Pony tennis teams handle adversity in Glendive

Forced to move things up for the second week in a row due to weather, the Havre High tennis teams had a long road trip to Glendive. But, with the regular season winding down, the Blue Pony netters were up to the challenge.

Last Thursday and Friday, Havre competed in the Elks Invitational in Glendive, where the HHS boys went 5-1 in duals, while the Pony girls tallied a record of two wins, a tie and three losses.

But, records and scores weren't the focus of veteran HHS head coach George Ferguson. Instead, he saw the meet as a critical one to the development of his teams as the postseason approaches.

"This is the point in the season that is kind of the second turning point," Ferguson said. "The Glendive meet is one I really like to use to gauge how fast we're progressing, and I really liked what I saw from our kids. They played better than they did last week, whether it was in wins or losses. We were better and doing all the things we're working on right. Plus, once again, we faced a ton of adversity with the scheduling changes, the long trip and the tough weather Friday, and once again, our kids handled it all so well. They did a great job."

The Pony boys battled their Northeast and Southeast A rivals, with wins over Glendive, Lewistown and Hardin Thursday, as well as defeats of Hardin, Glendive, Miles City and Billings Central Friday.

Individually, the doubles teams of Trenton Maloughney and Caleb Spangler and Carter Spangler and Theron Peterson led the way, as did Josh Currie in singles. But everybody on the Havre roster contributed with victories from Trey Gary and Reid Kato, Collin Miller and Conner McKay and Gavin Hall and Kendall Pleninger in doubles, as well as a strong performance from senior Jared Rosgaard in singles.

"Our boys had some great battles this week," Ferguson said. "A lot of close matches. A lot of 'em went our way. Some didn't. But either way, we need that stiff competition right now, and our kids did a great job. They're playing well. Now we just need to keep moving forward in practice so that we're even better the next time we step on the court."

Havre's girls also made big strides in Glendive. On Thursday, Havre had great duals with Glendive, Lewistown, Hardin and Billings Central, as well as Glendive, Hardin and Central again Friday.

Rayna Johnson was big at the No. 1 singles spot for the Ponies, while Grace Crantz and Courtney Burchard led the doubles efforts. But Havre also got victories from Chloe Bricker in singles, Claudia Ucin and Lacy Preeshl and Cat Kaftan and Mylee Shennum in doubles. And, Ferguson noted how proud he was of the young doubles team of Kylie Greenwood and Tony Ralph who went 6-1 on the weekend.

"The girls played really well," Ferguson said. "So may intense, close matches. The girls showed a ton of fight. We played in so many third sets. I was just really proud of how hard the girls fought every match. They really showed me a lot this weekend. They were great."

And Havre's busy schedule and chances to improve are far from done. The Ponies played Polson today in a Class A dual, then will head to the Mayfair Invitational this coming weekend in Billings.

"Time is really ticking away on our season," Ferguson said. "Divisionals is just two weeks away now. So the goal this week is just to continue to get better, to keep improving. We just need to keep grinding. But I'm so proud of all the kids who went to Glendive. They did an awesome job. Our teams are really playing well, and they're so much fun to coach."

THURSDAY

BOYS

Havre 4, Lewistown 0

Singles

Gavin Hall, HAV def. LePage, L, 6-4, 6-4; Kendall Pleninger, HAV def. Day, L, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles

Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Hoots/Ricks, L, 6-3, 6-2; Miller/McKay, HAV def. Honeycxutt/Petzack, L, 6-2, 6-2.

Havre 3, Miles City 3

Singles

Dalton Polesky, MC def. Josh Currie, HAV, 6-4, 6-3; Charlie Lang, MC def. Jared Rosgaard, HAV, 6-2, 4-6, 7-2.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Larson/Samson, MC, 6-4, 7-5; Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Lee/Munoz, MC, 7-5, 6-4; Lang/Holman, MC def. Kato/Gary, HAV, 6-3, 4-6, 7-4; Miller/McKay, HAV def. Polseky/Sheiffert, MC, 7-5, 5-7, 7-3.

Havre 4, Hardin 2

Singles

Josh Currie, HAV def. Jameson Noteboom, HAR, 6-2, 6-3; Brock Boyer, HAR def. Jared Rosgaard, HAV, 6-4, 7-5.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Blankenship/Mehling, HAR, 6-2, 6-3; Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Wells/Boyer, HAR, 6-3, 7-6 (5); Reisig/Straight, HAR def. Kato/Gary, HAV, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5; Pleninger/Hall, HAV def. Baker/Whiteman, HAR, 6-4, 6-2.

Havre 5, Glendive 1

Singles

Josh Currie, HAV def. Carson Staiger, G,m 7-5, 6-2; Jay Li, G def. Jared Rosgaard, HAV, 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Jacobson/Jarvis, G, 7-6 (8), 6-2; Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Amsler/Bogar, G, 4-6, 7-5, 7-1; Kato/Gary, HAV def. Kasson/Schiff, G, 6-2, 6-2; Miller/McKay, HAV def. Ryan/Wade, G, 6-2, 6-2.

GIRLS

Glendive 4, Havre 2

Singles

Rayna Johnson, HAV def. Coon, G, 6-2, 6-2; Lucido, G def. Chloe Bricker, HAV, 6-4, 7-5.

