Pony tennis teams get the court time they needed at Mayfair Invitational

The Havre High tennis teams will soon be heading to the Northeast A Divisional Tournament where everything will be on the line. Until that weekend comes however, the Ponies will continue their march forward, just trying to get better.

And that's what they did last weekend at the Mayfair Invitational in Billings.

Against top Class A competition, the Havre girls 3-2 in duals, while the Blue Ponies boys went 4-1 overall.

"I thought we saw a little bit of everything in Billings," HHS head coach George Ferguson said. "We played a ton of close, competitive matches. We got a lot of time on the courts in all conditions and against a lot of different styles. So I thought we got a lot out of this tournament, and that's why it's one of the best meets we go to all year. The kids made the most out of the two days, just trying to improve, because that's still our top priority."

Ferguson noted that the HHS girls definitely improved. Havre beat Glendive 5-1 and lost to Hardin 6-1 Friday, but the Ponies then scored big wins over Livingston, 4-3, and Sheridan, Wyoming, 5-1 Saturday, also falling to host Billings Central 5-2.

The Ponies got a strong performance from Rayna Johnson at No. 1 singles, while Chloe Bricker, Tonya Ralph and Lindsey Leinwand all won in singles as well, as did the duos of Grace Crantz and Courtney Burchard, Lacy Preeshl and Claudia Ucin and Cat Kaftan and Mylee Shennum in doubles.

"The girls played great," Ferguson said. "I thought they made another big jump forward. I thought Rayna Johnson played outstanding tennis at the No. 1 singles spot for us. It's so tough in that spot, and she played great. I think our girls had a big weekend, no matter the scores, I thought they all played some of their best tennis yet."

The Havre boys won plenty of matches as well. The Ponies started the meet with a 5-2 victory over Glendive, and a 4-3 win over Hardin Friday. Saturday saw Havre beat Livingston 6-1 and Sheridan 6-1 but fall to the Rams 6-1.

Individually, Josh Currie again stood out as he went 3-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles, pairing once with Trenton Maloughney and another with Theron Peterson, who also teamed with Carter Spangler for some big doubles wins. Jared Rosgaard, Gavin Hall and Reid Kato also won in singles, while Ferguson said the play of Collin Miller and Conner McKay at No. 3 doubles really stood out.

"Overall, I don't think we can say we played our best tennis on the boys side," Ferguson said. "I think Conner and Collin and Theron and Carter had some really good moments in doubles, and I really thought Jared and Gavin did a great job, and Currie, well he just continues to be really good. But our boys also weren;'t as sharp as they were against Polson Monday. So we have to clean that up. It's too close to divisionals to be taking steps back. So we really gotta work on being much more focused and energetic this week."

Havre will now head to the Fergus Invite Friday in Lewistown and the Miles City Invite Saturday.

MAYFAIR INVITATIONAL

GIRLS

Hardin 5, Havre 1

Singles: Taiya Gaptill (Hardin) def. Rayna Johnson 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; Riqe Simeon (Hardin) def. Tonya Ralph 6-4, 7-5; Violet Ramos (Hardin) def. Lindsay Leinwand 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) (10-4).

Doubles: Avery Schubert/Ocilly Black Eagle def. Grace Crantz/Courtney Barehard 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) (10-5); Lacy Preeshl/Claudia Vein (Havre) def. Betty Limberhand/Johanna Limberhand 6-3, 7-5 (10-3); Taryn Kaline/Valerie Vizcarra (Hardin) def. Cat Kaftan/Mylee Shennum 6-4, 6-3 (10-8).

Havre 4, Livingston 3

Singles: Elsa Cajune (Park) def. Rayna Johnson 6-4, 6-3; Louisa Lancelle (Park) def. Chloe Bricker 7-5, 6-3; Tonya Ralph (H) def. Analeece Fredrickson 6-3, 7-5; Lindsay Leinward (H) def. Kepler Jacobik 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles: Tess Cocotes/Debbie Chambers (Park) def. Grace Grantz/Courtney Burchard 6-3, 6-2; Claudia Voin/Lacy Preeshl (H) def. Haley Toccillo/Maddy Gonzalez 7-5, 6-4; Cat Kaftan/Mylee Shennum (Havre) def. Pavani Mitchum/Kylie Birge 6-2, 6-2.

Billings Central 5, Havre 2

Singles: Evelyn Nelson (BC) def. Rayna Johnson 6-4, 7-5; Evie Reck (BC) def. Chloe Bricker 6-2, 6-3; Tanya Ralph (H) def. Caitlin MacIntyre 4-6, 6-4, 1-0(6); Chanel Henning (BC) def. Lindsay Liendwand 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles: Zi'Onna Leikam-Morton/Loree Reck (BC) def. Grace Crantz/Courtney Burchard 6-3, 6-2; Billie Cate Schmitt/Halzey Ryan (BC) def. Lacy Preeshl/Claudia Ucin 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(8); Mylee Shennum/Cat Kaftan (H) def. Ava Schaak/Natalie Newbury 7-6 (6), 6-3.

