Many Ponies honored for a great spring on the diamond

Despite several injuries coming into the year, the Havre High softball team had a strong season as the Blue Ponies finished with a record of 15-6-1 and 7-1 in the Northeast A. The Blue Ponies reached the divisional championship game and the state tournament thanks to strong play from many of their players.

Now those players have been recognized for their stellar play this year as four Ponies were named to both the All-State team and the All-Conference Northeast A first team, the most of any school in the conference.

"It says we got some pretty good softball players. That they put in the time. They take it seriously. They buy into the program," said HHS head coach Tony Vigliotti. "They do everything that we ask them to do and I think it shows when they go out on the field."

Of the four players named to the all-state and all-conference first teams, three of them were seniors. In her final season as a Pony, Lexi Haney had a stellar season from the mound as she finished the year with a record of 11-4-1. In her 97.1 innings pitched this season, she recorded a 3.092 earned run average and 100 strikeouts to only 17 walks. She also made an impact at the plate with a .262 batting average and 19 runs batted in.

"Lexi had a great season for us," Vigliotti said. "She worked hard all the time and I was really proud of her to see her hard work pay off."

Quinn McDonald had a strong year at the plate to end her Havre career. She led the team with 28 RBIs and two home runs and was second with a .461 batting average. Even though she was originally supposed to play right field this season, injuries forced her to play first base where she played well defensively.

"With some of the injuries that we had, we moved her to first base and defensively, she did a good job," Vigliotti said. "Quinn just showed some senior leadership and stepped up and helped us where we needed help this year."

The last senior to make the all-state and all-conference teams for the Ponies was Sam Lovenguth. Before the season, Lovenguth suffered a severe knee injury that was supposed to hold her out her senior year. Instead, she overcame the odds to play catcher for Havre this season as well make an impact at the plate with a .333 batting average and eight RBIs.

"At the beginning of the year, we weren't even sure we were going to have Sam at all so to have her behind the plate is huge for us," Vigliotti said. "Sam was the best catcher in our conference."

Sophomore Avery Carlson also made the all-state and all-conference first teams this year. She made an impact on both sides of the plate as a pitcher and a batter. On offense, she led the team with a .538 batting average and had 21 RBIs this season. From the mound, she had a 4-2 record in her seven starts and recorded a 3.600 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 30 walks this year. Her stellar season made up for not getting to play softball her freshman year and shows she is ready to make an impact for Havre over the next few years.

"Not having a freshman season for Avery was a tough deal but Avery's a competitor," Vigliotti said. "She had a great season. Helped us in center field, solidified our leadoff spot probably for the next couple years, too, and helped us on the mound when we needed help on the mound."

Even though they did not make the all-conference first team, Havre had other players receive honors for their performance this year. Despite not having any varsity experience prior to this year, senior Jocelyn Staples was named to the all-conference second team. Along with her strong play at third base, she excelled at the plate with a .324 batting average and 21 RBIs.

"At the plate, she got some big hits for us in games and in spots where we needed big hits, and so Jocelyn had a good year and I was proud of her," Vigliotti said.

Sophomore Lizzi Haney was named an honorable mention for her performance this year. After an injury to starting shortstop Sydney Wilting, Haney took over the position on defense. As she improved her play at shortstop throughout the season, she also contributed on offense with her .242 batting average and 17 RBIs. Along with Carlson, Vigliotti believes Haney will make an impact for the Ponies for the next few years.

"She got better all year long. Improved all year long," Vigliotti said. "Lizzi's going to be a good player and all those kids coming back are going to help us with the experience that they got this year."

With so many seniors being named the best players in the conference, the Ponies will be pressed to replace their production next season. However, Vigliotti believes his departing seniors will have left behind a work ethic for those remaining players to emulate to build on Havre's success from this season.

"They're going to leave behind a work ethic and that they played the game the right way," Vigliotti said about his seniors' impact on the program. "That's what we want to build in a culture: That we go out, we compete, we play hard and we do the things that we need to do to try and win softball games and get our program to the next level."

Northeast A All-conference

First Team

Jessica Morgan*, sr., LEW; Lexi Haney*, sr., HAV; Molly Eaton*, jr., GLE, Madison Affolder*, sr., LEW, Avery Carlson*, so., HAV; Brynn Notbohm*, fr., MC; Quinn McDonald*, sr., HAV; Samantha Lovenguth*, sr., HAV; Ryleigh Simonsen, sr., MC; Taylan Hansen, jr., SID.

Second Team

Ailey Skerrit, fr., GLE; Sophia Schock, so., GLE; Hailey Welsh, sr., LEW; Hadley Garsjo, sr., SID; Chelsea Jensen, sr., LEW; Jocelyn Staples, sr., HAV; Anna Marie Hagemeister, sr., MC; Lexi Metz, sr., SID; Anna Gremaux, so., LEW.

Honorable Mention

Taylor Gallo, fr., MC; Eliazar Southhard, fr., LEW; Lizzi Haney, so., HAV; Riley Anderson, sr., LEW; Sophie Peters, so., SID.

* indicates all-state selection