Ponies win plenty in Great Falls

Wind has seemingly been a factor in every tennis match the Havre Blue Ponies have played this month. And it was again Tuesday in Great Falls. And, yet, the Blue Ponies didn't let 30 mph winds with gusts even higher, spoil an important day on the tennis courts.

Tuesday, Havre took on Butte Central, Great Falls High and CMR in dual action in the Electric City and, combined, the Pony boys and girls came away with a 5-1 record.

"Our kids showed so much toughness and heart today," HHS head coach George Ferguson said. "The weather was brutal again, but it didn't bother our kids. They not only played well in the tough conditions, but they played really well against three very tough teams. And I'm really proud of them for that."

The Havre girls were very good Tuesday, beating Butte Central 5-3 in the morning, then drawing with CMR 4-4, before taking down GFH 5-3 in the evening. Kassidy Compton scored two big wins for the Ponies at No. 2 singles, while McKenzie Tommerup grabbed a huge victory at No. 1 singles against GFH. The doubles tandem of Kadyn Acor and Cassidy Acor also went a perfect 2-0, as well as 2-0 in singles, while Marcee Murphy and Devyn Solomon thrashed a top AA team from CMR, and Brynn Nault and Sydney Marchion went 2-0 at No. 4 doubles.

"Our girls played so well," Ferguson said. "McKenzie had a huge win at No. 1, and so did Marcee and Devyn. Those were victories against really good Class AA players, so that was really exciting. But overall, every girl in the lineup contributed Tuesday. They did a great job, and they made progress from last Friday, which was really cool to see given the short turnaround."

The Pony boys opened the day with a commanding 6-2 win over Butte Central, sparked by a win at No. 1 doubles from Reese Bulkley and Jake Huston. Havre then drew even with CMR at 4-4, with freshmen Theron Peterson and Collin Miller clinching the tie. The Ponies then fell 5-3 to a strong Bison squad, with freshman Trenton Maloughney earning a key point in singles. Havre also got a perfect 3-0 record from both Tommy Brown and Josh Warp at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively, while Mick Chagnon and Trenton Maloughney won in doubles against Butte Central and Bulkley and Huston went 2-1 against three tough squads.

"The boys faced some really tough competition, it was a quick steep up for them," Ferguson said. "And they responded. We won some tough matches against tough players, and we lost some heartbreakers, but overall, the consistency was there. Our guys played really good. The guys at the top of our lineup, Tommy, Josh and Reese and Jake, they were really, really tough, but overall, everybody on our roster played really good tennis."

Speaking of quick turnarounds, the Ponies will have little time to rest as they head to Glendive for the Elks Invitational Friday and Saturday. And with six tough duals, and shaky weather ahead, Ferguson was extremely happy with how Tuesday went.

"Our kids were great," Ferguson said. "They were pushed and challenged Tuesday, and they responded with some of the best tennis of our season so far. The theme for us this week is not to take any steps backward, and we did the opposite on Tuesday. We took some big steps forward, and I'm proud of these kids for that."

BOYS

Havre 6, Butte Central 2

Singles

Tommy Brown won by fft, def. Jayce Phillips, LEW, 6-3, 6-2; Josh Warp, won by fft def. Ben Kolar, LEW, 7-5, 6-2; Luke Heaphy, BC def. Troy Powell, HAV, 6-4, 3-6, 10-4; Randy Tommerup, HAV def. Bryson Sestrich, BC, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles

Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Guido Ossello/Aidan Petritz, BC, 4-6, 6-4, 11-9; Mick Chagnon/Trenton Maloughney, HAV def. Max Drew/Josh Fisher, BC, 6-3, 6-3; Drew Badovinac/Gage Guldseth, BC def. Jack Johnsrud/John South, HAV, 6-4, 6-3; Collin Miller/Theron Peterson, HAV won by fft def. Bruchez/Arndt, LEW, 6-4, 6-4.

