Decade of Dominance for Pony boys

The Havre High boys and girls tennis teams had little time to get ready for the 2019 Central A Divisional Tournament, with weather pushing the event ahead two days.

And yet, it didn't bother the Blue Ponies in the least.

In Lewistown last Tuesday-Wednesday, the Blue Ponies racked up trophies and hardware, as usual, with the Havre boys winning their 10th straight Central A team title, and the Pony girls finishing a close second to Livingston. Individually, the Ponies also qualified 10 boys and girls for the Class A state tournament, which goes down later this week in Kalispell.

"I couldn't be more proud of all 20 kids we took to divisionals," HHS head coach George Ferguson. "That tournament is so tough every year, and our kids played so well. They were so focused and determined. And, they played their hearts out. Every single one of those kids left it all on the court in Lewistown, and it was an amazing two days. I'm just very proud of each and every one of them."

Havre's boys dominated what was the last Central A tennis tournament, as the Ponies will move to the new Northeast A next spring. The Ponies scored 53 points to blow away second-place Livingston, which totaled 32. Lewistown was third with 28 and Belgrade was fourth with 10 points.

"Our boys were awesome," Ferguson said. "This was the youngest divisional team I've ever had. Half our team had never played a divisional match before Tuesday. So for them to do what they did, which was pretty much dominate the tournament from start to finish, I just can't say enough about those 10 guys. They worked hard for this all season long, and it was pretty obvious that the hard work paid off."

Doubles was a big factor in Havre's dominance once again. For the third straight year, the Central A doubles championship match was an all-Havre affair, with Tommy Brown and Tyrel Kjersem beating Reese Bulkley and Jake Huston in the finale. Meanwhile, seniors Jack Johnsrud and Josiah Harrison scored a key three points at No. 3 doubles, including a first-round win over the top team from Belgrade.

"All three doubles teams were really, really good," Ferguson said. "It's a pretty proud feeling as a coach when you look over and see four Havre uniforms fighting it out for a championship. Tommy and Tyrel and Jake and Reese, they're both really good doubles teams. They were great at divisionals, they were all on a mission this weekend, and they are going to be a force at state. And I can't say enough about Jack and Josiah. This is their first year on varsity. They've had to fight for everything for a long time. And they played so great. They were a big reason why this championship was possible, and I'm super proud of those two guys."

Not to be outdone, Havre's young singles contingent was spectacular too, led by sophomore Josh Warp, who reached the championship match with a thrilling win over Lewistown senior Jayce Phillips in the semifinals. In the title match, Warp was bested by returning All-Conference performer Brendon Johnson of Livingston, but he, and Havre's trio of singles first-timers, Mick Chagnon, Trenton Maloughney and Josh Currie, scored a boatload of points for the Ponies. Maloughney, just a freshman, reached the consolation semifinals, coming within one win of the state tournament, while Currie, another freshman and Chagnon, just a sophomore, combined for six more team points.

"Our singles lineup was two freshmen and two sophomores," Ferguson said. "So to do what we did, that says so much about those four dudes. I'm really proud of Josh Warp. He was the youngest of the four guys who placed, and that semifinal match, he really got over a huge hump there. Josh is turning into an outstanding tennis player, and he showed that in Lewistown. And Mick, Trenton and Josh Currie, we couldn't have done what we did without them. They all scored some huge wins, they all played great, they all three showed me so much, and they showed they all three have very bright futures in our program.

"It was just a really special two days for our boys," Ferguson continued. "In March, we weren't really sure what we had as it pertained to a boys lineup, depth and where we stood in our division. And look at this team now, it's so impressive what they've done in the last two months. They did nothing but work hard, stay focused and improve every single day, and it paid off for them. It's special, this team won our 10th title in a row, and the last one we'll ever get in the Central A. That means a lot and I am just so proud of those kids."

The Havre girls certainly had an awesome tournament too, even though the Ponies didn't quite catch Livingston for the team title. The Rangers swept the singles and doubles competitions, and edged the Ponies 45-40, while Belgrade was a distant third, and Lewistown was fourth.

"I know the girls were disappointed that we didn't quite get that trophy," Ferguson said. "It's something we all wanted very badly. But, those 10 girls have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about. They played great tennis for two days. They gave Livingston the toughest battle they've had in a long time. And, most importantly, they left their heart and souls on those courts. So as a coach, I couldn't be more proud of our girls team. They had a great tournament, and I wouldn't trade those 10 girls for any other team in the state."

In the end, the Ponies qualified five girls for the state tournament, and, like the boys, all 10 Havre girls scored at least one team point.

Senior McKenzie Tommerup reached the singles championship match by besting returning All-Conference performer Hanna Stokke of Belgrade in a three-set thriller Wednesday morning. Tommerup fell to Livingston's Bobbi Lima in the finals, but, according to Ferguson, she had an incredible tournament.

"So happy for McKenzie," Ferguson said. "This is a girl who was our number four singles player the last two years, and this season, she moves all the way up to number one, and, in what was the biggest match of her career, she beats Stokke, who had gotten her the last two weeks. I was just so proud to see her get over that hump, and to see everything come full circle for her. She really earned it, and I'm just so proud of her."

