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News you can use
Ivar Aageson, pictured above, will lead the Havre boys track team into action at the Eastern A Divisional. Aageson is pre-qualified for the state meet but will try to make it in a total of four different events.
Jessa Chvilicek, shown below, runs in a race at the Havre Middle School track earlier this season. She is just one of many Havre girls hoping to advance to the Class A state meet.
It's been a tough and at times trying season for the Havre High track teams. But this weekend in Glendive, both Blue Pony teams will have one last shot at redemption.
That last chance will come over the next two days in Glendive, at the Eastern A Divisional track meet. The meet opens today in Glendive, with events starting this afternoon at 3. The action will resume tomorrow at 10 a.m., with all 10 Eastern A squads in attendance. For the athletes that aren't pre-qualified for state, the top-10 finishers in individual events and top-8 relay teams will be eligible for the Class A state meet next weekend.
"I think that we have fresh legs on everybody," HHS head coach John Ita said. "And I think that's about the best that we can do."
If the Ponies want to be well represented next week at the state meet in Laurel, both teams will have plenty of work to do, as just a handful of athletes on both teams come into the weekend pre-qualified for state. On the boys side of things, Ivar Aageson will be heading to state regardless of what happens in Glendive, but he will still be hoping to make some noise in a few different events. The senior has excelled in the 110 and 300 hurdles all season long and is among the top performers in Class A in the long jump. He may also compete in the 400-meter dash.
Outside of Aageson, the Ponies don't have anyone certain to qualify for state next week, but with Andrew Boucher in the 400, Jakob Keller in the 1,600 and both the 400 and 1,600-meter relay teams, HHS has a shot in a few different events.
"We really only have two boys that are in the top 10 in anything," Ita said. "Ivar is in the top 10 in four events and Andy Boucher is in the top 10 in the 400. So we would like to see those two move on for sure. But we have a couple of relays that could place in the top eight. We are really going to have to battle and have good handoffs. We might need a little luck, too, and then after that, I just want to see a lot of grit and determination from the boys. They have to battle and convince themselves that they can run that time or throw that distance or jump that jump."
While only Aageson is headed to state for sure for the boys, the Havre girls have a few who will be in Laurel next weekend no matter what and two of them are from the high jump and that's Sarah Faber and Jessa Chvilicek. Another is thrower Gillian Dorrance, who has made it in the discus. Others who should have a chance to advance to state are Katie Wirtzberger in the sprints, Logan Huebsch in the hurdles, Jordan Keith in the throwing events and Taylor Torgerson, as well as Grace Loftus in the short sprints.
"We want to see some PRs," Ita said. "If we see that, we will see a tremendous number of our girls move on to state. If you don't PR, you should be placing in the top 10. We already have a number of girls that should be in the top 10 and able to move on. But if they are sitting in the 11th position, they have to try to move up. I think our girls quick relay is sitting around fourth for overall times and our long relay is even a little higher than that. So we should do well in the relays. We want to see them finish well."
The Eastern A Divisional gets underway this afternoon at 3. The meet will continue Saturday at 10 a.m. The top 10 individuals in each event, will qualify for the Class A state meet in Laurel May 25-26.
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