A Pony tennis weekend to remember

Heading into this weekend, Havre High head tennis coach George Ferguson said that the Havre Invitational was going to be special. And over the course of two days on their home courts, the Blue Ponies certainly made it that.

Saturday, Havre played host to Hardin, Lewistown, Conrad and Cut Bank in the 2019 Havre Invite and Ferguson said, the meet, despite some adverse weather, was a success, on and off the court.

"It was a great weekend," Ferguson said. "First and foremost, because our kids were great. They made it a special weekend because they gave us 110 percent on the court, and they represented our program, our school and our community with tremendous pride and heart. With this being our only home meet, we always want to make it memorable, and our kids did that for sure. So I'm very proud of every one of them."

Ferguson was certainly proud of the results, too.

On the boys side, Havre got a second-place finish from Tommy Brown and Tyrel Kjersem in doubles, while juniors Reese Bulkley and Jake Huston lost just once, as well, finishing third. Seniors Josiah Harrison and Jack Johnsrud won two matches in what was a strong showing in doubles.

"The only team Tommy and Tyrel and Reese and Jake lost to the entire weekend was the top team from Hardin," Ferguson said. "And that's a very talented team. And one we feel we're very close with already. So those four guys just played outstanding tennis for this early in the season, and the four of them, they're going to keep getting better and better."

In singles Saturday, Havre sophomores Josh Warp and Mick Chagnon also had breakout performances for the Pony boys, who also lost a tight 4-3 dual to the defending state champion Bulldogs Friday afternoon. Warp made a run to the singles championship match before losing a close match to Hardin's Jayden Yarlott, while Chagnon wound up tying for fifth. Freshmen Trenton Maloughney and Josh Currie were also victorious for the Ponies Saturday at the Montana State University-Northern Courts.

"I thought our entire boys team played really well this weekend," Ferguson said. "There was a lot of tough competition, especially Hardin, and our kids were up for the challenge. Josh Warp had a great tournament Saturday. He played the best tennis of his young career, and he and Mick (Chagnon) really took some bigs steps forward. Those guys both are going to be huge for us moving forward."

Ferguson noted that his girls also took big steps forward, and literally overnight.

After falling 7-0 to Hardin Friday afternoon, the Pony girls quickly came back and made the most of Saturday's tournament. Senior McKenzie Tommerup reached the singles semifinals, before rebounding to place third in her final Havre Invite, while junior Cassidy Acor tied for fifth and senior Kassidy Compton won matches, as well.

In doubles, the veteran tandem of Marcee Murphy and Devyn Solomon led the way with a fourth-place finish, including several come-from-behind performances, while Teagan Fee and Tiffany Ralph and Tamera O'Leary and Sylvia Wilting also scored wins for the Ponies.

"The girls took some lumps against a very deep and talented Hardin team on Friday," Ferguson said. "But, I thought Saturday, even in that tough wind, was a much different story. Our girls were very determined on Saturday, and they played really solid tennis. I was so proud of all of our seniors, win or lose, they left their hearts on the court in their last Havre Invite, and I was really excited for McKenzie and Marcee and Devyn for getting as deep into the tournament as they did because it was a really tough girls tournament. And all our girls did a great job on Saturday."

Ferguson also noted how proud he was of the weekend overall. He said going in, he wanted his teams to play good tennis, enjoy their home meet and make plenty of lasting memories while competing as hard as they could.

"I'm so proud of our kids," Ferguson said. "From our seniors to our freshmen, they all did exactly what we asked of them. They represented our program exactly how we wanted them to, and they made the absolute most out of this tournament. It was a very special weekend for everybody, and on top of it all, our kids played really well and made a lot of progress."

The last Havre Invite for all of Havre's seniors was everything Ferguson wanted it to be, too. It was, indeed, special.

"It meant a lot to have the Havre Invitational this year since we didn't get to have it last year," Solomon said. "It's just awesome that all of our friends and family get to come and watch us, since they don't get to normally do that. That just means a lot to have all of them here.

"I like it because it's here and everyone can come. We don't normally have meets in Havre so that's cool," Murphy added. "On Friday, we had some kids from classes that got to come down and watch, and that's fun because I think people forget about tennis."

Havre now returns to the road for the 2019 Class A Duals Friday and Saturday in Cut Bank.

2019 Havre Invite

Girls Singles

1st rd - Compton, HAV def. Kuhlmann, LEW, 6-0; 2nd rd - Tommerup, HAV def. Anderson, CB, 6-2; Gatz, LEW def. Lind, HAR, 6-0; Acor, HAV def. Overstreet, CB, 6-1; Noteboom, HAR def. Compton, HAV, 6-2; Semifinals - Gatz, LEW def. Tommerup, HAV, 6-4; Noteboom, HAR def. Acor, HAV, 6-1; Championship - Noteboom, HAR def. Gatz, LEW, 8-1.

