Pony tennis teams hit the end of the season

With the Central A Divisional tournament just a few days away, the Havre High boys and girls tennis teams were looking to peak in their final regular season meet of the season.

The Blue Ponies were in Lewistown Saturday for the Lewistown Invitational, and while rain hampered the Ponies all week long, they got plenty of time on the court in their regular season finale. Havre played duals against Dillon, Hardin, Butte Central, Belgrade and Lewistown Saturday, with the Blue Pony boys going 4-1 and the HHS girls tallying a 2-2 record.

And while the match time was good, HHS head coach George Ferguson said that his teams appeared somewhat rusty for much of the day, and that they will have to make sure to avoid that come this week’s divisional tourney.

“I think missing three full practices last week might have had more of an effect on us than we would have liked,” Ferguson said. “I just felt like we didn’t really ever reach our full potential in Lewistown. We were more up and down, and the week before in Helena, everything was up, and against really strong competition, too. We still had some really good performances in Lewistown, and, as always, our kids gave their very best effort on a pretty tough and long day. But, I think we left Lewistown Saturday night knowing we have some work to do before the start of the divisional tournament.”

The Havre boys started off on a down note Saturday as the Ponies were stunned by Dillon 6-1. It was only HHS’ second dual loss of the entire season. Havre did rebound to beat Hardin, 4-3, Butte Central, 5-2, and Lewistown, 6-1. Jeff Miller was a perfect, 5-0 on the day, while Dustin Haas was 3-2 at No. 2 singles, scoring a big win over Lewistown No. 1 Danyon Rice. In doubles, Trey Hanson and Nate Korb went 4-1, while Jerod Boles and Jake Sedahl and Kennedy McKay and Trey Murphy each notched three wins, while Brady Ophus won twice at No. 4 singles.

“Our boys didn’t get off the bus well,” Ferguson said. “Credit Dillon for that, too, though. They have a very good team. But, to our kids’ credit, they played much better as the day went on, and after the start we had, that’s what I liked to see. So, I’m proud of them all for fighting back after that loss Saturday morning.”

The HHS girls lost to a very strong Dillon squad 7-0, but bounced back to beat Butte Central. Havre then fell to Hardin and Butte Central, 4-3, before beating Belgrade, 5-2. Havre’s final dual with Lewistown was called due to darkness.

In singles, Paige Nelson won three times for the Ponies, while Alex Donaldson and Megan Lindbloom scored four wins at No. 3 doubles. Rainey Stoner and Meggan Smith, Madison Huebsch, Reggie Bernard and Alara Vogel also won matches for HHS during the course of the day.

“I thought our girls team was a little more consistent Saturday,” Ferguson said. “They played hard, they won some important matches. We still had some stretches where we didn’t quite play to our capabilities, but again, I think we were a little rusty, so hopefully, this next couple days of practice can cure that, because we have a great girls team, and they are very capable of doing a lot this week at divisionals.”

And divisionals is here now for the Blue Ponies. Havre will travel to Lewistown Thursday for the two-day tournament where trophies and individual spots in the Class A state tournament are on the line.

“Hard to believe the regular season is over,” Ferguson said. “But, this is the exciting part now. This is where these kids get the opportunity to do some really special things. They have worked hard and this week has been what all that hard work every day is for. So it’s a very exciting time for our teams and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out this weekend. I think both teams are going to do great things.”

BOYS

Dillon 6, Havre 1

Singles

Jeff Miller def. Brad Rakich, D, 8-4; Jonathon Leonardson, D def. Dustin Haas, 8-1; Caleb Jones, D def. Tommy Brown, 8-3; Nate Leonardson, D def. Brady ophus, 8-3.

Doubles

Wilson/Nordahl, D def. Boles/Sedahl, 8-7 (9-7); Malsch/Koslosky, D def. Murphy/McKay, 8-6; Peterson/Southam, D def. Korb/Hanson, 8-4.

Havre 4, Hardin 3

Singles

Jeff Miller def. Jordel Yarlott, H, 8-1; Dustin Haas def. Jonothan Noteboom, H, 8-4; Charles Storey, H def. Tommy Brown, 8-4; Jae Hugs, H def. Brady Ophus, 8-3.

