Havre track looks to end season strong at state

After a solid finish at the Eastern A Divisional Track meet last weekend, the Havre High track and field teams are looking to build off that success. This weekend, the Blue Ponies will end the season as they will compete in the Class AA-A State Meet in Butte. As they head into their last meet of the spring, HHS head coach Kari Filius hopes to see her athletes end things on a strong note.

"My expectations are for everybody to go and compete as hard as they can, whether it's to place, PR, top 10 or make it to the finals," Filius said. "We've been improving every week and I see that staying the same. We're just competitors and I just see a good end for us."

With this being the state meet, the Ponies will compete against the best athletes from across the state. At this weekend's meet, Havre will compete against Livingston, Sidney, Hamilton, Glendive, Laurel, Libby, Columbia Falls, Ronan, Whitefish, Frenchtown, Stevensville, Lewistown, Hardin, Corvallis, Dillon, Miles City and Billings Central. Heading into state, Filius expects schools such as Laurel, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Corvallis and Dillon to be the Ponies' toughest competition.

If the Ponies want to compete against these other schools, they will need their best athletes to perform well to end the season. Filius expects Caleb Tomac to run well in the long-distance runs this weekend after doing well at divisionals. This past weekend, Tomac took first in the 1,600-meter dash with a time of 4:33.06 and he finished first in the 3,200 with a time of 10:05.28. He also qualified for state in the 800, so Filius believes he has a shot to do well this weekend.

"I expect him to place and I expect him to do well and I'm sure he does too," Filius said.

Several other athletes qualified for state on the HHS boys team. Riley Pleninger placed fourth in the pole vault with a height of 12-06 at divisionals. Kale VanCampen qualified for state after taking fifth in the triple jump with a distance of 41-06.5.

The HHS boys also qualified in both relay events. In the 1,600 relay, the team of Pleninger, Tate Nelson, Shane Patacsil and Trayden 'Hollywood' Riley took second at divisionals with a time of 3:35.84. In the 400 relay, the team of Patacsil, Brisbin Reiter, Carson Harris and Brayden Kimberling are coming off a fourth-place finish at divisionals with a time of 45.84.

Orion Thivierge will also head to state after taking seventh in the triple jump at divisionals. Kimberling also qualified for this weekend's 100 and Riley took eighth in the 400 at divisionals to qualify for state. Brody Henry will also head to state as an alternate for the Ponies.

The HHS girls team will have several athletes at state this weekend. Filius expects Kaydance Reiter to do well this weekend after a strong showing at divisionals. This past weekend, Reiter took first in the 100 with a time of 12.80 and she finished first in the 200 with a time of 26.71.

Kyanna Jarvis is also coming off a strong performance in the 100-meter hurdles and the high jump at divisionals. She took second in the hurdles with a time of 16.66 and she finished third in the high jump with a height of 5-00.

Hailey Gingery will look to do well in the long-distance runs to end the season. At divisionals, she took sixth in both the 800 and the 1,600 with a time of 2:28.00 in the 800 and a time of 5:40.44 in the 1,600. Sadie Filius will head to state after qualifying for the 100-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles at divisionals. This past weekend, she finished fourth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 50.80 and she took sixth in the 100 hurdles with a time of 17.52. Macee May qualified for state after taking third in the triple jump with a distance of 34-00.5 at divisionals.

Coach Filius expects the HHS girls to finish the season strong in the relay events. In the 1,600 relay, the team of Sadie Filius, Gingery, Jarvis and Reiter came off a second-place finish at divisionals with a time of 4:18.76. In the 400 relay, the team of Reiter, May, Jarvis and Filius took third at divisionals with a time of 52.67.

Many other Ponies will head to state this weekend. Emma Gillen will compete in the 100-meter hurdles after taking eighth at divisionals. This weekend, Clara Laird will compete in the javelin and Taylor Leeds will compete in the pole vault for the Ponies. Chloe Shennum and Emily Leeds will also head to state as alternates.

The Ponies will compete against the best athletes in the state. While she hopes her athletes can do well and place high this weekend, Coach Filius would be happy to see her athletes compete hard against the tough competition and continue to build the program.

"If they don't place, they can see how close they are and what they need to focus on for next year and in the offseason," Filius said. "I hope that they have fun and do as well as they can and end on a good note."

The Class AA-A State Meet will began Thursday and will run through Saturday in Butte.