HHS tennis teams enjoy the sun and success

By Havre Daily News Staff

With a revamped schedule for this weekend, the Havre High tennis teams knew they were going to see some great competition from the Northwest A. And that’s exactly how it played out as the Blue Ponies traveled to Cut Bank Friday and Kalispell Saturday.

“Great trip for us,” HHS head coach George Ferguson said. “We played full matches against four Western A teams with great weather. So we couldn’t have asked for more. Our kids got so much out of this trip, and they played really well. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

On Friday, Havre was at the annual Class A Invite in Cut Bank where the Pony boys beat Libby 6-1 and Polson 6-1. The Havre girls meanwhile, fell to the Loggers 6-1 and the Pirates 7-0. Highlights from the first day of the trip included Josh Currie going 2-0 in singles and the Blue Ponies sweeping six doubles matches on the boys side as Josh Warp and Trenton Maloughney went 2-0 at No. 1, Mick Chagnon and Caleb Spangler were 2-0 at No. 2 and Theron Peterson and Conner McKay were perfect at the No. 3 spot.

Havre then headed west to face Whitefish and Columbia Falls Saturday in Kalispell. And while the powerhouse Bulldogs swept the Pony boys and girls by scores of 6-1 and 7-0, respectively, Havre bounced back with a boys win against Columbia Falls (5-2) and a strong performance by the girls in a 4-3 loss to the Wildkats.

“Saturday was great,” Ferguson said. “The competition was really good. Whitefish is very talented from top to bottom, with some of the very best players in the state on both teams. And Columbia Falls is as strong as they’ve been in a quite some time, so, win or lose, it was really good tennis from our kids, and it was great experience for them.”

Warp and Maloughney were 2-0 Saturday, while Currie fell to Whitefish’ Jayce Cripe but rebounded with a stout win over Columbia Falls’ Neill Getts, both of whom were state qualifiers two years ago. Jared Rosgaard and Kendall Pleninger were also victorious for the Havre boys in singles against Columbia Falls, as was Peterson and McKay in doubles. On the girls side, Grace Crantz and Talia Ralph and McKenzie Mangold and Destiny Hernandez won in doubles for the Ponies.

“All our kids played well at times,” Ferguson said. “It was full matches against tough opponents, so it was another big learning experience for our kids, and they needed it. We have so many players on both teams that are still really new to varsity high school tennis, so to see how well they performed in both Cut Bank and Kalispell, it’s awesome. They all did really well and I’m proud of them.”

Ferguson also noted how much the four duals will mean to his team going forward, including at this weekend’s Northeast A Preview Meet in Lewistown where the Ponies are set to dual Miles City, Glendive and Lewistown.

“We’re just trying to keep getting better, to grow as players and as teams,” Ferguson said. “That’s the biggest goal. That’s what I’m focused on. Helping these kids get better and better and playing those four teams from the Northwest A, that helped us with our progress. Our kids are all going great, and I’m really excited about the direction we’re heading.”

FRIDAY

CLASS INVITE

At Cut Bank

BOYS

Havre

Havre 6, Libby 1

Singles

Josh Currie, H def. Ryker McElmurry, LIB, 6-1, 6-0; Michael Holliongsworth, LIB def. Jared Rosgaard, H, 6-0, 6-1; Collin Miller, H def. Aiden Montogomery, LIB, 6-4, 7-5; Carter Spangler, H def. Thomas Roark, LIB, 6-2, 6-0.

Doubles

Josh Warp/Trenton Maloughney, H def. Colton Halvorson/Ryan Collins, LIB, 6-3, 6-0; Mick Chagnon/Caleb Spangler, H def. Cylis Goddard/Trevor Collins, LIB, 6-2, 6-1; Theron Peterson/Conner McKay, H def. Zach Fantori/Thomas Roark, LIB, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

Havre 6, Polson 1

Singles

Josh Currie, H won 6-0, 6-0; Jared Rosgaard, H lost 6-3, 6-3; Collin Miller, H won 6-4, 6-1; Kendall Pleninger, H won 7-5, 3-6, 10-4.

