Blue Ponies play more tennis

After what seemed like forever, the Havre High tennis teams are starting to get to play consistently now. And the Blue Ponies were back on the Bill Vaughey Memorial Tennis Courts Tuesday for a dual with the Class B-C Great Falls Central Mustangs.

For Havre, the afternoon was mixed with some varsity and junior varsity matches, and there were plenty of good results. But for HHS head coach George Ferguson, the fact that his teams gained more valuable match experience was the high point of the day.

"It was a great day for our kids because they got to be in a competitive environment again," Ferguson said. "We had some varsity kids who got to play some really good matches. Great Falls Central has a very strong boys program, with the defending state champion in singles back this year. But we also got to get our young kids some matches, some of them, their very first matches ever. So I was really pleased with how things went, and our kids had a lot of fun."

In the varsity boys dual, Havre tied the Mustangs 3-3, as Class B-C duals are only composed of four singles and two doubles teams. Havre swept the doubles side of things with Trey Murphy and Kennedy McKay and Reese Bulkley and Jake Huston winning handily. Freshman Josh Warp also won his singles matches, while the Ponies also won several boys matches on the JV side.

"Our boys team has made big strides in the last week," Ferguson said. "And playing Great Falls Central was really good for them. Tennis is tennis, Class AA or C, it doesn't matter, and they (Mustangs) have some really strong players, so it was a very good challenge for our boys varsity. And I thought we played really well."

On the girls side, Ferguson held out his top 10 as the Mustangs have a much more inexperienced girls lineup. But, Havre still got strong performances from veterans Brynn Nault and the doubles teams of Teagan Fee and Tiffany Ralph, while newcomers Kadia Miller and Tamera O'Leary also scored wins in singles.

"Our JV girls, especially our first-year players, this was a great day for them," Ferguson said. "They got to get another valuable day of experience, and with that group having so much potential, I think they'll really grow from what they learned today.

"And that is the point right now," Ferguson continued. "We're just trying to grow and learn and improve. All of our goals are still well out in front of us. So every day we get a chance to get better, we need to seize that opportunity, and I think every one of our kids who played today (Tuesday) did that. So I'm really happy with how the day went."

The Blue Pony varsity teams will return to the court Saturday when they travel to the Fergus Duals in Lewistown. It's a busy stretch for Havre, which also plays next Tuesday in Great Falls and next weekend in Glendive.

Havre vs Great Falls Central

BOYS

Roger Mai, GFCC def. Tommy Brown, HAV, 8-2; Nicholas Scott, GFCC def. Tyrel Kjersem, HAV, 8-0; Nick Diekhans, GFCC def. Brady Ophus, HAV, 8-1; Josh Warp, HAV def. Eli Vincent, GFCC, 8-4; Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay, HAV def. Wyatt Wallers/Benson Chu, GFCC, 8-0; Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Eli Vincent/Jay Quaday, GFCC, 8-1; Troy Powell, HAV def. Kiernan Triptow, GFCC, 8-2; Austin Ratliff, HAV def. Jay Quaday, GFCC, 8-3; Nick Scott/Nick Diekhans, GFCC def. Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV, 8-0; Wyatt Wallers/Benson CHU def. Jack Johnsrud/John South, HAV, 8-1; Mick Chagnon, HAV def. Eli Vincent, GFCC, 8-5.

GIRLS

Sam Purpura, GFCC def. Marca Herron, HAV, 8-2; Brynn Nault, HAV def. Bailey Keele, 8-3; Kadia Miller, HAV def. Alina Aermiya, GFCC, 8-1; Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV def. Hattie Faque/Brittney Schumacher, GFCC, 8-4; Selena Cook/Alina Aermiya, GFCC def. Carsyn Vogel/Kate Morehouse, HAV, 8-1; Tamera O'Leary, HAV def. Bailey Keele, 8-5; Hattie Faque/Brittney Schumacher, GFCC def. Koby Burchard/Atusha Aunakulova, HAV, 8-1; Selena Cook/Alina Aermiya, GFCC def. Sydney Marchion/Sylvia Wilting, HAV, 8-4.