Havre High netters win in Glendive

Plenty of matches, improvement against strong competition, and good weather, those were the things the Havre Blue Pony tennis teams were after this weekend in Glendive.

And HHS got all three with Friday and Saturday's Elk's Invitational.

The Blue Ponies made the long trek to Glendive, and starting Friday, the Havre girls and boys dropped a combined two duals, with each Pony team falling only to tough teams from Hardin. The Havre boys swept Glendive and Miles City and tied Billings Central Friday, before dropping a 4-2 decision to Hardin Saturday morning, The Ponies also beat Miles City again Saturday before tying Hardin in an exhibition dual to close things out Saturday. On the girls side, Havre tied Miles City, Gendive and Billings Central Friday, before falling to Hardin Saturday morning. Havre wrapped up the tournament with a dominating performance against Class B Baker.

But, while Havre had its best two days of the season in dual competition, HHS head coach George Ferguson was more excited about the way his teams played, and competed — especially against all of the Eastern A.

"We played really good tennis Tuesday in Great Falls," Ferguson said. "But we played even better in Glendive. So that right there tells me we're going in the right direction. I was so proud of not only how hard our kids played, like they always do, but with how well they played. We got better, and in a lot of the duals, we got a lot better. So that speaks to how hard our kids are working and how focused they are."

As expected, the senior duo of Trey Murphy and Kennedy McKay paced the pony boys. They were 5-0 on the weekend, including a big win at No. 1 doubles against a strong team from Hardin. Murphy and McKay have went three straight weeks without a loss, and, Ferguson said, there's still plenty of time for the tandem to get even better.

"Trey and Kennedy were phenomenal all week," Ferguson said. "They are really putting it together. They were absolutely dominant this entire week, and especially in Glendive. And, they are hungry for more. Their big goals are still in front of them, and to know they're going to only get better from here, that's really exciting."

Havre's doubles were strong all weekend, with Brady Ophus and Tyrel Kjersem going 5-0, and Reese Bulkley and Jake Huston going 4-1. Vander Swensen and Kendall Holden also won three times, while in singles, Tommy Brown and Josh Warp also racked up plenty of wins.

Havre's girls also played great tennis. Paige Nelson went 3-2 at No. 1 singles, beating strong competitiors from Miles City, Baker and Hardin. McKenzie Tommerup also had big wins for the Ponies, while the doubles duos of Alex and Katie Donaldson, and Cassidy and Kadyn Acor, combined for eight more wins on the weekend.

"Katie and Alex are another one of our doubles teams that's really coming on strong right now," Ferguson said. "They are playing great. And Paige had a big weekend, because, as always, there's never a pushover match at No. 1 singles. I thought our entire girls team played great tennis, and like the boys, they played better in Glendive than they did in Great Falls, and that's exactly the kind of progress I was wanting to see.

"I'm really proud of all of our kids," Ferguson continued. "They know time is ticking away on this season, and they knew how important these matches were in Glendive. And they all went out and played great, they took advantage of a great opportunity this weekend, and made the most out of it. The kids were just awesome, and it was a great, great weekend for us,"

Havre has another big weekend upcoming. The Ponies travel to the prestigious Helena Invitational Friday and Saturday.

Glendive Invitational

BOYS

Havre 6, Miles City 0

Singles

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Moses Ramierz, MC, 6-2, 6-2; Josh Warp, HAV def. Justin Morris, MC, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles

Kennedy McKay/Trey Murphy, HAV def. Mason Harding/Cole Corker, MC, 6-2, 6-2; Reese Bukley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Nick Mitchell/Taegen Williams, MC, 6-4, 6-2; Brady Ophus/Tyrel Kjersem, HAV def. Clancy Smith/Spencer Ellis, MC, 6-2, 6-3; Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV def. Owen Higgins/Cole Prell, MC.

Havre 3, Billings Central 3

Singles

Jake O'Leary, BC def. Tommy Brown, HAV, 6-4, 6-4; Ethan Keller, BC def. Josh Warp, HAV, 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles

Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay, HAV def. Charlie Parker/Jack Parker, BC, 6-2, 6-3; Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Ben Harshon/Maquire Payne, BC, 6-2, 6-3; Brady Ophus/Tyrel Kjersem, HAV def. Cam Ellitson/Jack McCallum, BC, 7-6, 4-6, 9-7; Shawn Khan/Parker Loring, BC def. Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV.