Doubles

Josh Warp/Trenton Maloughney, H won 6-4, 6-2; Mick Chagnon/Caleb Spangler, H won 6-4, 2-6, 10-4; Theron Peterson/Conner McKay, H won 6-0, 6-4.

GIRLS

Libby 6, Havre 1

Singles

Laneigha Zeiler, LIB won by FFT def. Rayna Johnson, H, 6-0, 6-1 in ex; Elle Erickson, LIB def. Rayna Johnson, H, 6-1, 6-0; Gabby Fantorri, LIB, def. Kat Kaftan, H, 6-0, 6-0; Ruby Martin,LIB def. Mylee Schennum, H, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles

Breanna Cunningham/Icvy Pierce, LIB def. Grace Crantz/Talia Ralph, H, 6-1, 6-4; Alex Anderson/Annika Thorsteffson, LIB def. McKenzie Mangold/Destiny Hernandez, H, 6-1, 6-4; Chloe Bricker/Courtney Burchard, H won by FFT lost to Martin/Weber, 6-4, 4-6, 10-7 in ex.

Polson 7, Havre 0

Singles

Rayna Johnson lost 6-0, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1; Kat Kaftan lost 6-0, 6-0; Mylee Schennum lost 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles

Grace Crantz/Talia Ralph lost 6-1, 6-1; McKenzie Mangold/Destiny Hernandez lost 6-0, 6-0; Chloe Bricker/Courtney Burchard, H lost 6-3, 6-3.

SATURDAY

At Kalispell

BOYS

Whitefish 6, Havre

Singles

Jayce Cripe, WF def. Josh Currie, H, 6-2, 6-3; Highland Lee-French, WF def. Jared Rosgaard, H, 6-0, 6-2; Jack Robertson, WF def. Collin Miller, H, 6-3, 6-2; Ayden Mullholland, WF, def. Carter Spangler, H, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles

Josh Warp/Trenton Maloughney, H def. Joe Brandt/Aaaron Dicks, WF, 6-3, 6-3; Fin Stagg/JOhnny Nix, WF def. Caleb Spangler/Mick Chagnon, H, 6-3, 6-2; Austin Ganset/Mason Kelch, WF def. Theron Peterson/Conner McKay, H, 6-2, 6-4.

Havre 5, Columbia Falls 2

Singles

Josh Currie, H def. Niell Getts, CF, 6-1, 6-3; Caleb Reinsberg, CF def. Collin Miller, H, 6-2, 6-3; Jared Rosgaard, H def. Malachi Bower, CF, 6-1, 6-0; Kendall Pleninger, H def. Logan Heuple, CF, 6-4, 2-6, 6-0.

GIRLS

Whitefish 7, Havre 0

Singles

Gracie Smyley, WF won by FFT; Lauren Brown, WF def. Rayna Johnson, H, 6-1, 6-1; Emma Shaffer, WF def. Kat Kaftan, H, 6-2, 6-0; Stacia Tremper, WF def. Mylee Schennum, H, 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles

Ali Hirsch/Tallory Workman, WF def. Grace Crantz/Talia Ralph, H, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5; Emma Triewiliger/Anyah Cripe, WF def. McKenzie Mangold/Destiny Hernandez, H, 6-1, 6-2; Addie Oehlrich/Alivia Lusko, WF def. Chloe Bricker/Courtney Burchard, H, 6-3, 6-3.

Columbia Falls 4, Havre 3

Singles

Hannah Schweikert, CF won by FFT def. Talia Ralph in exhibition; Cloey Ramage, CF def. Rayna Johnson, CF, 6-2, 6-3; Lillian McDonald, CF def. Kat Kaftan, H, 6-1, 6-0; Anne Lybbert, CF def. Mylee Schennum, CF, 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles

Grace Crantz/Talia Ralph, H def. Grace Geldman/Alyssa Williams, CF, 6-4, 6-4; McKenzie Mangold/Destiny Hernandez, H def. Mackenzie Nelson/Abbey Biel, CF, 7-5, 6-4; Chloe Bricker/Courtney Burchard, H won y FFT def. by Zerita McAtee/Cloey Ramage, CF, 7-5, 7-5 in ex.