Waiting to bat: Havre High softball team hoping for a spring of some kind

As the days go by, the world of sports stays on hold, with many players, coaches and fans longing for the return of one of the most passionate pastimes in the nation. From professional leagues to hometown teams, everyone is feeling the sting of a stagnant season, including the Havre High softball team.

It has been tough for the Blue Ponies as their season is passing by. With around 30 players that were going out for the sport for the 2020 season, there was going to be a lot of great potential and returning talent coming back to the field. But now, those players are stuck in a limbo due to the COVID-19 concern halting spring sports.

HHS head coach Tony Vigliotti has been working to keep contact with his team since the spring sports season was postponed.

"I've been doing my best to stay in touch with them," Vigliotti said. "Like through social media and letting them know I'm thinking about them. Hopefully I'll get to see them soon, but we'll wait and see."

Vigliotti and his team will not have to wait long to hear about their season, as the Montana High School Association is making a decision today in regard to the spring sports season.

But if there is a season, among the potential roster for the 2020 season looks to be five players who were going to be seniors for Havre. Peyton Brown, Zephy Linton, Jazmyn Doney and Savannah Dawson were all to be working hard for a spot on the roster this year. This senior class had a lot to look forward to this year, as well.

The fifth senior, Katelyn Maloughney, was looking forward to her last season as a Blue Pony, as well, and Maloughney is missing many things about softball.

"I'm really missing my team and my coaches," Maloughney said. "It sounds cliché but we are really a family. The practices, the bus trips and even the games, we are all in it together. We have so much fun together. I really miss hanging with my girls. I'm worried I won't get a season at all my senior year. It breaks my heart but I'm trying to stay positive."

The Blue Ponies were to start off something new this season as well, when it came to competition. After competing in the Central A for quite some time, Havre was to start off in a new conference this year, the Northeast A, with different opponents making it up, including Glendive, Miles City and Sidney.

But the other conference rival in the Northeast A has been the Ponies' all-time rival for many years, the Lewistown Golden Eagles. Havre and Lewistown have duked it out for some incredible games throughout the many seasons on the mound. This year looked to be no different either, until the season was canceled.

Today, Friday and next Monday were to be the first games of the 2020 season between long-time rivals in the Ponies and Eagles. Lewistown has always brought its game when they come up to Havre and vice versa. Those games mean a lot to both teams and without them, it leaves a hole in the hearts of the Ponies.

Vigliotti said he always looks forward to those games with the Eagles and he knows how tough it is not to have them.

"It's always tough," Vigliotti said. "Lewistown is, by far, Havre's biggest rival in everything and you look forward to those kind of matchups. We've split with them the last couple of years. They've beat us and we've beat them, so we're going to miss that. But at this point, we'd just like to play anybody. It doesn't matter who it is."

It hurts in many ways to not have a season. There are many players who have worked hard throughout the offseason to do great things on the field for Havre. It takes a lot of effort and dedication to succeed in sports, which is what many Ponies have done to continue the tradition of excellence on and off the field.

Now, all that work put in could be gone with a flash. Spring sports mean a lot to Havre and with the softball season likely on its last legs, the Ponies may watch their season disappear without a single game on the field.

But despite the season hanging by a thread, Maloughney still carries a love for the many things the sport has given her over the years.

"I really love the people," Maloughney said. "If you know me, I'm most definitely a people person. My coaches are absolutely amazing men. Some of the greatest guys I know. You can just see how much they care for us as players and as people. And I could go on and on about how much I love my fellow players. They make each game worth playing and each bus ride worth sitting through. They also make me love the game. There's nothing better than making a nice play or someone getting a dinger and the whole team goes wild. It's an amazing feeling."

With those things in mind, Maloughney has been doing her best to cope with the lack of a season, as well.

"Lots of tears and prayers." Maloughney said. "I have been trying to stay active but as any teenager right now knows, it hard to find motivation. But I'm trying my best. My dad, my sister and I have been making it to the field to get some hitting in and we even brought brand new softballs. I'm staying hopeful that we do have a season, even if it's a short one and I can finish my softball career with a great one."

At the end of the day, Vigliotti reflected on how much it means to him to get to coach his team every season.

"This is year three for me," Vigliotti said. "I love the softball part of it, but the relationships you build with these kids is more important than anything. The tough part for me is that we got a tough group of girls that worked hard in the offseason. To lose a whole season is just heartbreaking for me and for them."