Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Katie Wirtzberger, Havre High Track

When it comes to high school athletic careers, Havre High's Katie Wirtzberger already has a pretty solid resume in the works.

The junior is fresh off helping the Havre girls basketball team win a second straight Class A state championship and is off to a blistering start in track helping Blue Pony relay teams finish first five times in three meets so far this season. Wirtzberger was part of both the 400-meter and 1,600 relay teams that won in Glasgow and last weekend in Choteau, while she also won the 400-meter dash and was part of a short relay team that took first in the Cal Wearley in Havre last Wednesday.

Additionally, Wirtzberger has twice reached the top of the podium as an individual this season, starting with a first-place in the Cal Wearley in the 400, followed by finishing first in the 200 last weekend in Choteau.

Wirtzberger is off to a torrid start so far this season but so is the rest of her team. The Havre girls have had one of their strongest starts in recent memory and have won the team competition in each of the first three track meets. In Havre last Wednesday and Choteau Last Saturday, HHS wrapped up the team title by finishing first in the 1,600-meter relay, which is quite possibly the Ponies' strongest event along with the short relay. Havre has yet to be defeated in either event so far this season.

Wirtzberger has been a big part of that, running on five of the six relay teams that have finished first this season and that's not a shock considering what she accomplished during her freshman and sophomore seasons.

Last season, Wirtzberger was part of a 400-meter relay team that finished at the Class A state meet. She also finished eighth in the 200 and participated in the 100. As a freshman, Wirtzberger was also extremely busy at state, competing in four events including the 200, the 400 relay and the 1,600 relay. She was part of the short relay team that finished sixth and an earned points.

With her athleticism and competitive nature, track is a natural fit for Wirtzberger, however, she is also garnering a lot of attention on the basketball floor after starting for the state-champion Ponies all season and hitting two clutch 3-pointers in the state championship game against Hardin. She also averaged around nine points per game this season and earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Central A, in part because of her tenacious defense.

With fellow basketball teammates Jessa Chvilicek, Sadie Filius, Kadia Miller, Loy Waid, Kyndall Keller and Abbey Morse all part of the track team, as well, the success has carried over. Beginning with the Havre Lions Invitational track meet Saturday at the Havre Middle School track, the Ponies will look to continue their winning ways. Yet, before they hit the track for their home meet, the Havre Daily News caught up with Wirtzberger for five questions.

HDN: How much do you guys look forward to the Havre Invite?

Wirtzberger: "I think it's one of the best track meets. It's at home and we practice on the track all the time, so we have an advantage and we have a lot of people that get to come and watch us, so it's a lot of fun."

HDN: Do you guys get more motivated to do well because more family and friends are watching?

Wirtzberger: "I think at all track meets the support of the team motivates us a lot anyways. So having that extra support of family and friends helps, too."

HDN: Your team has won all three of its track meets so far, what has been the key so far?

Wirtzberger: "The girls work really well together. We have chemistry; everyone gets along and we work really hard in practice. We just try really hard to give it our best and compete as well as we can in all the meets."

HDN: There are a lot of basketball players on the team does that familiarity help?

Wirtzberger: "Having basketball chemistry helps. We just get along anyway. I think that is the biggest thing but competing together is really fun and we just take advantage of that. We all enjoy just being around each other and being in track."

HDN: What are some of your goals for this season?

Wirtzberger: "I want to get PRs (personal records) and doing really well for the relays because it's a team thing. I just want to compete as hard as I can and get points for the team."