HHS golf teams wrap up the regular season with tough courses

What a better way to go into the postseason than to play two tough courses. That's exactly what the Havre High golf teams did last week.

The Blue Ponies finished the regular season with the Billings Central Invitational last Thursday and the Laurel Invite last Friday, and HHS head coach George Ferguson said, regardless of scores, his Ponies achieved what they set out to do.

"We wanted to use these 36 holes to prepare for divisionals," Ferguson said. "We were challenged on two very difficult courses, and against really good competition, and that's what we needed. We had some very specific things we focused on those two days, and I thought our kids did a great job of that. I was very proud of their efforts for sure."

The Havre girls had one of their best stretches of the season. The Ponies finished third amongst the entire Easter A in Billings last Thursday, scoring a season-best 417. Shea Reber shot an outstanding 95, which put her in eighth place, while Cali Pyrak came in at 107, Brenna Hanson had a 100 in her first varsity tournament, Tierra Parker shot 115 and Mackenzie Kuhn added a 120. The Ponies also finished third the following day in Laurel. Reber posted another Top 10 with a 102, while Parker finished 19th with a 111. Hanson shot 113, Pyrak 119 and Kuhn 122 on the very tough Laurel track.

"Our girls played so great," Ferguson said. "Whether their scores were what they were aiming for or not, I couldn't have been happier with the way they went out there and handled those two courses this weekend. They are peaking at the perfect time, and I'm so excited to see how they do at divisionals."

The Pony boys meanwhile, shot identical 367 scores Thursday and Friday. In Billings, Havre got an 88 from Shane Patacsil and an 89 from Matt Huse, while Reid Kato shot 91 and Tanner Delarosa shot 99. Noah Barrett added a 102 in his first varsity tournament. While Havre struggled Thursday, the Ponies moved up four spots against the same field on Friday, finishing fifth. Huse led the way with an 88, while Patacsil shot 89. Kato finished at 91, while Delarosa shot 99 and Barrett finished at 100.

"Our boys didn't play as well as they were hoping to," Ferguson said. "But what was really encouraging is how we played so much better on Friday, and that's on the harder of the two courses. Our boys have a lot of potential. It showed in Laurel. They just have to put it all together at the same time."

Havre will now look to put it all together in the most important 18 holes of the season. The Ponies return to Billings for Friday's Eastern A at Lake Hills. The top four teams and 28 boys and girls advance to the following week's Class A state tournament in Hamilton.