HHS netters battle tough foes, elements in Cut Bank

For the first time this season, the Havre High tennis teams were up against all Class A rivals, and while the scores and results were mixed, head coach George Ferguson said that the effort and the quality of tennis was exactly what he was hoping to see from his Blue Ponies.

Havre was in Cut Bank Friday and Saturday for the annual Class A Duals. On Friday, the Pony boys swept Libby (6-1) and Polson (5-2), while the HHS girls beat Libby 5-2 and fell to defending Class A champion Polson 4-3. The Ponies returned to Cut Bank Saturday where the Pony boys fell to defending state champion Hardin, 5-2 and Whitefish 7-0, while the HHS girls fell to Hardin 6-1, but beat Whitefish 4-3.

“This weekend, I was telling the kids, focus on your tennis and not the end result,” Ferguson said. “Win or lose, this weekend was going to show us how much progress we’ve already made and make us better in the long run because we played a lot of quality teams and individual players. So I was happy, I was really pleased with how all of our kids played, and what I took away the most is, we are making progress, we are getting better, and that’s the most important thing for us right now.”

The Havre boys showed plenty of flashes over the weekend with Reese Bulkley and Jake Huston going 2-2 in doubles, including a big win over Polson Friday. Veteran Tommy Brown also won twice Friday, and played stellar tennis against top-level competition at No. 1 singles. Trenton Maloughney and Mick Chagnon also won twice in doubles Friday, while Maloughney went 3-1 overall for the weekend, and Josh Warp scored a win in singles, as did Randy Tommerup, and Jack Johnsrud and Josiah Harrison did the same in doubles.

“Scores-wise, it was kind of a tale of two different days for our boys team,” Ferguson said. “But I really thought our guys played well, and we played in a lot of really tough matches, which was something we continue to need. I really thought Tommy Brown did a great job of switching to singles this weekend, and he really showed that he has become a top player in Class A. And I also thought our young guys we took, they did great, they’ve already come a long way since March 12.”

On the girls side, Havre was led by its veteran doubles squads. Marcee Murphy and Devyn Solomon went 2-2 at No. 1, Cassidy and Kadyn Acor went 3-1 at No. 2 and seniors Teagan Fee and Tiffany Ralph were a perfect 4-0 at No. 3. In singles, the Ponies also got wins from Kassidy Compton and Sylvia Wilting over the two-day dual tournament.

“Our girls team was very consistent this weekend,” Ferguson said. “I was really happy with how we played, considering Polson, Whitefish and Hardin are all among the top teams in Class A. I thought all three of our doubles teams played really well, and all of our singles players made a ton of progress. Kassidy Compton is really starting to come into her own as a tennis player now, and McKenzie Tommerup, I was really proud of how she battled. She played probably the two best players in the state by far, and she didn’t back down. I was proud of her.”

Ferguson also said that his teams once again gave a maximum effort, and he said that he thinks the four matches in Cut Bank could be a great springboard heading into the critical Class A Preview Meet Friday in Lewistown.

“That meet in Lewistown is big because its for divisional seeding,” Ferguson said. “So I think with the way our kids played and competed in Cut Bank, we’ll be ready for Friday. I was super pleased with how our kids competed, how hard they fought and how well they played. We played well against top competition, and playing good tennis right now is the only thing that matters.”

Before Havre duals Lewistown, Belgrade and Livingston Friday in Lewistown, the Ponies will host Great Falls Central and Chinook for varsity/junior varsity matches Tuesday.

CLASS A DUALS

In Cut Bank

BOYS

Havre 6, Libby 1

Singles

Josh Warp, HAV def. Zach Carter, LIB, 8-7 (3); Tommy Brown, HAV def. Ryker McElmurry, LIB, 8-2; Zach Morrison, LIB def. Troy Powell, HAV, 8-5; Randy Tommerup, HAV won by fft, Tommerup def. Vermlum, CB 8-5 in exhibition match.

Doubles

Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Caymen Lee/Colton Halvorson, LIB, 8-3; Mick Chagnon/Trenton Maloughney, HAV def. Michael Hollingsworth/Trey Thompson, LIB, 8-6; Jack Johnsrud/Josiah Harrison, HAV def. Tyler Cerna/Ryan Collins, LIB, 8-0.

Havre 5, Polson 2

Singles

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Joe McDonald, POL, 8-6; Colby Devlin, POL, def. Josh Warp, HAV, 8-5; Troy Powell, HAV def. Ryan Doss, POL, 8-6; Randy Tommerup, HAV def. Kenton Sisler, POL, 8-1.

