Blue Ponies dive in at state

The Havre High swim team has had to endure a strange season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of their meets this season have been virtual, which meant the Blue Ponies would have to swim in one pool and their opponents in another and the schools would compare times to determine the results.

As Havre's season comes to an end, the Blue Ponies will get the chance to compete against other competition live as they travel to Polson to compete in the state swim meet Saturday.

At the state swim meet, the Ponies will face schools from both Class A and Class B. Some of the schools that Havre head coach Bill Kilgore believes will be his team's toughest competition are Billings Central, Hardin and Whitefish.

"Billings Central's always the favorite," Kilgore said. "They're always the juggernaut to beat. Hardin is always really tough because they usually have a big team."

This season, the state meet limited the number of swimmers per event, forcing coaches to choose fewer swimmers than they are used to for state. So only the best swimmers from each school will be sent.

One swimmer that Havre will send is star swimmer Kobi Burchard. The senior will compete in the 200-yard individual medley after qualifying with a time of 2:30.73. She will also compete in the 100-yard freestyle with a qualifying time of 1:00.54.

Havre will send several other seniors to state to swim for the last time for Havre. Senior Brigham Blackwell will also head to state and will compete in the boys 50-yard freestyle with a qualifying time of 25.26. He will then compete in the boys 100 yard butterfly after qualifying with a time of 1:05.62.

Senior Morgan Flammond will compete in the girls 50-yard freestyle with a qualifying time of 28.32. She will then compete in the 100-yard freestyle after qualifying with a time of 1:03.50.

Senior Blakelee Lines will represent Havre in the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle. Fellow senior Tori Messineo will compete in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. Senior Megan Miller will compete for Havre in the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard backstroke.

The last Havre senior to head to state will be Joey Byrd, who will only swim in one event. He will participate in the 50-yard freestyle after qualifying with a time of 32.95.

Freshman Kyla Burchard will also compete in the 200-yard individual medley after qualifying with a time of 2:39.77. She will then compete in the 100-yard backstroke with a qualifying time of 1:12.70.

Hiram Cammon will compete in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard breaststroke. Grace Crantz will swim in the 500-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. Freshman Mackenzie Dean will represent Havre in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle.

Wyatt Hagstrom will participate in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke. Conner McKay will compete in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke. Collin Miller will swim in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. The final individual Havre swimmer to make state is Aliviah Pratt, who will swim in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke.

The Ponies will compete in several relays Saturday, as well. Miller, Flammond, Pratt, Lines, Messineo, Flores and Kobi and Kyla Burchard will represent Havre in the 200-yard medley relay A after qualifying with a time of 2:27.02. These same swimmers will also compete in the girls 400-yard freestyle relay A. Lennon Herdina, Miller, Flammond, Pratt, Lines, Messineo and Kobi and Kyla Burchard will compete for Havre in the 200-yard freestyle relay A.

Chase Mariani, Blackwell, Byrd, Cammon, Hagstrom, McKay and Miller will represent Havre in the 200-yard medley relay A. This same group of swimmers will also compete in the boys 200-yard freestyle relay A and the 400-yard freestyle relay A.

The Ponies will have had two weeks off between state and their last meet, so they would have time to rest and get their bodies ready for the one final meet.

"Through the middle of the season, their muscles are tired, their bodies are tired, their anaerobic and aerobic systems are tired and just worn out," Kilgore said. "In the last two weeks, we start tapering back on the hard work and allow their bodies to recover so they're at their absolute fastest at the end of the season."

Not only does Kilgore believe his swimmers will be physically ready, but mentally ready as well. One way Kilgore has helped his team is with their "fireside chats," where he teaches his swimmers how to be mentally prepared the day before a meet.

"We prepare for this all season long," Kilgore said. "We talk about resiliency and perseverance and doing a lot of mental prep work for life, let alone swimming and I think that helps so these kids are ready to go."

As Havre's season comes to an end, Kilgore hopes that his swimmers will just have fun this weekend.

"I want the kids to have a good time. Enjoy themselves," Kilgore said. "My expectations are just for the kids to swim well and to improve on their times over the season."

The Havre swim team will finish its season at the Class A-B state meet Saturday in Polson. The event is usually an All-Class event with AA included, but the MHSA seperated the meets this year to limit the size due to coronavirus.