Havre 6, Glendive 0

Singles

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Ethan Comey, GLE, 6-2, 6-2; Josh Warp, HAV def. Porter Valesquez, GLE, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles

Kennedy McKay/Trey Murphy, HAV def. Robby Kaiser/Can Walker, GLE, 6-3, 6-4; Reese Bukley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Jeff Vlarde/Jentz Scarphelt, GLE, 6-2, 6-3; Brady Ophus/Tyrel Kjersem, HAV def. Malkai Hajeck/Allen, GLE, 6-2, 6-4; Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV def. Cody Olson/Johnny Harris, GLE.

Hardin 4, Havre 2

Singles

Gabe Passes, HAR def. Tommy Brown, HAV, 6-4, 6-3; Ryan Old Crow, HAR def. Josh Warp, HAV, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles

Kennedy McKay/Trey Murphy, HAV def. Jonothan Noteboom/Ricky Hill, HAR, 6-2, 6-3; David Evans/Ben Noteboom, HAR def. Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV, 4-6, 6-3, 7-2; Brady Ophus/Tyrel Kjersem, HAV def. Caleb Mason/Taylor Lundberg, HAR, 7-5, 6-3; Jayden Yarlott/Mathew Bush, HAR def. Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV.

Havre 6, Miles City 0 (2)

Singles

Josh Warp, HAV def. Moses Ramirez, MC, 6-2, 6-2; Tommy Brown, HAV def. Justin Morris, MC, 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles

Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Mason Harding/Cole Lorke, MC, 6-3, 6-3; Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay, HAV def. Nick Mitchell/Clancy Smith, MC, 6-2, 6-3; Brady Ophus/Tyrel Kjersem, HAV def. Justin Morris/Taegen Williams, MC, 6-2, 6-3; Vander Swensen/Kendall Holden, HAV def. Owen Higgins/Cole Prell, MC.

GIRLS

Glendive 3, Havre 3

Singles

Caitlin Kunick, GLE def. Paige Nelson, HAV, 3-6, 6-3, 7-1; Kayle Kelly, GLE def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 7-6 (1), 6-3.

Doubles

Talia Zindors/Skyler Scarphott, GLE def. Megan Lindbloom/Baylee Miller, HAV, 3-6, 6-3, 7-1; Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV won by fft; lost to Kuncick/Sickler, GLE, 7-6 (1), 6-3 in exhibition; Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, HAV def. Addison Marx/Tori Fornall, GLE, 6-3, 6-4; Kadyn Acor/Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Natalia Carney/Alyssa Young, GLE, 6-2, 6-2.

Havre 3, Billings Central 3

Singles

Sarah Pankratz, BC def. Paige Nelson 7-5,7-5; McKenzie Tammerup, Hav def. Abri Souza 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles

Abby Fitzgerald/Gigi Garcia, BC def. Megan Lindbloom/Baylee Miller 6-2,6-2; Gracie Newbury/Margory Orr, BC def. Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon 6-2, 7-5; Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, Hav def. Grace Malin/Claire Pankratz 6-4, 7-5; Kadyn Acor/Cassidy Acor, Hav. def. Hailey Peterman/Riley Kunz 6-2, 6-2.

Havre 3, Miles City 3

Singles

Paige Nelson, HAV def. Emily Toennis, MC, 7-5, 7-6 (5); McKenzie Karda, MC def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 7-1.

Doubles

Sam Fleming/Maci Moore, MC def. Megan Lindbloom/Baylee Miller, HAV, 6-4, 6-4; Baylee Renta/Kaleigh Gunther, MC def. Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-3; Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, HAV def. Jenna Jarrett/Emily Doughty, MC, 6-2, 6-4; Kadyn Acor/Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Grace Gundlach/Elizabeth Baker, MC, 6-2, 6-3.

Hardin 4, Havre 2

Singles

Paige Nelson, HAV def. Deidra Don't Mix, HAR, 6-3, 6-3; Kadyn Acor, HAV def. Paula Tovar, HAR, 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles

Rilee Green/Sharmayn Hardy, HAR def. Megan Lindbloom/Baylee Miller, HAV, 7-6 (2), 7-5; Mary Anne Herrera/Jonna Lind, HAR def. Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Makeiko Reisig.Abi Noteboom, HAR def. Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, HAV, 6-2, 6-2; Macie Flamm/Katie Murdock, HAR def. Cassidy Acor/McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 6-3, 6-2.

Havre 5, Baker 1

Singles

Paige Nelson, HAV def. Kelsey Miller, BAK; McKenzie Tommerup, HAV def. Tesla Erickson, BAK.

Doubles

Sheyanne Janeway/Madison Moore, BAK def. Megan Lindbloom/Baylee Miller, HAV; Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV def. Skyler Robinson/Lena Kennel, BAK; Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, HAV def. Lilly Hanson/Sam Duke, BAK; Kadyn Acor/Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Paiton Graham/Kenzie Davis, BAK.