Pony netters beat the weather, win plenty in Hardin

By Havre Daily Staff

With less than ideal weather for tennis continuing this month, the Havre Blue Ponies were looking to make the most of their first-ever trip to the Hardin Invitational. And though the meet was moved up a day, and the weather was again rough, the Pony netters accomplished their goals, according to head coach George Ferguson.

"Well, we hadn't played real competition since April 8, so we went almost two weeks without matches outside of practice," Ferguson said. "So the biggest thing was, we played a lot of tennis against top competition. We got the entire tournament in. So that was huge because time is ticking away and the weather is just not getting better. Secondly, we played really well. I thought all our kids did a great job. I don't think there was any match rust. Which means they're doing what they're supposed to be doing each day, and that's making progress. So overall, I was thrilled. I was really happy with how our kids performed. They did a great job."

One of the things that also excited Ferguson was the play of so many first-timers. Havre had to juggle its lineups due to District Music Festival, so Ferguson brought many freshmen and first-year players to Hardin.

"Matt Huse, Tre Gary, Callen Stoner, Lindsey Leinwand, Tonya Ralph, Hannah Kinsella, all of them were really seeing their first varsity-level matches," Ferguson said. "And they did such a great job. They really held their own. And even more importantly, they learned a ton about how to play high school tennis at that level. So it couldn't have gone better for them. We have tons of first-year players this year and they're doing a great job. It shows the future of this program is in great hands."

On the boys side, Havre went 3-0 Friday with wins over Hardin, Glendive and Livingston, while the Ponies lost tough battles with Billings Central and Miles City Saturday.

Individually, the team of Trenton Maloughney and Caleb Spangler went undefeated at No. 1 doubles while Josh Currie went 4-1 in singles, with his only loss coming to arch rival Dalton Polesky of Miles City.

"Caleb and Trenton had a great weekend," Ferguson said. "They took their level of play up a notch for sure. Doubles is loaded. I think everybody was really looking at all these matches with them and Miles City and Central and Park and Hardin, all those teams with good doubles, and there were some great matches. So they did a great job, and so did Josh. He was absolutely dominant and then played a gutsy match against Polesky. They're the two best singles players by far again this year, so they're going to have more battles yet to come."

Theron Peterson and Carter Spangler also went 3-2 at No., 2 doubles for the Ponies, as did Reid Kato and Tre Gary at No. 3. Gavin Hall, Huse and Stoner all also won matches in singles.

"I thought our boys team played well," Ferguson said. "They all had some nice matches. And what I liked is, they all know we can get better, a lot better. They're not satisfied. We're not close to peaking yet, and that's exciting."

The Pony girls had plenty of success, too.

They lost tough duals to Hardin, Baker and a stellar Miles City team, as well as really close duals with Livingston and Central, before ending the tourney with a win over Glendive.

Individually, the doubles teams of Grace Crantz and Courtney Burchard, Cat Kaftan and Mylee Shennum and Ralph and Claudia Ucin won a ton of matches for the Ponies, while Rayna Johnson had a strong showing at No. 1 singles.

"Rayna played really good," Ferguson said. "This is her second year playing No. 1 and you can just see the improvement. She's so much better, and she's so much more confident. Now, she's really battling all these No. 1s each week, and she's going to keep getting better along the way. So it's really fun to see her progress.

"And that's really the entire girls team," Ferguson said. "They are just getting better and better. It doesn't always show in the final scores of these matches, but I see it every day, and I saw it again in Hardin. So I'm really proud of how those kids all played this weekend."

Now Havre gets to turn around and do it again. The Ponies will get three matches Tuesday in Great Falls, with GFCC in the morning and CMR and GFH in the afternoon.

"We have to take advantage of those duals for sure," Ferguson said. "We can't afford any steps back. The weather is fighting us, and there's probably more cancellations ahead, so when we get on the court, we have to make the most out of it. That's a huge goal, just to take advantage of every opportunity to get better. The kids did that in Hardin, and we need to do it again on Tuesday."

Hardin Invitational

FRIDAY

BOYS

Have 6, Hardin 1

Singles

Currie, HAV def. Noteboom, H, 8-2; Blankenship, H def. Hall, HAV, 8-3; Huse, HAV def. Reisig, H, 8-4; Stoner, HAV def. Whiteman, H, 8-4.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Mewhling/Boyuer, H, 8-5; Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Wells/Boyer, H, 8-2; Gary/Kato, HAV def. Baker/Billin, H, 8-2.

Havre 5, Glendive 2

Singles

Currie, HAV def. Staiger, G, 8-0; Jacobson, G def. Hall, HAV, 8-0; Amsler, G def. Huse, HAV, 8-2; Stoner, HAV. def. Carney, G, 8-4.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Li/Jarvis, G, 8-5; Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Dejaye/Bogar, G, 8-0; Gary/Kato, HAV def. Ryan/Joliff, G, 8-2.