Havre 5, Sheridan 1

Singles: Brooke Alexander (S) def. Rayna Johnson 6-4, 5-7, 10-5; Chloe Bricker (H) def. Sydni McArthur 6-2, 6-2; Tonya Ralph (H) def. Brielle Schastean 6-2, 6-3; Lindsay Leinward (H) def. Josie Walton 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles: Grace Grantz/Courtney Burchard (H) def. Charlize Gonda/Katelyn Reckard 6-2, 6-3; Cat Kaftan/Mylee Shennum (H) def. Brielle Schasteen/Josie Walton 6-2, 6-4. Ucin/Preeshl won in exhibition.

Havre 5, Glendive 1

Singles: Rayna Johnson (Havre) def. Carolina Proli 6-3, 3-6 (11-9); Chloe Bricker (Havre) def. Ramey Coon 6-4, 6-4; Tonya Ralph (Havre) def. Milia Ludio 7-5, 7-6 (8-6); Sage Sportsmans (G) def. Lindey Leinward 7-5, 5-7 (10-4).

Doubles: Claudia Vein/Lacy Preeshl (Havre) def. Kadence Nissley/Jessica Price 6-4, 6-2; Cat Kaftan/Mylee Shennum (Havre) def. Keshia Ylarde/Piper Knoll 6-3, 6-3.

BOYS

Havre 4, Hardin 3

Singles: Josh Currie, (Havre) def. Jameson Noteboom (HAR), 6-3, 6-2; Brock Boyer (HAR) def. Jared Rosgaard (Havre) 6-2, 6-2; Jack Baker (HAR) def. Kendall Pleninger (Havre)6-3, 4-6, 10-4; Gavin Hall (Havre) def. Kevin Whiteman (HAR), 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles: Mehling/Blankenship (HAR) def. Maloughney/Spangler (Havre), 6-4, 6-4; Peterson/Spangler (Havre) def. Wells/Boyer (HAR), 6-3, 6-4; Miller/McKay (Havre) def. Ottoman/Jefferson (Hardin), 6-2, 6-2.

Havre 5, Glendive 2

Singles: Carson Staiger (G) def. Caleb Spangler (Havre), 6-2, 6-3; Jared Rosgaard (Havre) def. Jay Li (G), 7-5, 7-5; Carter Amsler (G) def. Collin Miller (Havre), 6-4, 6-2; Gavin Hall (Havre) def. Dylan Jeliff (G), 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles: Spangler/Peterson (Havre) def. Jacobson/Jarvis (G), 7-5, 6-3; Maloughney/Currie, (Havre) def. Bogar/Jeliff (G), 6-2, 6-2; Kato/McKay (Havre) def. Ryan/Wade (G) 7-5, 6-2.

Havre 6, Livingston 1

Singles: Josh Currie (Havre) def. Sheperdson (L), 6-3, 6-2; Jared Rosgaard (Havre) def. Durgan (L), 6-4, 6-3; Jergeson (L) def. Kendall Pleninger (Havre), 6-2, 7-5; Reid Kato (Havre) def. Tovar (L)6-3, 6-4.

Doubles: Maloughney/Spangler (Havre) def. Dunn/Jergenson (L), 4-6, 6-3, 10-5; Peterson/Spangler (Havre) def. Jergenson/Britel (L), 7-6 (8), 6-3; Miller/McKay (Havre) def. Tovar/Beckdam (L), 6-2. 6-2.

Billings Central 6, Havre 1

Singles: Josh Currie (Havre) def. Kyle Schreiber (BC), 6-2, 6-2; Hank Jagadinzki (BC) def. Gavin Hall (Havre) 6-2, 6-2; Jasonn Coleman (BC) def. Kendall Pleninger (Havre) 6-3, 6-4; Filipo Caperasa (BC) def. Reid Kato (Havre) 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles: Newbury/Peterman (BC) def. Maloughney/Spangler (Havre), 6-3, 6-4; Giamatta/Puetz (BC) def. Peterson/Spangler, (Havre), 6-2, 4-6, 10-4; Hanser/Johnson (BC) def. Miller/McKay (Havre), 7-6 (4), 7-5.

Havre 6, Sheridan 1

Singles: Carter Spangler (Havre) won by fft, lost to Schreiber (BC), 7-6 (2) in an exhibition); Gavin Hall (Havre) won by fft, lost to Caporoso (BC), 6-2, 7-6 (6); Aiden Sorenson (S) def. Kendall Pleninger (Havre), 6-4, 3-6, 10-5; Reid Kato (Havre) def. Cody Moller (S), 6-4, 7-6 (4).

Doubles: Maloughney/Spangler (Havre) won by fft def. Jergenson/Dunn (L), 4-6, 6-4 14-12; Peterson/Currie (Havre) won by fft def. Peterman/Newbury (BC) 8-6 in an exhibition; Miller/McKay (Havre) def. Bergamn/Brennan (S), 6-2, 6-2.