Havre 4, CMR 4

Singles

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Shane Kujala, CMR, 6-2, 6-0; Josh Warp, HAV def. Michael Mickolio, CMR, 6-0, 2-6, 11-9; Caleb Beck, CMR def. Mick Chagnon, HAV, 6-4, 6-2; Clay Walker, CMR def. Trenton Maloughney, HAV, 7-6 (4), 6-0.

Doubles

Reese Bulkley/Jake Huston, HAV def. Zach Stimac/Tristan Krum, CMR, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 10-7; Noah Stimac/Brady Herzog, CMR def. Jack Johnsrud/John South, HAV, 6-2, 6-2; Carter Phillips/Carter Corn, CMR def. Troy Powell/Randy Tommerup, HAV, 6-1, 6-2; Collin Miller/Theron Peterson, HAV def. Sam Packer/Jackson McCoy, CMR,m 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.

GFH 5, Havre 3

Singles

Tommy Brown, HAV def. Drew Wyman, GFH, 6-0, 6-2; Josh Warp, HAV def. Taylor Curry, GFH, 7-5, 6-4; Cale Gundlach, GFH def. Mick Chagnon, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Trenton Maloughney, HAV def. Landon Rolen, GFH, 7-5, 6-3.

Doubles

Nick Keller/Luke Wyman, GFH def. Jake Huston/Reese Bulkley, HAV, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 10-2; Peyton Gonser/Levi Torgerson, GFH def. Jack Johnsrud/John South, HAV, 6-2, 6-1; Declan Mahoney/Aiden Hefferman, GFH def. Randy Tommerup/Troy Powell, HAV, 6-1, 6-2; Jacob Murray/Kevin Gamberling, GFH def. Collin Miller/Theron Peterson, HAV, 6-2, 6-0.

GIRLS

Havre 5, Butte Central 3

Singles

Tricia Joyce, BC def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Kassidy Compton, HAV def. Sophia Burton, BC, 3-6, 7-5, 10-7; Kadyn Acor, HAV def. Mat McGree, BC, 6-2, 5-7, 10-5; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Sage Wall, BC, 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles

Shea Davis/Prestynn Weldon, BC def. Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV, 6-3, 6-4; Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV def. DElaney Hasquet/Avery Kelly, BC,m 6-3, 6-4; Tess Riordan/Marissa Anderson, BC def. Tamera O'Leary/Sylvia Wilting, HAV, 7-5, 6-3; Brynn Nault/Sydney Marchion, HAV def. Sydnie Byrnes/Payton Hartwick, BC, 6-4, 6-2.

Havre 4, CMR 4

Singles

Gail Parambi, CMR def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 6-1, 6-3; Ally Duke, CMR def. Sylvia Wilting, HAV, 6-1, 6-0; Shelly Thompson, CMR def. Tamera O'Leary, HAV, 6-4, 6-3; Skye Krum, CMR def. Brynn Nault, HAV, 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles

Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV def. Madison George/Ruby Jennings, CMR, 6-0, 6-1; Kadyn Acor/Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Madison Hill/Jessica Byrne, CMR, 6-2, 6-2; Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV def. Jewel Sangrey/Leslie Miller, CMR, 6-4, 6-4; Sydney Marchion/Kassidy Compton, HAV won by fft.

Havre 5, GFH 3

Singles

McKenzie Tommerup, HAV def. May Curtis, GFH, 6-3, 5-7, 10-5; Kassidy Compton, HAV def. Trinity Taylor, GFH, 3-6, 6-4, 10-5; McKenzie Thurston, GFH def. Tamera O'Leary, HAV, 6-3, 6-2; Sylvia Wilting, HAV def. Sueann Ackermann, GFH, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles

Anderson/Shockley, GFH def. Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV, 6-2, 6-4; Kadyn Acor/Cassidy Acor, HAV, def. Jones/Furthmeyer, GFH, 6-2, 7-6 (4); Tohen/Costley, GFH def. Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph, HAV, 6-2, 6-4; Brynn Nault/Sydney Marchion, HAV def. Michael/Warner, GFH, 6-0, 6-0.