Ponies net wins, experience on a warm day in Great Falls

The Havre High tennis teams are on a collision course with the final month of the season, and the Blue Ponies are going to play a lot of matches in the coming the weeks.

And that stretch started with three duals Tuesday in sunny Great Falls. Havre was in Great Falls to take on Class A rival Butte Central Tuesday morning, followed by afternoon matches with the GFH Bison and CMR Rustlers of Class AA.

And according to head coach George Ferguson, the Ponies made quite a day of their trip south.

"I was really excited when we left Great Falls tonight (Tuesday)," Ferguson said. "Because I believe our kids made huge strides against sting competition. I know I sound like a broken record right now, but, all we're trying to do is get better every match, and in every competitive situation we find ourselves in. And today, all of our kids got better, and in some cases, a lot better."

The Ponies boys split their morning dual with the Maroons. The match was a big one, considering Central has become a strong Class A contender thanks to foreign exchange standout Manuel Gonzalez, a strong singles lineup, and the tandem of Cameron Johnson and Guido Osello. However, Havre seniors Trey Murphy and Kennedy McKay led the charge for the Ponies, knocking off Johnson and Osello in a third-set tiebreak. The match was a rematch of a first-round bout between the two squads at last year's state tournament.

Overall, Murphy and McKay went 3-0 at No. 1 doubles for the Ponies, and they didn't drop a single game to either CMR or GFH. Brady Ophus and Tyrel Kjersem were also perfect at No. 3 doubles, as was freshman Josh Warp in singles.

"Our boys played well," Ferguson said. "I think we're really starting to take big steps with our boys team. They're really starting to figure things out, and you saw that with how well we played, in wins and losses. Trey and Kennedy gutted out a tough win in the morning, and their really starting to gel into the team they are striving to be in their last year. And I was also really excited about how all our sophomores and freshmen played Tuesday. It was a good day for our boys team."

The Havre girls weren't to be outdone. The Ponies bested Butte Central 5-2 in the morning, before tying both GFH and CMR 4-4. Havre got big points from the doubles tandems of Katie and Alex Donaldson, who went 3-0, as well as Teagan Fee and Tiffany Ralph, who were 2-0 against the two AA opponents. Cassidy Acor and McKenzie Tommerup also scored key singles wins, while every Pony girl provided a spark on the day.

"Our girls played three teams, all of which had really tough players," Ferguson said. "And they held their own all day long. CMR and GFH were really strong at the top of their lineup. CMR has a really good team this year. And yet, I thought our depth and experience really showed today. We didn't lose a match all day at No. 4 singles, or No. 3 and No. 4 doubles, so that really shows how deep our girls team is.

"So it was a really good day," Ferguson said. "One thing about our kids is, they love to play, they love to be on the court competing, so they're always going to have a chance no matter who they're up against. And today, they played a lot of tough players and teams, and they played really well. So again, it was a really fun day, our kids worked extremely hard to make sure they got better, and I'm proud of them for that."

Havre is right back on the road Friday and Saturday at the Elks Invitational in Glendive.

Great Falls Duals

BOYS

Havre 4, Butte Central 4

Singles

Manuel Gonazalez, BC def. Tommy Brown, Havre, 6-3, 7-6 (5); David Granell, BC def. Vander Swensen, HAV, 6-1, 6-4; Hunter Hatrwick, BC def. Kendall Holden, HAV, 6-0, 6-2; Josh Warp, HAV def. Theron Nelson, BC, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 10-8.

Doubles

Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Johnson/Osello, BC, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 10-8; Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Callahan/Kline, BC, 6-3, 6-0; Ophus/Kjersem, HAV def. Harrington/McGee, BC, 7-5, 6-1; Hartwick/Grannel, BC def. Chagnon/Powell, HAV, 6-0, 6-0.

GFH 5, Havre 3

Singles

Andrew Davidson, GFH def. Tommy Brown, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Sean Robinson, GFH def. Vander Swensen, HAV, 6-0, 6-1; Taylor Curry, GFC def. Kendall Holden, HAV, 6-4, 6-3; Josh Warp, HAV def. Jordan McAdams, GFH, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Doubles

Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Wyman/Bieman, GFH, 6-0, 6-0; Wyman/Keller, GFH def. Huston/Bulkley, HAV, 2-6, 6-4, 10-8; Ophus/Kjersem, HAV def. Lackey/Torgeson, GFH, 7-5, 6-0; Baroch/Mahoney, GFH def. Chagnon/Powell, HAV, 6-4, 7-5.

Havre 5, CMR 3

Singles

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Shane Kujala, CMR, 6-4, 6-1; Dustin Haskill, CMR def. Vander Swensen, HAV, 6-2, 6-2; Caleb Beck, CMR def. Kendall Holden, HAV, 6-2, 6-2; Josh Warp, HAV def. Michael Mikoli, CMR, 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles

Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Smith/Stalsberg, CMR, 6-0, 6-0; Huston/Bukley, HAV def. Stimac/Krum, CMR, 6-4, 6-2; Ophus/Kjersem, HAV def. Brooks/Herzong, CMR, 6-1, 6-4; Gantus/Phillips, CMR def. Chagnon/Powell, HAV, 6-3, 5-7, 10-7.

GIRLS

Havre 5, Butte Central 2

Singles

Zoe Sullivan, BC def. Paige Nelson, HAV, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6; Samantha Burton, BC def. Kadyn Acor, HAV, 6-0, 6-3; McKenzie Tommerup, HAV def. Savannah Healy, BC, 6-2, 6-3; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Sophia Burton, BC, 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles

Lindbloom/Miller, HAV def. Davis/Weldon, BC, 6-3; Murphy/Solomon, HAV def. Riordan/Sullivan, BC, 7-5; Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV def. Hasquet/Kelly, 6-1.

Havre 4, GFH 4

Singles

Anna Johnson, GFH def. Paige Nelson, HAV, 6-2, 6-3; May Curtis, GFH def. Kadyn Acor, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; McKenzie Tommerup, HAV def. Sarah Keller, GFH, 6-1, 6-2; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. McKenzie Thurston, GFH, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles

Little/Shockley, GFH def. Lindbloom/Miller, HAV, 5-7, 6-0, 10-5; Darlington/Anderson, GFH def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV, 6-3, 6-4; Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV def. Manderlee/McCabe, GFH, 6-1, 6-2; Fee/Ralph, HAV def. Keil/Foruxa, GFH, 6-1, 7-6 (4).

Havre 4, CMR 4

Singles

McKenzie George, CMR def. Paige Nelson, HAV, 6-1, 6-0; Gail Parambi, CMR def. Kadyn Acor, HAV, 6-2, 6-0; Celia Aiz Kortetta, CMR def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Sydney Meier, CMR, 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles

Rich/Dube, CMR def. Lindbloom/Miller, HAV, 6-0,6-2; Dickhoff/Hinojsa, CMR def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV def. Smith/Cappis, CMR, 6-4, 1-6, 10-2; Fee/Ralph, HAV def. George/Hill, CMR, 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.