Havre 5, Livingston 2

Singles

Currie, HAV def. Durgan, L, 8-0; Hall, HAV def. Favor, L, 6-0; Huse, HAV def. Bekedam, L, 8-3; Stoner, HAV won in exhibition, 6-5 (2)

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Shpardson/Jergenson, L, 8-2; Beitel/Dunn, L def. Peterson/Spangler, HAV, 8-6; Fredrickson/Jergenson, L def. Gary/Kato, HAV, 8-1.

GIRLS

Hardin 5, Havre 2

Singles

Don't Mix, H def. Johnson, HAV, 8-4; Guptil, H def. Greenwood, HAV, 8-1; Siemon, H def. Leinwand, HAV, 8-2; Kaline, H def. Kinsella, HAV, 8-3.

Doubles

Schubert/Black Eagle, H def. Crantz/Burchard, HAV, 8-2; Shennum/Kaftan, HAV def. Limberhand/Limberhand, HAR, 8-6; Ucin/Ralph, HAV def. Ramos/Sees The Ground, H, 8-1.

Baker 4, Havre 3

Singles

Setnic, B def. Johnson, HAV, 8-3; Gaub, B def. Greenwood, HAV, 8-0; Moore, B def. Leinwand, HAV, 8-1; Dietz, B def. Kinsella, HAV, 8-2.

Doubles

Crantz/Burchard, HAV def. Janz/Duke, B, 8-3; Shennum/Kaftan won by FFT; Ucin/Ralph, HAV def. Hadley/Hadley, B, 8-2.

Miles City 6, Havre 1

Singles

Coffin, MC def. Johnson, HAV, 8-2; Ponessa, MC def. Greenwood, HAV, 8-0; Rapson, MC def. Leinwand, HAV, 8-0; Watts, MC def. KInsella, 8-2.

Doubles

Crantz/Burchard, HAV def. Smith/Barlog, MC, 8-7 (8); Williams/Dickman, MC def. Shennum/Kaftan, HAV, 6-4; Doran/Brummer, MC def., Ucin/Ralph, HAV, 6-1.

SATURDAY

BOYS

Billings Central 5, Havre 2

Singles

Currie, HAV def. Giamatta, BC, 8-1; Jagodiznki, BC def. Hall, HAV, 8-0; Schreiber, BC def. Huse, HAV, 8-2; Coleman, BC def. Stoner, HAV, 8-0.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Newbury/Peterman, BC, 8-2; Puetz/Hanser, BC def. Peterson/Spangler, HAV, 8-7 (0); Johnson/Ford, BC def. Kato/Gary, HAV, 8-5.

Miles City 4, Havre 3

Singles

Polesky, MC def. Josh Currie, HAV, 8-5; Lang, MC def. Hall, HAV, 8-2; Lang, MC def. Huse, HAV, 8-6; Holman, MC def. Stoner, HAV, 8-7 (2).

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Larson/Hostman, MC, 8-7 (4); Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Lee/Munoz, MC, 8-6; Gary/Kato, HAV def. Polesky/Schieffert, MC, 8-4.

GIRLS

Livingston 4, Havre 3

Singles

Cajune, L def. Johnson, HAV, 8-4; Lancelle, L def. Greenwood, HAV, 8-3; Davis, L def. Leinwand, L, 8-3; Kinsella, HAV def. Brige, L, 8-3.

Doubles

Chambers/Cocotos, L def. Crantz/Burchard, HASV, 8-6; Kaftan/Shennum, HAV def. Fredrickson/Tucillo, L, 8-6; Ucin/Ralph, HAV def. Mitchum/Peterson, L, 8-2.

Billings Central 5, Havre 2

Singles

Johnson, HAV def. Nelson, BC, 8-2; Reck, BC def. Greenwood, HAV, 8-2; Scmitt, BC def. Leinwand, HAV, 8-4; Macintyre, BC def. Kinsella, HAV, 8-1.

Doubles

Beck/Horton, BC def. Crantz/Burchard, HAV, 8-3; Moore/Schaak, BC def. Kaftan/Shennum, HAV, 8-6; Ucin/Ralph, HAV def. Newbury/Herold, BC, 8-3.

Havre 4, Glendive 3

Singles

Prioli, G def. Johnson, HAV, 6-2; Crantz, HAV def. Coon, G, 6-1; Burchard, HAV def. Nissley, G, 6-1; Price, G def. Kinsella, HAV, 6-2.

Doubles

Tipton/Steinbron, G def. Kaftan/Shennum, HAV, 6-4; Ucin/Ralph, HAV def. Olmstead/Snideman, G, 6-5 (4); Leinwand/Greewnood, HAV def. Knoll/Yarde, G, 6-5 (3).