Havre nearly got two girls singles players to state, as senior Kassidy Compton came within one win of placing, while sophomores Tamera O'Leary and Sylvia Wilting also each scored a point for the Ponies.

"What Kassidy Compton has done this season, it's unheard of," Ferguson said. "She hadn't been able to play tennis since the spring of her sophomore year, and she goes on a run like that at divisionals. It's an impressive feat, it speaks to what a competitor and great athlete she is, and it's a feat she should be very proud of. It was also great watching Tamera and Sylvia battle at divisionals too. They have become such good tennis players in such a short amount of time, and they did an awesome job in their first divisional tournament."

Also like the boys, the Havre girls were dominant in doubles, as the Ponies placed the tandems of Cassidy and Kadyn Acor and Marcee Murphy and Devyn Solomon. The Acor sisters reached the championship match before falling to Livingston, while Murphy and Solomon finished fourth, earning All-Conference honors for the second straight year. Havre's run at Livingston also included the senior duo of Teagan Fee and Tiffany Ralph, who knocked off the top team from Lewistown, and fell short in two heartbreaking matches to Belgrade.

"All season, our girls doubles teams have been a real strength for us," Ferguson said, "and that showed at divisionals. It's been a while since we placed two girls doubles teams, so I'm really happy for Kadyn and Cassidy and Marcee and Devyn, especially because this tournament was by no means easy. They had to really fight it out to get to state, and they did that because they're great doubles teams and great players and they showed a lot of heart and toughness in this tournament.

"Teagan and Tiff," Ferguson added, "that's the tough part about divisionals. You're happy and sad at the same time, because not everyone is going to get to where they want to be. And in their case, it was especially tough because those two have waited their turn behind a lot of older teams over the years, and they've been so amazing this whole season. So it really hurt to see them not quite make it. I hurt for them. But, it doesn't take anything away from the fact that they are great players, a great team, and our team wouldn't be where we are without those two."

And while divisionals always has its ups and down, it was mostly ups for the Blue Ponies.

"Again, it was just an incredible two days of tennis by our kids," Ferguson said. "Divisionals is really tough, there's so much pressure and anxiety in that tournament, but our kids handled it all so well, they rose above it and played great tennis. They all gave our program and our teams everything they had, and as a coach, you can't ask for anything more than that. It was nothing but an honor to be there with those 20 kids. I love it. I love the way they represented themselves, our program, and our school. And I'm just so proud of everything they did in Lewistown."

The 10 Havre players who qualified for state will head to Kalispell this weekend for the Class A state tournament.

Central A Tennis

BOYS

Team Scores

Havre 53, Livingston 32, Lewistown 28, Belgrade 10

Singles

1st rd - Johnson, LIV def. Brooks, BEL, 6-0, 6-1; Chagnon, HAV def. deGuzman, LEW, 7-5, 6-3; Kolar, LEW def. Maloughney, HAV, 6-1, 6-2; Thorn, BEL def. Johnson, LIV, 6-0, 6-0; Phillips, LEW def. Currie, HAV, 6-3, 6-3; Purkett, LIV def. McCauley, BEL, 6-2, 6-1; Koltz, BEL won by fft; Warp, HAV def. Bruchez, LEW, 6-2, 6-0; Quarterfinals - Johnson, LIV def. Chagnon, HAV, 6-1, 6-0; Kolar, LEW def. Thorn, BEL, 6-2, 6-3; Phillips, LEW def. Purkett, LIV, 7-6 (4), 7-5; Warp, HAV def. Koltz, BEL, 6-2, 6-0; Semifinals - Johnson, LIV def. Kolar, LEW; Warp, HAV def. Phillips, LEW; Championship - Warp, HAV def. Johnson, LIV.

Consolation 1st rd - Brooks, BEL def. deGuzman, LEW, 6-0, 6-0; Maloughney, HAV def. Johansen, LIV, 6-4, 6-0; Currie, HAV def. McCauley, BEL, 6-0, 6-2; Bruchez, LEW won by fft; Consolation 2nd rd - Brooks, BEL def. Thorn, BEL; Maloughney, HAV def. Chagnon, HAV; Currie, HAV def. Koltz, BEL; Purkett, LIV def. Bruchez, LEW; Consolation 3rd rd - Maloughney, HAV def. Brooks, BEL; Purkett, LIV def. Currie, HAV; Consolation Semifinals - Phillips, LEW def. Maloughney, HAV; Purkett, LIV def. Kolar, LEW; Consolation Final - Purkett, LIV def. Phillips, LEW.

