HHS 2016: Talented Blue Pony spikers aiming high after last year's successes

When she took over the Havre High volleyball program, head coach Tamecia Jarvis had a plan to build the Blue Ponies back into a Class A powerhouse.

For Jarvis and the Ponies, success came quickly and Havre returned to the Class A state tournament for the first time in nearly a decade a season ago. But now, with some key players gone to graduation, Jarvis and the program will be put to the test.

HHS, which went 14-10 a year ago, lost a lot from last year’s squad, including Dani Wagner, Reggie Bernard, Megan Erickson and Madison Huebsch, all of whom received postseason honors.

Wagner was named First Team Central A All-Conference and also to the All-State team for the second consecutive year. Bernard was a First-Team All-Conference selection, while Huebsch and Erickson both made Second Team All-Conference.

However, one thing that will make that transition easier for Havre is a senior class that features Claire Worm, Jacey McDonald, Naomi Terry and Ceyara Plante, all players who saw significant time with the varsity team a season ago.

"I think we are going to be really athletic this season," Jarvis said. "And we have multiple girls that can play multiple positions, so if we have girls that aren't getting it done, I will have other options that I can go to. But I am excited about the athleticism that we are going to have on our team this year."

Although having experience helps, the Pony volleyball team will also need to see some production from new players this season. One who will be counted on to contribute is Paige Nelson, who saw some time on varsity a season ago. Others include Kiara Christensen, Katie Donaldson, Alex Donaldson, Logan Huebsch and Alex Barkus, who will take up the remainder of the varsity spots to open the season.

"I think that our girls are really excited for this season," Jarvis said. "I think the juniors and seniors are really excited, especially some of the ones that are coming up from JV. We still need to put some of the fundamentals together, to go along with our athleticism, but I think we are going to be fine."

Jarvis also said the team may play a little differently than it did a season ago, when Wagner and Bernard racked a majority of the kills. This year, that responsibility will fall to some others, at other positions.

"One thing this year, is that I have some more size in the middle," Jarvis said. "Kiara Christensen is there. She got cut last season, but has come back really strong. Ceyara Plante is also ready to take on a role in the middle. I am really excited for her and the height of our team, which will should really help with our blocking as well."

Yet, even as her team gets set to open its 2016 season, in terms of who is playing and where, Jarvis said there is still much left to be determined.

"Ultimately, it's going to be up to them," Jarvis said. "There is a lot to be determined and I want to see how everyone plays with each other and see how everyone fits, so there are a lot of things still to be decided."

Havre will be back competing in the Central A conference, which features perennial powers, Lewistown and Belgrade. The Ponies will also be gunning to earn a spot in the Eastern A Super Divisional for the second straight season, a tournament they finished second in last year.

To that end, the Ponies will find out plenty about themselves early in the 2016 campaign as they will take part in the Eastern A Tip-Off tournament to open their season, starting Friday in Lewistown.

The tournament will give Havre a chance to see teams from the East, that it normally may not see until divisionals. Furthermore, HHS will play conference road games Sept. 2 in Belgrade, against Central A rivals Belgrade and Livingston. And after that, the Ponies will take part in the Windy City Classic in Belgrade Sept. 3, before traveling to Great Falls for The Electric City Classic, Sept. 9 and 10, a tournament that consists of practically every Class AA team and offers some of the best competition in the state.

If Havre does qualify for the Eastern A Super Divisional, which requires a top three finish in the Central A regular season standings or winning a play-in game between the No. 4 and No. 5 teams Nov. 2, it will be held in Laurel, Nov. 3-5. The Class A state tournament, which the Ponies also attempt to appear in for the second consecutive season, will be in Bozeman at the Brick-Breeden Fieldhouse Nov. 10-12.

“We will find out some things about ourselves early,” Jarvis said. “But, it’s going to be nice to have some of these matches, so we can play against good teams and try out some different things and learn about ourselves.”

Havre opens the season at the Eastern A Preseason Tournament Friday-Saturday in Lewistown.