Blue Pony track teams ready to run

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News

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One year ago at the Class A state track meet, the Havre High track teams combined for a total of just two points. But after a lot of hard work and dedication, the Blue Ponies are prepared to return to state, and this time, they should leave with a much higher point total.

Scoring points is the goal for the both Havre teams this weekend as they each travel to Bozeman for the 2016 state meet, which gets underway today in Bozeman. Events started this morning and will run until 3:30 p.m. The action will then continue on Saturday, starting again at 10:30 a.m.

While both Havre teams come into the state meet feeling good, the boys team in particular is filled with confidence after posting 62.5 points at the Eastern A Divisional, which was good enough for fifth place. Yet, the HHS boys also produced three divisional titles as Nate Rismon won the 200-meter dash, Michael Loftus won the 400 and the 1,600 relay team, which has been ranked first in the state for most of the year, also notched a first-place finish.

The girls team may have only scored 23 points, but the Ponies had a number of girls that performed at a high level, namely Naomi Terry, Rachel David and Logan Huebsch, who each placed in multiple events at divisionals. However, the best takeaway for both teams was the high level of competition, which will only serve to prepare both Pony teams for what they will face this weekend.

“I think the nice thing about the Super Divisional is that I think that really helped us prepare for state,” HHS head coach John Ita. “Our division was really tough this year for both the girls and the boys. And really, the Super Divisional feels a lot like a state meet, so that was good for our kids to experience that.”

Of course, when it comes to individual Havre athletes, no one is facing as much pressure as senior Nate Rismon. Rismon, who placed fifth in the 200 a year ago, has a chance to place in multiple events this year, including the 200 and the 400. He will also compete in the pole vault and will once again anchor the Pony boys talented 1,600 relay team, one that has a legitimate chance to capture a state championship.

“Rismon has just had an outstanding season,” Ita said. “And he really deserves it. He just works so hard each day in practice and is always focused on getting better. He just really has been a coach's dream.”

Rismon is one member of the boys team that is expected to score points this weekend, another is Loftus, who based off his time in the 400, could push for an individual state title in that event.

Loftus is strong in the 400, but he excels in all the sprints, evidenced by his second-place finish in the 200 and his fourth-place showing in the 100, in addition to winning the 400 at the Eastern A. And although Loftus will face stronger fields in the 100 and 200, he will have multiple opportunities to reach the podium.

Joining Loftus and Rismon in the 400 will be sophomore Ivar Aageson, who will also compete in the pole vault and is a member of both relay teams. Luke Karnauskas will also run in the 800 for Havre and the long relay, while Jacob LaBrie will participate on both relay teams for HHS.

Nik Keller, who qualified for the high jump after finishing sixth at divisionals, will join Aageson and Rismon (pole vault) as the only Havre boys, besides Rismon, that will compete in field events. The other state participant for HHS is Austin Jones, who will run the 3,200.

On the girls side of things, Naomi Terry will lead the way for the Ponies as she will attempt to place in both the 100 and the 200, two events that she has performed well in all season long.

“Naomi has really had an impressive season,” Ita said. “She has just gotten stronger and stronger as the season has gone on.”

Terry may be the Pony girls best hope of scoring points in the meet, but she is far from their only hope as both Huebsch and David should contend for the podium. David, a senior, will run in both the 400 and the 800 for Havre, while Huebsch, a sophomore, made it in both the 100 and 300 hurdles.

“Rachel has also had a very good season,” Ita said. “She had some injuries early on that she has worked through, but she is just a tough competitor and you always know what you are going to get from her.”

The Pony girls also have a number of others that made it to state such as Ireland Coyne, who qualified in the 300 hurdles, Kristen Nash, who will compete in the discus, as well as Amelia Beard and Loni Waid, who will each participate in the pole vault.

The 2016 Class A state meet starts today and runs through Saturday in Bozeman at Van Winkle Stadium at Bozeman High School.