Blue Ponies headed to Lewistown for regular season finales

All that stands between the Havre High basketball teams and the postseason is one last road trip.

And the last game of the season is tonight, as the Blue Ponies head down to Lewistown to face off against the Golden Eagles to close out the regular season, and Northeast A games. The boys and girls teams have different motives this weekend, as well.

The Pony boys sit at 11-6 overall and 5-2 in conference, and Lewistown is right behind them in the Northeast A, meaning the Ponies have a bit at stake. With a win, the boys clinch the No. 2 seed in the conference, but with a loss, they fall to the No. 3 seed due to a head-to-head.

Even so, HHS head coach Walynn Burgess is looking forward to the matchup against the Golden Eagles on the road.

The Havre boys have a lot of talent on the squad to help combat tough teams like Lewistown. Seniors like Mason Rismon, Jake Huston and Tyrel Kjersem have been potent this year when it comes to putting up points, while juniors Kellen Detrick and Josh Warp have been racking up baskets themselves throughout the season.

Meanwhile, other players like Nolan Lotton, Clint Owens, Caden Jenkins, John South and Quinn Springer have helped fill in a lot of the depth that helps make the boys a well-rounded group on the hardwood. Defensively, the Ponies have made great strides, too, halting offensive attacks and keeping teams at bay in some heated games.

But the Eagles carry some strong talent, too. Grayden Sanders, a 6-4 post, has a great height advantage and a knack for sinking field goals for Lewistown. Alongside him, Bryce Graham and Gage Clinton make up a tough pair of wins to play against. The offensive push that the Eagles can put up has caused some trouble for quite a few teams this season.

In the end, the Havre boys will have to defend well and put up a sound game to sweep Lewistown for the season and claim the No. 2 seed in the Northeast A.

Meanwhile, the Havre girls will look to keep up the stellar season and finish off the year undefeated in the Northeast A with a win over the Golden Eagles. The Blue Ponies routed Lewistown in the last matchup and have cruised throughout the season, but every team can bring a different challenge.

Even so, HHS head coach Dustin Kraske and the Havre girls have already clinched the Northeast A and will have the No. 1 seed going into the Eastern A Divisional Tournament next week, so a loss tonight does not have much effect on seeding.

But a win is on the Ponies' minds and achieving it on the road against the Eagles will continue to boost their reputation as a team to watch out for on the court once again.

With talent like seniors Kyndall Keller, Kadia Miller, Sam Oliver, Jessa Chvilicek and Katie Wirtzberger making up a lot of the leadership on the girls squad, there is lot of ways that Havre can put up some baskets. At the same time, defensive standouts like Sadie Filius and Loy Waid have helped allow HHS to keep teams at bay all season.

But, the Eagles have some players who can put up a good game. Senior Macy Mangold has been a key contributor to helping Lewistown put up some points throughout the season, while others like Libbey Jenness and Steph Olson have made a good impact on the hardwood, as well.

At the end of the day, both the Havre boys and girls teams will look to impress in the last game of the season. The boys (11-6 5-2) and the girls (16-1 7-0) have a tough final obstacle in their paths this season. They will face off against the Lewistown Golden Eagles tonight in Lewistown, followed by the Eastern A Divisional Tournament next week in Billings.