Consolation 2nd rd - Anderson, CB def. Kuhlmann, LEW, 6-1; Consolation 3rd rd - Overstreet, CB def. Compton, HAV, 6-4; Lind, HAR def. Anderson, CB, 6-1; Consolation Semifinals - Overstreet, CB def. Acor, HAV, 6-3; Tommerup, HAV def. Lind, HAR, 6-2; 3rd Place: Tommerup, HAV def. Overstreet, CB, 6-4.

Girls Doubles

1st rd - Fee/Ralph, HAV def. Southworth/McKlenburg, LEW, 6-1; Arndt, Villareaux, LEW def. Nault/Marchion, HAV, 6-2; Flamm/Green, HAR def. Bartsch/Broesder, CON, 6-5 (3); Gummins/Don't Mix, HAR def. Barry/Frydenlund, CB, 6-5 (6); Seifert/Edinger, CB def. O'Leary/Wilting, HAV, 6-0; 2nd rd - Reisig/Murdock, HAR def. Schmidt/First Rider, CB, 6-0; Siefert/Edinger, CB def. Fee/Ralph, HAV, 6-0; Flamm/Green, HAR def. Arndt, Villareaux, LEW, 6-0; Cummins/Don't Mix, HAR def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV, 6-2; Semifinals - Reisig/Murdock, HAR def. Siefert/Edinger, HAR, 6-0; Cummins/Don't Mix, HAR def. Flamm/Green, HAR, 6-2; Championship - Reisig/Murdock, HAR def. Cummins/Don't Mix, HAR, 8-0.

Consolation 1st rd - O'Leary/Wilting, HAV def. Southworth/McKlenburg, LEW, 6-2; Bartsch/Broesder, CON def. Nault/Marchion, HAV, 6-2; Consolation 2nd rd - Arndt/Villareaux, LEW def. O'Leary/Wilting, HAV, 6-3; Bartsch/Broesder, CON def. Fee/Ralph, HAV, 6-1; Barry/Frydendlud, CB def. Schmidt/First Raised, CB, 6-1; Consolation 3rd rd - Murphy/Solomon, HAV def. Arndt/Villareux, LEW, 6-4; Barry/Frydenlund, CB def. Bartsch/Broesder, CON, 6-3; Consolation Semifinals - Murphy/Solomon, HAV def. Flamm/Green, HAR, 6-2; Barry/Frydenlund, CB def. Siefert/Edinger, CB, 6-4; 3rd Place - Barry/Frydenlund, CB def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV, 6-1.

Boys Singles

1st rd - Chagnon, HAV def. Church, LEW, 6-2; Sneed, CB, def. Snyder, LEW, 6-0; 2nd rd - Yarlott, HAR def. Chagnon, HAV, 6-3; Sneed, CB def. Wittmeir, CON, 6-2; Mason, HAR def. Meiwald, CB, 6-2; Warp, HAV def. Bruchez, LEW, 6-0; Semifinals - Yarlott, HAR def. Sneed, CB, 6-3; Warp, HAV def. Mason, HAR, 6-3; Championship - Yarlott, HAR def. Warp, HAV, 8-6.

Consolation 2nd rd - Bruchez, LEW def. Church, LEW, 6-4; Meiwald, CB def. Snyder, LEW, 6-0; Consolation 3rd rd - Meiwald, CB def. Bruchez, LEW, 6-0; Chagnon, HAV def. Wittmeir, CON, 6-5 (4); Consolation Semifinals - Mason, HAR def. Meiwald, CB, 6-2; Sneed, CB def. Chagnon, HAV, 6-1; 3rd Place - Mason, HAR def. Sneed, CB, 6-1.

Boys Doubles

1st rd - Harrison/Johnsrud, HAV def. Anderson/Arndt, LEW, 6-0; Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Paulson/Estey, CB, 6-1; Kraft/Barsness, CB, def. Powell/South, HAV, 6-1; Lefthand/Old Crow, HAR def. Pruttis/Barnhill, CON, 6-2; Chavez/Swisse, HAR def. deGuzman/Kunau, LEW, 6-0; 2nd rd - Noteboom/Noteboom, HAR def. Harrison/Johnsrud, HAV, 6-0; Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Anderson/Arndt, LEW, 6-2; Lefthand/Old Crow, HAR def. Kraft/Barsness, CB, 6-5 (2); Brown/Kjersem, HAV def. Chavez/Swisse, HAR, 6-1; Semifinals - Noteboom/Noteboom, HAR def. Huston/Bulkley, HAV, 6-2; Brown/Kjersem, HAV def. Lefthand/Old Crow, HAR, 6-5 (3); Championship - Noteboom/Noteboom, HAR def. Brown/Kjersem, HAV, 8-4.

