Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Cameron Pleninger, HHS Cross Country

Havre High senior Cameron Pleninger has had a very promising season for the Blue Pony boys cross country team. Pleninger has put forth a lot of work and is a standout among the Havre harriers.

Pleninger has also had a big influence on sports for the Blue Ponies. In the fall, he is seen running alongside many other harriers in cross country. In the winter, Pleninger steps on the mat to pin his competition for Havre wrestling.

The two-sport athlete puts dedication and passion into his sports. Pleninger has put in four years in the cross country program, and is a shining example of his commitment to what he loves to do.

Pleninger's head coach, Josh Holt, is very proud to have witnessed Pleninger grow and shine as an athlete on his boys team.

"He's a great kid," said Holt. "He's a great runner and he's come a long way in four years. Sometimes he's difficult, but for the most part this year he has been leading quite a bit, so I'm happy for that and ultimately, I don't know what I'd do without him."

In the Scottie Invite last Saturday, Pleninger placed sixth with a time of 18:03.1. Pleninger's prowess as a runner has been one of the key factors in the Blue Pony boys team's good performances throughout the season so far. But, Havre cross country still has a few meets and ambitions for state that its attention has been focused on for a while.

Tomorrow is the Helena 7-on-7 meet at the Bill Roberts Golf Course, a meet that is very exciting for the teams. Holt is ready for his teams to have a great race down in Helena.

"Thursday is going to be a fantastic day," Holt said. "It's a great meet to go to."

The Ponies will designate seven varsity runners, both boys and girls, and they will run together. The runners will be numbered seven to one and will each run starting with number seven harriers, then the number six harriers and so on.

The race course at Bill Roberts Golf Course has a few rolling hills but is not the biggest challenge for the Blue Pony runners this weekend. It will be a quick and heated race for Havre. This is the one meet where the boys and girls will run together. For the Havre teams, the competition is fierce and fun to watch. Holt always enjoys the rivalry between his own teams among all the other teams running the race.

"Watching the boys and girls run together, it's fantastic," said Holt. "Everybody tends to run really, really, really fast because the boys don't want the girls to beat them and the girls want to beat the boys."

The race for the Blue Pony harriers will be a fast and intense one, which will look to bring about great results for the teams.

The Ponies also have another meet Saturday in Browning, though Holt has plans to have his varsity attend but not race in the meet. The Browning meet will be one for the junior varsity, who will be cheered on by their varsity teammates. Holt will have his varsity team focused on their upcoming state cross country competition. This will also give his varsity team a rest since the meet takes place only two days after the intense Helena 7-on-7.

"I typically don't have my kids run another race when they only have a short break like that," said Holt. "Our goal is state."

The two meets this week will wrap up the last bit of the Blue Pony cross country regular season, and they will have the postseason not too long afterward. After the Fall Classic in Billings on Oct. 18, the teams will head to state in Great Falls on Oct. 26. The varsity harrier's aim for the Helena 7-on-7 is to put forth their best effort and times to make the journey to state.

With Pleninger along with them, the Ponies have a lot to look forward to as their regular season starts to end and both the boys and girls teams will give it all they have to prove they can compete at the state level.

Havre High cross country will start off their week with a varsity meet in the Helena 7-on-7 tomorrow, then the junior varsity will run the Browning invite Saturday at 1.

But, before the teams head out to give it their best at the meets this week, Havre Daily News caught up with Pleninger for five questions.

HDN: What is your favorite thing about cross country?

Pleninger: "I like being with my friends and working my hardest."

HDN: What is your mindset for each meet/race?

Pleninger: "I push it to the breaking point and keep going."

HDN: Who or what has been a big motivator for you in your cross country career?

Pleninger: "My parents, because my mom ran cross country, and my friends who pushed me to do my best."

HDN: What are your hobbies outside of cross country?

Pleninger: "Mostly wrestling and I did track last year."

HDN: What has been your favorite race to run so far in your career?

Pleninger: "The Mountain West. It's a big race."