Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Sarah Faber, Havre High Track

When it comes to individual sports like track or tennis, there aren't home games like in football and basketball because most of the competitions are tournaments or meets.

That means that those athletes generally get fewer opportunities to perform in front of their home fans. So when they do, they want to take advantage of it and the Havre High track teams will have that chance this Saturday when they host the Havre Invitational.

The meet will be the final home track meet of the season for the Blue Ponies and for some athletes, such as Sarah Faber, it will be there final time competing at the Havre Middle School track.

"It's always exciting to have a chance to compete at a home meet," Faber said. "I always seem to do better at them and it's just fun because more people get to watch you."

Faber will be just one of the seniors honored Saturday at the Havre Invitational and while she wants to do well on her home track one final time, she also has bigger goals in mind for this season, especially having already qualified for the Class A state track meet in the high jump.

The high jump has been Faber's best event since she joined high school and after just falling short of reaching state as a freshman, Faber earned her way into the state track meet in the high jump as both as a sophomore and junior. This year, she won't even need to worry about her spot at state when she heads to divisionals, at least not when it comes to the high jump, although she is also trying to make it in the long jump, an event where she just placed at the Glasgow Top 10 meet.

Faber's ability on the track also captured the attention of Concordia College in Minnesota, where she will continue her track career starting next year. Faber said she will continue as a jumper. She also said that she plans to pursue a degree in chemistry. She said she hopes to one day become an anesthesiologist.

Yet, before Faber moves ahead with her life and her track career, she has a few more weeks to spend as a Blue Pony. After the Havre Invite, she and her teammates will take part in the Eastern A Divisional meet May 17-18 in Belgrade, before heading to the Class A state meet May 24-25 in Laurel.

While Faber certainly wants to do well at state, right now she is focused on one final home meet, and leading up to the Havre Invite, the Havre Daily News caught up with Faber for five questions.

HDN: What are you looking forward to most about your last home track meet?

Faber: "I am just excited about being with my teammates and having these last few meets with them. I really enjoy my teammates. We work really well together. I am hoping for a PR (personal record) this weekend. I always like Havre meets because I usually do pretty well."

HDN: You have placed a lot and qualified for state, what has been the key to your season?

Faber: "Coach Ita has helped a lot. My teammates are always encouraging me a lot and that helps and we have just worked really hard at practice."

HDN: What have you enjoyed the most about being on the Havre track team?

Faber: "Sometimes people take track as an individual sport but I take it as a team sport. My teammates are great and I love the coaches. It's like a family."

HDN: Do you have a favorite meet?

Faber: "The Havre meets are my favorite. There are a lot of people in the crowds and normally a lot of kids from the high school come to watch. Sometimes my teachers come and watch me."

HDN: What is your goal for the rest of this season?

Faber: "I have a chance to play and have a chance to win at state since I have gotten five feet before and I think I can do it again at state. But I think I can place and that is what I am hoping for."

HDN: How much do you think your experience at state will help you in trying to place there?

Faber: "It helps a lot actually. State is just different than the other meets. It's more nerve-racking but my mind will be right this year and I won't be too nervous."