Several Blue Ponies honored in Great Falls

Since its inception, the Great Falls Tribune Northcentral Montana Sports Awards Banquet has always had a Havre High flavor to it. And the 2018 version was no different.

The banquet was held Monday night at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls, with former Montana Grizzly great Chase Reynolds as the guest speaker. And once again, Havre High made the podium.

For the third straight year, Havre boys tennis players were honored as Northcentral Montana Players of the Year. This year, Blue Pony senior doubles players Trey Murphy and Kennedy McKay were given the award. Murphy and McKay are fresh off a Central A championship last week in Bozeman, and they take a stellar 27-3 record into this week's Class A state tournament.

The duo is the second straight Havre doubles team to win the award, following Jake Sedahl and Nate Korb in 2017. Former Blue Pony state champion Jeff Miller won the inaugural award in 2016.

Also honored Monday night was Havre High head girls basketball coach Dustin Kraske. After guiding the Blue Ponies the 2018 Class A state championship, and an undefeated season, Kraske was named Northcentral Montana Girls Sports Co-Coach of the Year.

Kraske, who has led the Ponies to 11 state tourney appearances, and two Class A state titles, becomes the second HHS head coach to earn the honor, as Scott Filius has also won the award.