Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Quinn McDonald, HHS Softball

It has been quite the year for Havre High senior Quinn McDonald.

First, she was part of a volleyball team that had qualified for the state tournament this past November. She then played for the Havre girls basketball team that won its third state championship in the past four years last month. And she will now finish off her athletic career at Havre when she suits up for the Blue Ponies on the softball field for the first time in almost two years.

"It feels really great. It's really good to be out on the field," McDonald said. "We have a lot of seniors, a couple are hurt, but we'll be fine and keep doing what we're doing."

While she is happy just to get back on the field, she also wants to make the most of her senior season.

"I hope we can at least go to state and at least win state and divisionals," McDonald said.

McDonald has been playing softball since a young age. Her father introduced her to the sport and she has been playing in several leagues ever since to improve as a player.

"We started with my dad in the city league. I played summer ball, travel, slow pitch and it just continued on from there," McDonald said.

Unlike basketball and volleyball, softball feels more liberating for her as she gets to play outdoors. She also just enjoys running more in softball than other sports.

"The aspect of running without even having to really try, for me," McDonald said about what she loves the most about softball. "I don't like to run but for softball for some reason, it gets me going and it's just being outdoors and not having to really be on that one-on-one with the opposite team."

McDonald will get to enjoy the sport one last time as a Pony as she gears up for her final season. She and the Ponies will hit the diamond for the first time in nearly two years when they face Columbia Falls on the road on April 3 to open the season. Before then, the Havre Daily News got a chance to ask McDonald a few questions.

HDN: How do you manage being a three-sport athlete?

McDonald: "It's hard but I do make it work. It's usually volleyball and then that next week, straight into basketball and then straight into softball but then that way I don't get tired and not want to go out so it's easier for me to keep going and that at least keeps me in shape so that's pretty fun and nice."

HDN: Do you happen to have a favorite of the three sports?

McDonald: "It's actually almost all a tie to be honest. It's just all of them, there's different aspects of it and I like to work with all the coaches and everything."

HDN: What did it mean to win a state championship in basketball as a senior?

McDonald: "As a senior, that was really fun. We went last year and we did good. COVID shut us down, but this year, I was sitting on the bench and it was those last two seconds and you just felt your heart racing and it was a memorable time for me and the rest of the seniors."

HDN: Do you have a favorite softball memory?

McDonald: "Probably my first home run I hit. It was in Cut Bank and then it just let up from there and more home runs came out of it. I hope to hit more this year, too. That's the best part I would say."

HDN: When did that happen?

McDonald: "My freshman year. I had that home run in Cut Bank and then the best part about hitting a home run is rounding third and then you see all your teammates standing on home plate waiting for you. That is the best part and the best feeling."

HDN: Do you have any favorite hobbies outside of sports?

McDonald: "I do a lot of hunting and fishing. Anything basically outdoors, you can find me doing. I fish, travel, hunting is probably one of my favorite things to do. Elk, deer, bear, basically anything I can draw a tag for."