Consolation - 1st rd - Pruttis/Barnhill, CON def. South/Powell, HAV, 6-2; Consolation 2nd rd - Chavez/Swisse, HAR def. Gray/Barbie, CB, 6-1; Kraft/Barsness, CB def. Paulson/Estey, CB, 6-0; Pruttis/Barnhill, CON def. Anderson/Arndt, LEW, 6-2; Harrison/Johnsrud, HAV def. deGuzman/Kunau, LEW, 6-1; Consolation 3rd rd - Kraft/Barsness, CB def. Chavez/Swisse, HAR, 6-2; Pruittis/Barnhill, CON def. Harrison/Johnsrud, HAV, 6-3; Consolation Semifinals - Lefthand/Old Crow, HAR def. Kraft/Barsness, CB, 6-1; Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Pruttis/Barnhill, CON, 6-2; 3rd Place - Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Lefthand/Old Crow, HAR, 6-5 (5).

Singles Round Robin

Apichartiwat, HAR def. Krantz, HAV, 6-0; Maloughney, HAV def. Harrell, CB, 6-1; Vermlum, CON def. Ralph, HAV, 6-4; Geringer, CON def. Tommerup, HAV, 6-3; Tovar, HAR def. Mangold, HAV, 6-2; Dawes, HAR def. Leeds, HAV, 6-0; Whiteman, HAR def. Hernandez, HAV, 6-0; Elk Shoulder, HAR def. Miller, HAV, 6-1; Killon, CON def. Hofland, HAV, 6-0; Fleeger, CB def. Currie, HAV, 6-1; Apichartiwat, HAR def. Big Spring, CB, 6-2; Harrell, CB def. Lodgepole, HAV, 6-0; Mills, CB def. Krantz, HAV, 6-1; Dawes, HAR def. Bell, HAV, 6-1; Tovar, HAR def. Vermlum, CON, 6-4; Geringer, CON def. Longknife, HAV, 6-0; Whiteman, HAR def. Ralph, HAV, 6-4; Dawes, HAR def. Maloughney, HAV, 6-2; Mills, CB def. Mangold, HAV, 6-3; Fleeger, CB def. Tommerup, HAV, 6-1; Big Spring, CB def. Hernandez, HAV, 6-0; Elk Shoulder, HAR def. Leeds, HAV, 6-2; Arndt, CON def. Hofland, HAV, 6-1; Geringer, CON def, Miller, HAV, 6-4; Apichartiwat, HAR, def. Ralph, HAV, 6-0; Currie, HAV def. Herrell, CB, 6-5 (10); Tovar, HAR def. Krantz, HAV, 6-1; Fleeger, CB def. Lodgepole, HAV, 6-0; Whiteman, HAR def. Mills, CB, 6-2; Bell, HAV def. Longknife, HAV, 6-5 (5); Big Spring, CB def. Hofland, HAV, 6-0; Geringer, CON def. Peterson, HAV, 6-0; Killon, CON def. Hernandez, HAV, 6-4; Fleeger, CB def. Leeds, HAV, 6-3; Whiteman, HAR def. Vermlum, CON, 6-0; Harrell, CB def. Miller, HAV, 6-1; Tovar, HAR def. Mills, CB, 6-1; Elk Shoulder, HAR def. Currie, HAV, 6-5 (6); Killon, CON def. Mangold, HAV, 6-1; Dawes, HAR def. Lodgepole, HAV, 6-1; Big Spring, CB def. Arndt, CON, 6-1.

Hardin 4, Havre Boys 3

Singles

Jon Noteboom, HAR def. Josh Warp, HAV, 6-1, 6-2; Ben Noteboom, HAR def. Mick Chagnon, HAV, 6-0, 6-0; Kent Swisse, HAR def. Trenton Maloughney, HAV, 6-2, 6-0; Kaiden Chavez, HAR def. Troy Powell, HAV, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles

Brown/Kjersem, HAV def. Lefthand/Old Crow, HAR, 6-4, 6-4; Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Mason/Yarlott, HAR, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 10-8; Johnsrud/Harrison, HAV def. Dawes/Elk Shoulder, HAR, 6-2, 5-7, 10-8.

Hardin 7, Havre Girls 0

Singles

Abigail Noteboom, HAR def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 6-4, 6-4; Jonna Lind, HAR def. Kassidy Compton, HAV, 6-0, 6-1; Katie Murdock, HAR def. Tamera O'Leary, 6-1, 6-0; Boonista Apichartviwat, HAR def. Sylvia Wilting, HAV, 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles

Cummins/Don't Mix, HAR def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV, 6-0, 6-2; Gray/Flamm, HAR def. Acor/Acor, HAV, 6-2, 6-2; Tovar/Whiteman, HAR def. Fee/Ralph, HAV, 6-1, 6-4.