Doubles

Tipton/Steinbron, G def. Crantz/Burchard, HAV, 7-5, 7-5; Nissley/Price, G def. Preeshl/Ucin, HAV, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5; Knoll/Yarde, G def. Shennum/Kaftan, HAV, 7-5, 6-4; Greenwood/Ralph, HAV def. Carly/Anglez, G, 6-4, 3-6, 7-2.

Billings Central 4, Havre 2

Singles

Nelson, BC def. Rayna Johnson, HAV, 7-5, 6-4; Reck, BC def. Chloe Bricker, HAV, 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles

Morton/Shaack, BC def. Crantz/Burchard, HAV, 6-2, 7-6 (5); Schmitt/Moore, BC def., Ucin/Preeshl, HAV, 7-5, 6-2; Kaftan/Shennum, HAV def. Newbury/MacIntyre, BC, 6-4, 6-4; Greenwood/Ralph, HAV, Herald/Ryan, BC, 6-4, 6-3.

Hardin 5, Havre 1

Singles

Guptil, HAR def. Rayna Johnson, HAV, 6-2, 6-2; Simeon, HAR def. Chloe Bricker, HAV, 4-6, 6-3, 7-3.

Doubles

Schubeert/Blackeagle, HAR def. Crantz/Burchard, HAV, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6; Don't Mix/Kaline, HAR def. Kaftan/Shennum, HAV, 6-7 (8), 7-5, 7-5; Limberhand/Limberhand, HAR def. Ucin/Preeshl, HAV, 4-6, 6-2, 7-2; Greenwood/Ralph, HAV def. Ramos/Vizcara, HAR, 6-4, 6-2.

Havre 3, Lewistown 3

Singles

Rutten, L def. Rayna Johnson, HAV, 6-3, 6-4; Grace Crantz, HAV def. Stephens, L, 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles

Breidenbach/Plagens, L def. Burchard/Bricker, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5; Mecklenburg/Mason, L def. Kaftan/Shennum, HAV, 6-4, 6-3; Ucin/Preeshl, HAV def. Fulbright/Amenson, L, 6-2, 6-4; Greenwood/Ralph, HAV def. Car/Vanderbeek, L, 6-4, 6-4.

FRIDAY

BOYS

Havre 6, Billings Central 1

Singles

Josh Cuurrie, HAV def. Matt N. BC, 6-3, 6-3; Jared Rosgaard, HAV def. Hank J., 3-6, 7-6 (8), 7-5.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Karl/Gabbo, BC, 4-6, 6-4, 7-3; Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Braydon/Kyle, BC, 6-3, 7-6 (1); Kato/Gary, HAV def. Russell/Isaac, BC, 7-5, 7-5; Miller/McKay, HAV def. Bogar/Nelson, BC, 6-3.

Miles City 4, Havre 2

Singles

Josh Currie, HAV def. Lang, MC, 6-2, 6-2; C.J. Lang, MC def. Jared Rosgaard, HAV, 7-5, 7-5.

Doubles

Larson/Samson, MC def. Peterson/Spangler, HAV, 6-2, 4-6, 7-0; POlseky/Holmen, MC def. Maloughney/Spangler, HAV, 7-5, 6-4; Lee/Munoz, MC def. Gary/Kato, HAV, 6-4, 6-2;

Havre 6, Glendive 0

Singles

Josh Currie, HAV def. Carson Staiger, G, 6-3, 6-3; Jared Rosgaard, HAV def. Ryan Carney, G, 6-4, 6-3.

Doubles

Maloughney/Spangler, HAV def. Jacobson/Jarvis, G, 7-5, 3-6, 7-2; Peterson/Spangler, HAV def. Bogar/Iverson, G, 6-3, 6-3; Gary/Kato, HAV def. Kassan/Desaye, G, 7-5, 7-5; Miller/McKay, HAV def. Straight/Wilderman, G, 6-4, 6-3.

GIRLS

Havre 3, Glendive 3

Singles

Rayna Johnson, HAV def. Nissley, G, 6-4, 6-2; Chloe Bricker, HAV def. Yarde, G, 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles

Tipton/Steinbron, G def. Crantz/Burchard, HAV, 6-4, 6-4; Preeshl/Ucin, G def. Knoll/Price, G, 6-3, 6-4; Coon/Lucido, G def. Kaftan/Shennum, HAV, 6-4, 6-2; Zubnaress/Olmstead, G def. Greenwoopd/Ralph, HAV, 6-4, 6-4.

Havre 4, Hardin 2

Singles

Rayna Johnson, HAV def. Simeon, HAR, 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles

Crantz/Burchard, HAV def. Guptil/Blackeagle, HAR, 6-3, 4-6, 7-4; Don't Mix/Schubert, HAR def. Preeshl/Ucin, HAV, 7-5, 6-2; Kaftan/Shennum, HAV def. Limberhand/Vizum, HAR, 7-6 (8), 2-6 , 7-3; Greenwood/Ralph, HAV def. Limberhand/Ravens, HAR, 6-4,. 6-3.

Billings Central 4, Havre 2

Singles

Reck,. BC def. Rayna Johnson, HAV, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles

Nelson/Morton, BC def. Crantz/Burchard, HAV, 6-3., 6-4; Moore/Schmitt, BC def. Ucin/Preeshl, HAV, 6-4, 6-4; Kaftan/Shennum, HAV def. Scheeck/Newbury, BC, 2-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5; Greenwood/Ralph, HAV def. Twitchel/Ryan, BC, 6-4, 6-2.