Doubles

1st rd - Gannon/Foster, BEL def. Durgan/Boreham, LIV, 6-2, 6-1; Gazt/Henderson, LEW def. Hoppe/Thorn, BEL, 6-3, 6-1; Johnsrud/Harrison, HAV def. Mattson/Hargrove, BEL, 6-1, 6-0; Arndt/Elmore, LEW def. Sarisky/Valencia, LEW, 6-3, 6-4; Quarterfinals - Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Gannon/Foster, BEL, 6-1, 6-1; Lane/Tatum, LIV def. Gatz/Henderson, LEW, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Kinderszki/McQuinn, LEW def. Johnsrud/Harrison, HAV, 6-4, 6-2; Brown/Kjersem, HAV def. Arndt/Elmore, LEW, 6-0, 6-0; Semifinals - Huston/Bulkley, HAV def. Lane/Tatum, LIV; Brown/Kjersem, HAV def. Kinderszki/McQuinn, LEW; Championship - Brown/Kjersem, HAV def. Huston/Bulkley, HAV.

Consolation 2nd rd - Gatz/Henderson, LEW def. Durgan/Boreham, LIV; Hoppe/Thorn, BEL def. Gannon/Foster, BEL; Arndt/Elmore, LEW def. Mattson/Hargrove, BEL; Johnsrud/Harrison, HAV def. Sarisky/Valencia, LIV; Consolation 3rd rd - Gatz/Henderson, LEW def. Hoppe/Thorn, BEL; Arndt/Elmore, LEW def. Johnsrud/Harrison, HAV; Consolation Semifinals - Kinderszki/McQuinn, LEW def. Gatz/Henderson, LEW; Lane/Tatum, LIV def. Arndt/Elmore, LEW; Consolation Final - Kinderszki/McQuinn, LEW def. Lane/Tatum, LIV.

GIRLS

Team Scores

Livingston 45, Havre 40, Belgrade 20, Lewistown 13

Singles

1st rd - Lima, LIV bye; Dreyer, BEL def. Wilting, HAV, 6-3, 6-2; Compton, HAV def. Chandler, BEL, 6-3, 7-6 (3); Gatz, LEW won by fft; Tommerup, HAV def. Collins, BEL, 6-0, 6-1; Killorn, LIV def. Kuhlmann, LEW, 6-2, 6-2; Church, LEW def. Strobl, LIV, 6-1, 6-0; Stokke, BEL def. O'Leary, HAV, 6-1, 6-0; Quarterfinals - Lima, LIV def. Dreyer, BEL, 6-0, 6-0; Gatz, LEW def. Compton, HAV, 6-3, 6-0; Tommerup, HAV def. Killorn, LIV, 6-2, 6-0; Stokke, BEL def. Church, LEW, 6-0, 6-4; Semifinals - Lima, LIV def. Gatz, LEW; Tommerup, HAV def. Stokke, BEL; Championship - Lima, LIV def. Tommerup, HAV.

Consolation 1st rd - Wilting, HAV, bye; Chandler, BEL, bye; Collins, BEL def. Kuhlmann, LEW, 6-2, 7-5; O'Leary, HAV def. Strobl, LIV, 6-4, 6-2; Consolation 2nd rd - Compton, HAV def. Wilting, HAV; Dreyer, BEL def. Chandler, BEL; Church, LEW def. Collins, BEL; Killorn, LIV def. O'Leary, HAV; Consolation 3rd rd - Compton, HAV def. Dreyer, BEL; Killorn, LIV def. Church, LEW; Consolation Semifinals - Stokke, BEL def. Compton, HAV; Gatz, LEW def. Killorn, LIV; Consolation Final - Stokke, BEL def. Gatz, LEW.

Doubles

1st rd - Gilbertson/Cady, BEL def. Fee/Ralph, HAV, 7-5, 7-5; Murphy/Solomon, HAV def. Wagner/Beauchaine, BEL, 6-3, 6-2; Johnson/Chambers, LIV def. Day/Haugen, LEW, 6-0, 6-0; Macklenberg/Southworth, LEW def. Kinnick/Mortenson, LIV, 6-0, 6-3; Quarterfinals - Vondra/Schoenen, LIV def. Gilbertson/Cady, BEL, 6-0, 6-0; Murphy/Solomon, HAV def. Villareul/Arndt, LEW, 6-1, 6-0; Joshnson/Chambers, LIV def. Culbertson/Gordon, BEL, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4; Acor/Acor, HAV def. Macklenberg/Southworth, LEW, 6-1, 6-1; Semifinals - Vondra/Schoenen, LIV def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV; Acor/Acor, HAV def. Johnson/Chambers, LIV; Championship - Vondra/Schoenen, LIV def. Acor/Acor, HAV.

Consolation 2nd rd - Fee/Ralph, HAV def. Villareul/Arndt, LEW; Wagner/Beauchaine, BEL def. Gilbertson/Cady, BEL; Macklenberg/Southworth, LEW def. Day/Haugen, LEW; Culbertson/Gordon, BEL def. Kinnick/Mortenson, LIV; Consolation 3rd rd - Wagner/Beauchaine, BEL def. Fee/Ralph, HAV; Gilbertson/Cady, BEL def. Macklenberg/Southworth, LEW; Consolation Semifinals - Johnson/Chambers, LIV def. Wagner/Beauchaine, BEL; Murphy/Solomon, HAV def. Gilbertson/Cady, BEL; Consolation Final - Johnson/Chambers, LIV def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV.