Pony track teams set to finally host a meet

The Havre High track team was supposed to host the Havre Lions track meet back in April, but it was canceled. And now, with the season just a few weeks from coming to a close, the Blue Pony track teams will finally get to host a meet this Saturday at the Havre Invitational.

The meet, which starts at 9 a.m., will be held at the Havre Middle School track and it will feature a number of schools from along the Hi-Line in addition to Havre. Some of those will include Malta, North Star, Big Sandy, Chester-Joplin-Inverness, Rocky Boy and Turner. There will be 10 teams total in attendance for a meet both Havre teams are hoping to win.

"I think the kids are really excited. They are excited to be home, it's their meet," HHS head coach John Ita said. "Hopefully we have it partitioned out, where we can score some points and win our own meet. Things have just kind of been weird here. But the idea here is that we do want to win our own meet. Most of the time we just want to use this meet for speed or endurance or whatever. But this one, we do want to win."

The Havre Invitational will be only the second time the Ponies have gotten to run on their home track this season. The other came April 25 in the Cal Wearley track meet, which is hosted by North Star.

While capturing a team title sounds like a little more work for the boys team, which hasn't finished higher than sixth as a team all season, when it comes to the girls, who have finished second twice, including at the Cal Wearley, taking first place is well within reach.

Since the meet will essentially be senior day as well, the Pony girls will be looking for some big performances from hurdlers Ireland Coyne and Logan Huebsch, along with fellow senior Loni Waid in the pole vault and Jordan Keith, another senior who should contend in the throwing events. Others to watch are Sarah Faber and Jessa Chvilicek, two long jumpers have also been consistently scoring points this season and each placed at the Top 10. Katie Wirtzberger is another threat to find the podium, along with Taylor Torgerson and Grace Loftus in the sprints. Freshman Loy Waid is also one to keep an eye out for in the 400.

On the boys side of things, Ivar Aageson will be the main attraction for the Ponies and after finding the podium twice at the Glasgow Top 10 meet Monday, Aageson should be primed for a big day in the 110-meter hurdles, the 300 hurdles and the long jump. Jakob Keller, Andrew Boucher and Cole Watson are others who could score points for the Pony boys.

"It should be a really good meet," Ita said. "There should be a lot of really good competition."

After the Ponies take part in the Havre Invitational, they will head to Glendive for the final meet of the regular season, before returning to Glendive for the Eastern A Divisional May 19.