Pony netters succeed at state tourney

The Havre High doubles team of Trey Murphy and Kennedy McKay ended the 2018 Class A state tournament on the highest of highs — with a state championship. But, overall, the Blue Pony tennis teams had a lot of success last weekend in Polson.

On the strength of McKay and Murphy’s state title, the Havre boys scored 18 points, and, on points, tied Dillon for second place. The Ponies didn’t receive a trophy, because the MHSA only awards trophies to the top three teams, and since there was a three-way tie for the state championship — Hardin, Corvallis and Whitefish all scored 20 points, the Ponies and Beavers were actually named fourth place.

Still, it was a great showing for the Pony boys, who also got two huge wins from the doubles team of Brady Ophus and Tyrel Kjersem, which added to the points total.

“Our boys played amazing tennis this weekend,” HHS head coach George Ferguson said. “We may not have brought a trophy home, but the five guys we took down to Polson played like a team that won one, that’s for sure. We were in the mix for a state championship, we were right there to the very end of it all, and only a handful of teams can say that at the end of the season. So our guys should be very proud of what they did at state. I know I’m extremely proud of them. They finished the season as one of the best teams in the state, and playing the best tennis of their lives. So I was extremely happy at the end of it all, and really happy for those boys. They are just awesome kids and all five of them are great tennis players.”

Of course, everything started with the incredible run by Murphy and McKay, but Ophus and Kjersem had their moment in the sun as well. After a loss in the first round, they battled back to beat teams from Ronan and Hardin, before falling one match shy of the placing round, with a three-set heartbreaker to yet another Hardin squad. In singles, junior Tommy Brown made big strides in his first state tournament appearance, and while he didn’t quite reach the winner’s circle, Ferguson said, he played great, and will only get better from here.

“Tommy has nothing to hang his head about,” Ferguson said. “He proved that he belongs on that stage. He showed, he’s a really good player, and that he’s going to to be an absolute force during his senior year.

“And Brady and Tyrel,” he continued, “I can’t say enough about what they did the last two weeks. They really came together, they really got on a roll, and they were going toe-to-toe with everybody across the net for them. I really wanted to see them get in the placing rounds because they certainly played well enough to earn a medal. But I’m just so proud of them for the way they played, and the fact is, we wouldn’t have won a divisional championship, or finished at state where we did without those two. They were awesome, and I’m just so proud of what they did for this team this year.”

Havre also had three girls in the field in Polson, including senior Paige Nelson, who went 2-2 in what was a loaded girls singles draw. Juniors Marcee Murphy and Devyn Solomon came up short in their doubles matches at state but, again, Ferguson couldn’t have been more pleased with how the three Pony girls played.

“Marcee and Devyn played great,” Ferguson said. “This weekend was a big stepping stone for them, because they have another year ahead of them. But it wasn’t just about gaining experience, they were there to win, and even though that didn’t happen, they played really well, and they showed, next year, the sky is the limit for them.

“And Paige, what can I say? Paige is an amazing tennis player,” Ferguson continued. “She left her heart and soul on those courts in Polson and Ronan. She played, what seemed like about 10 hours worth of tennis. And that’s Paige. She’s never going to give in, she’s going to always fight, and she did that this weekend. I’m so happy she was able to win down there, too, because this was her third and last trip to state, and I know winning those matches was really important to her. She had some incredible battles down there, and I don’t care what the brackets say, or the scores say, Paige was one of the best players at state. And she’s been a great player for Havre High for a long, long time. She’s meant an awful lot to our team and to me, and she had a great weekend and an incredible career.”

An incredible weekend as a whole is also how Ferguson described what was his 17th state tournament.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the eight kids that went to state,” Ferguson said. “They played their hearts out. They gave us everything they had. They were classy and showed great sportsmanship, like our kids always do. They represented Havre High the right way. It was a really special weekend for us, and one I’m always going to remember.

“And that sums up this season,” he continued. “I will never forget this group, our entire boys and girls teams. They were an amazing group to be around, so much fun. The work they put in, with the shoveling and the cold days and all of that, these kids are just amazing kids. It was an honor to coach every single one of the kids in our program. I’m going to dearly miss our seniors, and it’s going to be a long offseason without tennis. But we had a great year and a great finish to the season, and I’m so proud of every single player in our program for what they gave me this year. And I can’t wait for next spring to get here so we can do it all over again.”

State A at Polson/Ronan

BOYS

Team scores: Hardin 20, Corvallis 20, Whitefish 20, Havre 18, Dillon 18, Butte Central 15, Polson 7, Livingston 6, Billings Central 2, Hamilton 2, Columbia Falls 1, Ronan 1, Lewistown 1.

Singles

Championship: Brad Rakich, Dillon, def. Brandon Bule, Whitefish, 6-3, 7-5

Third place: Marius Godard, Corvallis, def. Manuel Gonzalez, Butte Central 6-1, 6-4

Doubles

Championship: Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay, Havre, def. Caleb Mason/Jonathan Noteboom, Hardin, 6-4, 6-2

Third place: Caleb Wanken/Gabe De Leo, Corvallis, def. Cameron Johnson/Guido Ossello, Butte Central, 6-3, 6-0

GIRLS

Team scores: Polson 24, Hardin 17, Belgrade 17, Corvallis 14, Livingston 12, Whitefish 12, Libby 12, Billings Central 10, Dillon 5, Stevensville 4, Hamilton 2, Havre 2, Glendive 1.

Singles

Championship: Shea McGuinness, Polson, def. Olivia Fehr, Corvallis 6-4, 6-3

Third place: Isabelle Martineau, Libby, def. Emma Putnam, Billings Central, 6-2, 7-6 (13-11)

Doubles

Championship: Brooke Gilbertson/Lily Reddick, Belgrade, def. Makiko Reisig/Kate Murdock, Hardin, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3

Third place: Aubrey Hanks/Olivia Potthoff, Whitefish, def. Kyler Lundeen/Berkley Ellis, Polson, 6-0, 6-0.

Havre High State A Results

BOYS

Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay

(State Champions)

1st rd - def. Harrington/McGee, BUT, 6-1, 6-0; QF - def. Left Hand/Old Crow, HAR, 6-2, 6, 76 –3; SF - def. Warnken/DeLeo, COR, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5; Championship - def. Mason/Noteboom, HAR, 6-4, 6-2.

Brady Ophus/Tyrel Kjersem

1st rd - lost to Southam/Peterson, DIL, 6-4, 6-0; Consolation 1st rd - def. Taylor/Yellow Bird, RON, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4; Consolation 2nd rd - def. Evans/Noteboom, HAR, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 2-2, def.; Consolation 3rd rd - lost to Old Crow/Left Hand, HAR, 6-0, 1-6, 2-6.

Tommy Brown

1st rd - lost to Eric Holdhusen, WF, 6-4, 6-0; Consolation 1st rd - lost to Gabe Passes, HAR, 6-4, 6-4.

GIRLS

Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon

1st rd - lost to Reisig/Murdock, HAR, 6-0, 6-1; Consolation 1st rd - lost to Watt/Pickett, COR, 6-0, 6-4.

Paige Nelson

1st rd - lost to Claire Carloss, WF, 7-5, 6-1; Consolation 1st rd - def. Zoe Sullivan, BUT, 6-3, 6-3; Consolation 2nd rd - def. Sarah Trihn, HAM, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4), 7-5; Consolation 3rd - lost to Nicole Hristsco, DIL, 6-4, 7-5.