Havre track set to for divisional meet in Glendive

The postseason has finally arrived for the Havre High track and field team as they compete at the divisional meet this Friday and Saturday in Glendive. HHS head coach Ryan Gatch believes the Blue Ponies are ready for the occasion as they compete for a chance to qualify for next week's state meet.

"We're healthy. All the students that we're bringing, they got a great attitude. Got a lot of pep in their step," Gatch said. "Super excited about going down and competing this weekend."

Havre will compete against the opponents that it faced last week at the Sidney Twilight such as Miles City, Glendive, Sidney and Hardin. The Ponies will also compete against other familiar opponents such as Billings Central, Lockwood, Lewistown and Livingston. Havre will compete against Laurel and East Helena, who they have not faced this year yet. Gatch believes his team has some advantage in this meet because they competed in Glendive a few weeks ago.

"Our kids know the surface, they know the facility and they know where they're staying," Gatch said. "It'll be really good now that we can go back there and compete against these guys."

Many Ponies will compete for divisional titles this weekend. Nolan Lotton looks to carry over his dominant season in the sprints as he will compete in the 100-meter sprint and 200. In the eight times he has competed in the 100 this season, Lotton has placed first seven times and finished second once. He has also won the 200 all eight times he has competed in it this season.

"I expect for us to be solid in the 100 and the 200 with Nolan running in there," Gatch said.

Dylan Young will compete in the distance runs for the Ponies. He will race for his third win in the 1,600 this season and he will compete for his first win in the 800 this year after finishing in the top three in the event four times.

Most of Havre's best finishes will most likely come on the girls side. After missing a few meets because of a leg injury, Sadie Filius should return to run the hurdles for the Ponies. In the 300-meter hurdles this season, she has placed first three times and placed second the other three times she competed in the event. She will also look for her third win in the long jump this season.

Kyanna Jarvis will race in the 100-meter hurdles for the Ponies this weekend where she will be searching for her third win this year. She will compete for her fourth win in the long jump this weekend as well.

Tamera O'Leary will race for her first win in the 100 this weekend as she has placed in the top three of the event five times this season. Emma Gillen will be hoping to win the 300-meter hurdles in her second straight meet. Loy Waid will compete for her second win in the 200 this season.

The girls relay teams will be looking to carry their strong performance in the regular season into the postseason. The 400 relay team has already auto-qualified for state and has finished first four times and finished second the other four times in the event. The 1,600 relay team will race for its fourth event win this season.

A strong performance from the Ponies this weekend would qualify them for the state meet in Laurel next week. If his athletes are going to reach that goal, Gatch believes his athletes will need to remain focused.

"Make sure any distractions that you have that surround you at this time, you can put them aside," Gatch said. "We shouldn't be jittery, we shouldn't be nervous, we've seen just about everybody at these meets before."

The divisional meet begins this Friday and ends Saturday at Glendive.