every meet this season, and while the Blue Ponies may not have the depth that defending champion Billings Central does, Havre will certainly be competing with Hardin and Whitefish for a shot at a Class A trophy this weekend in Great Falls.

“In the last month or so, the boys have really gelled as a team,” Cammon said. “They are working together to become faster and stronger and planning for the future.  I think the state meet will solidify their goals, and the boys team you see next year will be dynamically different.”

Indeed, the Ponies are a very young team, but they do have some experience and leadership. While talented newcomers like Ammon and Ethan Lines, Alyan Pratt and Noah Gjesdal have really strengthened the HHS boys team this season, Havre also has plenty of experience going to Great Falls as well.

Mason Sandstrom will be strong this week for the Ponies in the freestyle, while Shandon Oberquell is a standout in the breaststroke, and Clayton Twombly has been a veteran leader for the Ponies all season long. Add in some steadily improving relay teams, and the Ponies could really make some big strides this weekend.

No matter how the races and times turn out, though, this weekend is the culmination of a lot of hard work and training, of sacrifice and excitement. And all of the Havre High swimmers who will be in the water at the state meet are ready and excited to make this meet, the best meet of their lives.

“Everyone is looking forward to state,” Cammon said. “The swimmers worked hard to qualify, and I think they’ll be happy with their races.”

The 2016 Montana State Swimming Championships will start with preliminaries at 11 a.m. Friday. The finals and consolation finals will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday. All of the action takes place at the Swarthout Pool in Great Falls.