Blue Pony harriers finally get to race again

The Havre High cross country teams are on the home stretch before the big state meet. As of now, the Blue Pony harriers have put forward a promising season with many runners showing off their prowess on the course.

But before the Class A state meet, the Havre teams will be heading to the Fall Classic in Billings Friday to compete among its Eastern A division at Riverfront Park. The meet is one that the Ponies look forward to every year.

Havre High head coach Josh Holt is ready for his teams to put their best foot forward at the Fall Classic.

"I think there's some excitement," said Holt. "My young athletes are ready to run. I know we've had a lot canceled this year and they're ready to go. They're hungry. All is looking good right now."

Havre's excitement is understandable, after weather interfered with a few of the Ponies' meets this year, it will be a great feeling stepping foot on the course in Billings. The Ponies will go head-to-head against the rest of the Eastern A.

The Eastern A has had some tough teams at its meets across the class all year. For the boys' side of cross country, Lewistown senior Sam Fulbright and Billings Central senior Dylan Wichman claim the top two spots in the Class A rankings. On the girls' side, Laurel has two girls in the top 5 in the Class A. Another girls' team that has done well in the Eastern A is Hardin, with junior Libby Nedens in the top 5, as well.

With many Eastern A harriers breaking into the top spots in the entirety of Class A, it will be quite the challenge for the Havre teams. On top of that, Holt and his teams have not raced on the course in Billings. The new experience will be something to look forward to.

"We've never run on it (Riverfront Park course)," Holt said. "This is a new adventure for all of us, which is pretty exciting. We get to go to a course we've never ran before and we'll just see how it goes."

Riverfront Park is located near the Yellowstone River and is quite the scenic place. Natural areas are commonplace throughout the park, so it would be no surprise if the teams were to race while enveloped in a very lush environment.

One of the biggest races of the year in a rich, natural atmosphere will be a nice change of pace for the Blue Pony harriers. Quite a few of their courses so far this season have been rolling hills or flat plains. Though the surroundings for the runners may not sound too significant, it should be noted that many people perform better when they are comfortable with their environment.

The new course brings about mixed feelings of excitement with a hint of nervousness. But Holt's teams have proven to be adaptable this year and will look to adjust as soon as they can assess the course.

"We don't know our points of attack yet till we get out there and we do our warmups," said Holt. "The kids have a specific time goal we're going to look at."

The teams will aim to hit their specific time goals, but Holt has another key factor that he is looking for in his team so they can succeed at the Fall Classic.

"We need 100-percent effort," Holt said. "There's a lot there and they give the effort. If they know what they need to give, then they're going to be successful. If they don't put the effort in and don't give 100-percent, then they won't be as successful as they should be."

Many Havre runners have had noteworthy performances thus far. Junior Dylan Young has been the boys teams' most consistent runner, often placing in top spots at the meets they have attended. Senior Cameron Pleninger has proven to be another good weapon for the Ponies and in most cases will find himself placing in high ranks, as well. Freshman Paul Bartlett earned his spot in the varsity early in the 2019 season and has been another successful runner at many meets for Havre.

For the HHS girls team, juniors Tamera O'Leary and Hannah Haslem have been an example of prowess, often placing well in races. Sophomore Emma Gillen and freshman Chloe Shennum contribute to the girls' teams' efforts, too, many times finishing in the upper-half of the race.

It is going to be a big Friday for Havre. With the formidable Eastern A as their opponents, the Blue Ponies face heated competition and will be racing against talent across the division. HHS has been anticipating this meet for quite some time and aim to shine down in Billings.

The cross country teams will take on the rest of the Eastern A in the Fall Classic down in Billings Friday at 1 at Riverfront Park.