An indoor day in Cut Bank for the Ponies

Another pile of snow drilled Havre Saturday afternoon and into Sunday, and that's precisely why the Havre High tennis teams couldn't host this past weekend's 2018 Havre Invitational.

And yet, the Blue Ponies, of longtime head coach George Ferguson, got to play tennis anyway.

Havre traveled to Cut Bank Saturday for a double-dual with the Cut Bank Wolves, of veteran head coach Jim Gregg. It was the second such meeting between the Ponies and Wolves this season in Cut Bank, and for Havre's varsity, the action against Cut Bank has been the only matches Havre has gotten in so far. And that's why Saturday's matches in the Cut Bank gym were so beneficial for the Ponies.

"We're again so grateful to coach Gregg for letting us come down and playing them in the gym," Ferguson said. "If it wasn't for him, we would have zero matches under our belt right now, and moving forward, who knows how many more we're going to get. So, after the disappointment of having to cancel the Havre Invite, coach Gregg came to the rescue, and we got to play tennis matches on Saturday and it was great for us.

"The kids did a great job," Ferguson continued. "We were still pretty rusty, but, given what we've gone through with the weather, and practicing in the gym so much this season, that's to be expected. But I was looking for the effort to be there, the enthusiasm to be on the court in our kids, and the desire to get better. And all of that was there Saturday. So I was really pleased with our kids."

Ferguson should be pleased. In two boys duals against a solid Cut Bank squad, Havre went a combined 12-2. Top singles player Tommy Brown was a perfect 2-0, as was senior doubles standouts Kennedy McKay and Trey Murphy. Fellow seniors Kendall Holden and Vander Swensen also went 2-0 at No. 3 doubles, while senior Brady Ophus dominated both his singles matches, as did exciting freshman Josh Warp. In all, all 10 of Havre's boys won at least one match Saturday.

"Our boys played well," Ferguson said. "They had some really strong moments on the court against strong competition. In both doubles and singles, I thought we had some really good matches. I was really excited with how all of our seniors played, especially Brady Ophus. He played really well, after not having played singles in a long time. But overall, I thought all 10 of our guys did a great job. We have plenty to work on, and hopefully we'll get to work on those things outside as best we can. But I was really encouraged with the way our boys progressed throughout the day."

While Cut Bank's boys presented plenty of stiff challenges for the Ponies, the Cut Bank girls tested what is becoming a very deep HHS girls squad.

In 18 matches between the Ponies and Wolves, Havre's girls won 11 times, led by the undefeated doubles tandem of Marcee Murphy and Devyn Solomon, as well as the singles trio of Kadyn and Cassidy Acor and McKenzie Tommerup. Brynn Nault also won in singles, as did Megan Lindbloom and Marca Herron and Teagan Fee and Tiffany Ralph in doubles.

"Cut Bank has a really good girls lineup this season," Ferguson said. "So it was good because they really pushed our girls and exposed some areas where we can certainly improve. That's what we needed this weekend. But overall, our girls also all played good tennis, in wins and losses. I really thought all of our girls had some very good moments, again, especially for how rusty we really are right now. So I was excited about what I saw from our girls team."

Ferguson was also excited by the fact that, for just the second time this season, his varsity teams were on a tennis court against rival competition. And, with limited practices last week, and likely more to come, he hopes that, his team took a lot out of Saturday's impromptu trip to Cut Bank.

"We really needed to play those matches," Ferguson said. "I again challenged the kids before we got off the bus to really be focused on making the most out of every second they were on the court Saturday. And they did that. They played hard and took advantage of the opportunity, and I'm really proud of them for that. We have a long way to go still, and we have a meet back in Cut Bank next weekend with a lot of really good teams, but Saturday was a big help for us in the progress we're trying to make. So I was really happy for the kids that they got to play, and they all did a great job."

Havre is scheduled to return to Cut Bank Friday and Saturday for the Class A Duals.

Havre vs Cut Bank 1

BOYS

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Dawson Matt, CB, 7-5; Tyrel Kjersem, HAV def. Brett Sneed, CB, 6-2; Josh Warp, HAV def. Carl Estey, CB, 6-0; Brady Ophus, HAV def. Keenan Eames, CB, 6-0; Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay, HAV def. Matt/Kraft, CB, 6-2; Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Meiwald/Barsness, CB, 7-5; Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV def. Vermlum/Winkowitsch, CB, 6-3.

GIRLS

Megan Barret, CB def. Paige Nelson, HAV, 6-4; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Courtney Anderson, CB, 6-0; Kadyn Acor, HAV def. Riley Bird, CB, 6-2; McKenzie Tommerup, HAV def. Jaycee Frydenlund, CB, 6-2; Brynn Nault, HAV def. Shaydie Pascoe, CB, 6-0; Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV def. Claycomb/Barry, CB, 7-5; Seifert/Edinger, CB def. Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, HAV, 6-4; Overstreet/Schmidt, CB def. Megan Lindbloom/Marca Herron, HAV, 6-2; Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV def. Pascoe/Walter, CB, 6-2.

Havre vs Cut Bank 2

BOYS

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Gus Meiwald, CB, 6-0; Josh Warp, HAV def. John Vermlum, CB, 6-1; Colten Barsness, CB def. Tyrel Kjersem, HAV, 6-4; Brady Ophus, HAV def. Hunter Winkowitsch, CB, 6-0; Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay, HAV def. Sneed/Vermlum, CB, 6-1; Matt/Kraft, CB def. Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV, 6-4; Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV def. Eames/Estey, CB, 6-1.

GIRLS

Cidney Claycomb, CB def. Paige Nelson, HAV, 7-6 (5); Kadyn Acor, HAV def. Macee Barry, CB, 7-5; McKenzie Tommerup, HAV def. Katelyn Edinger, CB, 6-2; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Madi Seifert, CB, 6-2; Sharaira First Rider, CB def. Brynn Nault, HAV, 6-1; Barret/Bird, CB def. Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, HAV, 6-2; Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV def. Overstret/Schmidt, CB, 6-1; Megan Lindbloom/Marca Herron, HAV def. Frydenlund/Anderson, CB, 6-2; Schmidt/Walter, CB def. Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV, 7-5.