Doubles

Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Anton Lefthand/Trevor Schultz, POL, 8-3; Kendal Forman-Webster/Bridger Wenzel, POL def. Jack Johnsrud/Josiah Harrison, POL, 8-4; Mick Chagnon/Trenton Maloughney, HAV won by fft, def. Fleeger/Harrell, CB 8-7 (4) in exhibition match.

Hardin 5, Havre 2

Singles

Famous Lefhandt, HAR def. Tommy Brown, HAV, 8-4; Gabe Passes, HAR def. Josh Warp, HAV, 8-4; Norman Dawes, HAR def. Mick Chagnon, HAV, 8-4; Trenton Maloughney, HAV def. Dom Stevens, HAR, 8-6.

Doubles

Jon Noteboom/Ben Noteboom, HAR def. Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV, 8-0; Ryan Old Crow/Kent Swisse, HAR def. Josiah Harrison/Jack Johnsrud, HAV, 8-1; John South/Theron Peterson, HAV won by fft, def. by Barbie/Eames, CB, in exhibition match.

Whitefish 7, Havre 0

Singles

Brendan Buls, WF def. Tommy Brown, HAV, 8-1; Jaycee Cripe, WF def. Josh Warp, HAV, 8-5; Jack Robertson, WF def. Mick Chagnon, HAV, 8-5; Highland Lee French, WF def. Trenton Maloughney, HAV, 8-4.

Doubles

Mark Anderson/Colter Upton, WF def. Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV, 8-7 (7); Carver Gilham/Ian Calaway, WF def. Jack Johnsrud/Josiah Harrison, HAV, 8-1; Jackson Carson/Joe Brandt, WF def. John South/Theron Peterson, HAV, 8-2.

GIRLS

Havre 5, Libby 2

Singles

Leniagha Zeller, LIB def. Mckenzie Tommerup, HAV, 8-6; Kassidy Compton, HAV def. Ivy Pierce, LIB, 8-2; Jessica Cunningham, LIB def. Tamera O'Leary, HAV, 8-0; Sylvia Wilting, HAV won by fft, def.Mills, CB 8-6 in exhibition match.

Doubles

Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV def. Elise Erickson/Ciera Lucas, LIB, 8-2; Cassidy Acor/Kadyn Acor, HAV def. Starlyn Mayberry/Annika Thorstenson, LIB, 8-2; Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV def. Gabby Fantozzi/Maddy Broden, LIB, 8-1.

Polson 4, Havre 3

Singles

Berkley Ellis, POL def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 8-0; Shea McGuinnes, POL def. Kassidy Compton, HAV, 8-0; Taylor Collinge, POL def. Tamera O'Leary, 8-2; Sylvia Wilting, HAV def. Julia Reiners, POL, 8-1.

Doubles

Qia Harlan/Ana Mercer, POL def. Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV, 8-4; Cassidy Acor/Kadyn Acor, HAV def. Sierra Lundeen/Taylor Bloomfield, POL, 8-2; Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV def. Avah Eggbrecht/Carly Garrick, POL, 8-1.

Hardin 6, Havre 1

Singles

Abi Noteboom, HAR def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 8-1; Jonna Lind, HAR def. Kassidy Compton, HAV, 8-4; Boonista Apichartwiat, HAR def. Tamera O'Leary, HAV, 8-3; Jade Cruz, HAR def. Sylvia Wilting, HAV, 8-2.

Doubles

Makiko Reisig/Kate Murdock, HAR def. Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV, 8-1; Elizabeth Black Eagle/Melissa Old Crane, HAR def. Kadyn Acor/Cassidy Acor, HAV, 8-7 (9); Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV def. Rilee Green/Diedra Don't Mix, HAR, 8-4.

Havre 4, Whitefish 3

Singles

Gracie Smyley, HAV def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 8-0; Clarie Carloss, WF def. Kassidy Compton, HAV, 8-1 ; Jesse Grawander, WF def. Tamera O'Leary, HAV, 8-3; Sylvia Wilting, HAV def. Anyah Cripe, WF, 8-2.

Doubles

Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV def. Payton Kastella/Abigail Shaffer, WF, 8-6; Cassidy Acor/Kadyn Acor won by fft, def. Seifert/Edinger, CB, 8-4 in exhibition match; Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, WF def. Ali Hirsch/Lauren Brown, WF, 8-2.