Doubles

Neeser/Left Hand, H def. Boles/Sedahl, 8-5; Murphy/McKay def. Samll/Evans, H, 8-5; Korb/Hanson def. Hill/Neeser, H, 8-4.

Havre 5, Butte Central 2

Singles

Jeff Miller def. Tyge Yelenich, BC, 8-0; Dustin Haas, def. Tyler Kump, BC, 8-2; Zach Lubcheck, BC def. Tommy Brown, 8-2; Brady Ophus def. Jake McPherson, BC, 8-4.

Doubles

Boles/Sedahl def. Stems/Johnson, BC, 8-7 (7-1); Hollow/Johnston, BC def. Murphy/McKay, 8-6; Korb/Hanson def. Johnston/Petritz, BC, 8-7 (7-5).

Havre 5, Belgrade 2

Singles

Jeff Miller def. Jeff Fourneir, B, 8-2; Jan Mann, B def. Dustin Haas, 8-3; Connor McCauley, B def. Tommy Brown, 8-0; Brady Ophus def. Tate Olson, B, 8-7 (8-6).

Doubles

Boles/Sedahl def. Layman/Hamilton, B, 8-4; Murphy/McKay def. O'Leary/Nino, B, 8-3; Korb/Hanson def. Monlux/Bell, B, 8-7 (7-2).

Havre 6, Lewistown 1

Singles

Dustin Haas def. Danyon Rice, L, 8-1; Jeff Miller def. Chad Landers, L, 8-0; Johnny Raney, L def. Tommy Brown, 8-2; Brady Ophus def. Dalton Jenson, L, 8-0.

Doubles

Boles/Sedahl def. McCarthy/Neill, L, 8-7 (7-4); Murphy/McKay def. Farrar/Mannin, L, 8-6; Korb/Hanson def. Miller/Phillips, L, 8-4.

GIRLS

Dillon 7, Havre 0

Singles

Mariah McLure, D def. Paige Nelson, 8-0; Nicole Hritso, D def. Meggan Smith, 8-2; Maggie Magee, D def. Marca Herron, 8-2; Amber Sitz, D def. Kadyn Acor, 8-3.

Doubles

Sawyer/Southam, D def. Huebsch/Stoner, 8-4; Womak/Thompson, D def. Vogel/Bernard, 8-4; Ferris/Nye, D def. Lindbloom/Donaldson, 8-4.

Hardin 4, Havre 3

Singles

Paige Nelson def. Brittney Schaff, H, 8-3; Madison Chavez, H def. Meggan Smith, 8-0; Lisa Cai, H def. Marca Herron, 8-4; Maddie Flamm, H def. Kadyn Acor, 8-4.

Doubles

Huebsch/Stoner def. Kindness/Duschane, H, 8-5; Murdock/Reiseg, H def. Vogel/Bernard, 8-5; Lindbloom/Donaldson def. Red Wolf/Herrera, H, 8-7 (7-3).

Butte Central 5, Havre 2

Singles

Sarah Drew, BC def. Paige Nelson, 8-6; Zoe Sullivan, BC def. Meggan Smith, 8-4; Tricia Joyce, BC def. Marca Herron, 8-0; Emily St. John, BC def. Kadyn Acor, 8-3.

Doubles

Guldseth/Quinn, BC def. Huebsch/Stoner, 8-1; Vogel/Bernard won by fft, lost exhibition, 8-1; Lindbloom/Donaldson def. Blavatsky/Burton, BC, 8-5.

Havre 4, Belgrade 2

Singles

Paige Nelson def. Kiah Hoenstein, B 8-2; Meggan Smith def. Grace Davis, B, 8-5; Laura Stout, B def. Marca Herron, 8-4; Kadyn Acor tied Eliza McLaughlin.

Doubles

Reddick/Gilbertson, B def. Huebsch/Stoner, 8-5; Vogel/Bernard def. Adams/Stokke, B, 8-6; Lindbloom/Donaldson def. Weirda/Sendon, 8-3.