HAPPY HOME COURSE

It's been a hot start to the 2022 golf season for the Havre Blue Ponies. And they especially enjoyed some home cooking on Thursday.

At both Prairie Farms Golf Course and Beaver Creek Golf Course, the Blue Ponies battled Lewistown, Browning, Great Falls High and CMR in the 2022 Havre Invite, and after starting the season in Lewistown Wednesday, the Ponies, and HHS head coach George Ferguson, were excited about the progress they made in less than 24 hours.

"We had a great Havre Invite," Ferguson said. "The kids posted a lot of really good scores, and it was a short turnaround from a long day in Lewistown. So I was really proud of the way the kids came back ready to go, and with how much they improved in one day."

Knowing the course certainly helped, and it paid off for Blue Pony sophomore Matt Huse, who fired a career-best 79 to tie for first place in the boys varsity meet. While the Ponies finished second to Lewistown for the second straight day, they saw vast improvements in their scores, as senior Lane Kinsella shot 85 and Ethan Stortz carded an 89 to help the Ponies beat out CMR, GFH and Browning, and close the gap on the powerful Eagles. Shane Patacsil rounded out the scoring for HHS with a 96.

"Our boys team battled back really well," Ferguson said. "They had kind of a tough start in Lewistown, but wow, they came back to their home course and really played some good golf. I liked what I saw from them Thursday. And Prairie Farms is a tough track, so they know, if they can do it there, they can do it anywhere, and so that's something we can build off of."

The Ponies also got some outstanding scores from its second team at Prairie Farms, led by Jevy Jekins' 90. In the JV meet at BCGC, Tanner DelaRosa posted a 94 for a Top 5 finish as well.

On the girls side, Havre was edged out by Lewistown and CMR, but Blue Pony junior Shea Reber finished in third place with a 98, while Calista Pyrak and Tierra Parker played well, each shooting 111. Senior Mackenzie Kuhn rounded out the official scoring for the Ponies with a 118.

"Our girls are really improving quickly," coach Ferguson said. "No matter their scores, I just sense they have so much more confidence this season, and that's fun to see. Shea Reber had a great day again for us, and I think all of our girls played some really solid golf, and I really like where they're heading."

In the JV meet at BCGC, Havre got Top-five finishes from Brenna Hanson, Alexa LaBrie and Liliana Smith.

And while it was just the first two tournaments of the season, with the Ponies also finishing second to Lewistown in both boys and girls Wednesday at Pine Meadows, Ferguson said his teams are off to a great start, especially after a special Havre Invite.

"It was a great day all the way around," Ferguson said. "We take a lot of pride in our home meet and our program and our school, and our kids did a great job of representing that. And they played some great golf at both courses. So I couldn't be happier with how everything went Thursday. And with two tournaments under our belt, I can't wait to keep going now. I can't wait to see how all these awesome kids do this year and to see how this season is going to unfold. It's going to be a blast."

The Havre varsity campaign continues today when the Ponies compete in the Browning Invitational at Marias Valley in Shelby. Havre also attends another Browning tournament next Saturday in East Glacier.

Havre Invitational

At Prairie Farms

BOYS

Team Scores: Lewistown 327, Havre 349, GFH 380; CMR 384; Browning 403

Top 5

1. Landon Guglielmo, LEW, 79;; 2. Matt Huse, HAV, 79; 3. Fischer Brown, LEW, 81; Carter Wichman, LEW, 81; 5. Francis Ground, BRW, 84;

Havre

Shane Patacsil 96; Matt Huse 79; Lane Kinsella 85; Quinn Elliot 100; Ethan Stortz 89.

Lewistown

Carter Wichman 81; Carson Barta 86; Landon Guglielmo 79; Fischer Brown 81; Liam Cartron 93.

CMR

Mark Sondegaard 97; Ayden Platt 89; Mason Walter 99; Austin Russo 110; Dominick Tuss 99.

GFH

Landon Donnelly 86; Kyle Scott 106; Eric Bell 88; Treyton Lee 100; Kaden Buchanen 112.

Browning

Isaac Flammond 87; Francis Ground 84; J.P. Bird Rattler 113; Shandon Wagner 122; Jaylon Aimsback 119.

Havre JV

Carter Spangler 92; Reid Kato 96; Jevin Jenkins 90; Callen Stoner 94; Dylan Kuhn 104; Noah Barrett 104.

GIRLS

Team Scores: Lewistown 409, CMR 434; Havre 438; GFH NS; Browning NS

Top 5

1. Kenzie Guglielmo, LEW, 86; 2. Olivia Martello, CMR 97; 3. Shea Reber, HAV, 98; 4. Brook Behl, LEW, 99; 5. Taylor Thompson, CMR, 101

Havre

Shea Reber 98; Callie Bebee 122; Calista Pyrak 111; Tierra Parker 111; Mackenzie Kuhn 118.

CMR

Olivia Martello 97; Taylor Thompson 101; Danic a Lewis 107; Finley Durocher 129.

Lewistown

Kenzie Guglielmo 86; Brook Behl 99; Lexi Breidenbach 111; Anna Gremaux 113; Kylie Moline 119.

GFH

Miceala Shannon 141; Fara Hayes 139.

Browning

Brooke Blue 103.

Havre JV

Chloe Bricker 134; Courtney Burchard 140; Sophie Drew 128; Hannah Gingery 133.

Havre Invite JV at BCGC

Havre Boys White Team: 470

Tanner DelaRosa, 94 (4th Place); Sylas Belcourt 107; Aden Nitz 162; Daniel Tilleman 107.

Havre Boys Blue Team: 471

Chason Mader124; Brady Kueffler 122; Cory Kueffler 114; Mason Kinsella 111

Havre Boys Black Team: 504

Kole VanCampen 123; Kenny Shellenberger 110; Carter Chagnon 140; Cash Schubert 131.

Havre Girls

Alexa LaBrie 141 (3rd Place); Brenna Hanson 125 (2nd Place); Cadence Kallenberger 166; Liliana Smith 146 (4th Place); Lyvia Little 155.

Fergus Invite

Wednesday

Havre Boys: 385

Shane Patacsil 98; Matt Huse 95; Lane Kinsella 118; Quinn Elliot 101; Ethan Stortz 91.

Havre JV Boys

Carter Spangler 110; Reid Kato 102; Jevin Jenkins 94; Callen Stoner 107; Dylan Kuhn 112; Noah Barrett 195.

Havre Girls: 473

Shea Reber 106 (4th Place); Callie Bebee 115; Tierra Parker 120; Mackenzie Kuhn 132.

Havre JV Girls

Chloe Bricker 130; Sophie Drew 144; Hannah Gungery 152.