Blue Ponies host Havre Mixer to start the year

The Havre High wrestling teams are finally back on the mats this weekend as they host the Havre Mixer and Havre Invitational at Havre High Gymnasium. With the Blue Ponies finally getting some action, HHS head coach Beau LaSalle looks forward to seeing how his wrestlers perform.

"We're excited to get the kids out and wrestle somebody else beside ourselves," LaSalle said. "We'll figure out where we're at as far as conditioning this opening weekend. We just expect them to go out and compete hard, wrestle hard and have a little fun while we're doing it."

Many teams will come from across the state to wrestle in Havre tonight and Saturday. From north-central Montana Big Sandy, Chinook, Chester-Joplin-Inverness and Fort Benton have come to compete.

Other teams from across the state that will compete include Billings Central, Butte Central, Cut Bank, Fairfield, Lewistown, Malta and Shelby. Schools that will be bringing girls teams to these tournaments include Lewistown, CJI, Chinook and Malta. While these schools will bring many tough wrestlers, there are two schools that LaSalle believes will be the toughest programs this weekend.

"There are tough individuals from each school but teamwise, Lewistown and Cut Bank are the deepest and fullest teams that are coming," LaSalle said.

In their first tournament of the season, the Ponies will look to perform well. After finishing fourth in the state tournament wrestling in the 138-pound weight class, Tristian Stygles will look to start this new season on a strong note. Kale Van Campen will also look to get off to a strong start his senior season after taking fifth at state at 182 pounds.

After placing at state last season, many wrestlers for the Ponies are ready to begin their quests to return. Carson Harris, Reinhardt Bold and Pierce Caplette are looking to finally get on the mats after bringing home state trophies last season. Wrestlers such as Matthew Lemer, Colter Solomon and Landon Caplette will look to get off to a strong start as they work to return to the state tournament.

The HHS girls wrestling team will also get its season started tonight. Aliyah Stiffarm will look to get her season started on a strong note after finishing fourth in last year's state tournament. Brooklyn Nelson, Maleigha Fuzesy and Clara Laird will also look to perform well this weekend as they try to get back to the state tournament at the end of the season.

The Ponies will have a long season ahead of them with many weekends on the road. With the chance to play at home this weekend, the Ponies will look to take advantage and enjoy it while it lasts.

"It's always nice to open at home. We can get our legs under us," LaSalle said. "We get to stay home in our own beds for a weekend before we really hit the road and travel pretty much throughout the rest of the season."

After many months off the mat, the Ponies are excited to finally return this weekend. With this being their first time against real competition this winter, LaSalle wants to see where his wrestlers are at to start the season and go from there.

"I'd just like to see them establish where they're at on the mat for this opening part of the year," LaSalle said. "Where we're at in the room right now, I think that'll translate well over into a tournament so I'm just excited to see that and see where we're at."

The HHS wrestling teams will begin the Havre Mixer tonight at 4 p.m. at HHS Gymnasium. The Havre Invitational will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday.