Havre track and field set to begin postseason with divisional meet

After several meets over the past couple months, the Havre High track and field teams are now ready to begin the postseason. Starting this Friday, the Blue Ponies will head to Sidney to compete in the Eastern A Divisional Meet. With a spot in state on the line, HHS head coach Kari Filius hopes for high finishes from as many of her athletes as possible.

"We were hoping to just qualify as many more people as we can," Filius said. "To get as many as we can in the top eight in order to go to state so that's what we're shooting for. To get as many as we can to get that experience at state."

The Ponies have many athletes that should contend at this weekend's meet. On the girls side, Kaydance Reiter should do well in the 100-meter sprint and the 200-meter sprint. She has a personal record of 12.71 in the 100 and a best of 26.53 in the 200 this season.

Macy Brandon should also do well in the track events as she has a best of 13.32 in the 100 and a personal record of 1:01.06 in the 400-meter dash. Ela Harbor will look to do well in the 100 as she has a personal record of 13.13 in that event.

The Ponies will also look to do well in the hurdles in order to qualify for state. In the 100-meter hurdles this season, Kyanna Jarvis has a personal record of 16.37 and Ari Gary has a best of 17.32. In the 300-meter hurdles this season, Amaya Jarvis has a best of 48.44.

The Ponies should also do well in the field events. In the high jump, Kyanna Jarvis and Gary will compete for the Ponies. Clara Laird should do well in the javelin with a personal record of 117-01 this season. Macee May should have a strong weekend as she will compete in the long jump and the triple jump.

The HHS girls team will look to continue its strong season in the relay events. In the 400 relay, the team of May, Kyanna Jarvis, Reiter and Carolyn Thomas have a personal record of 50.98 this season. In the 1,600 relay this season, the team of Brandon, Amaya Jarvis, Kyanna Jarvis and Reiter ran a best of 4:11.19.

The HHS boys team will have many athletes looking to qualify for state this weekend. In the distance runs, Caleb Tomac will look to have a strong weekend for the Ponies. This season, he has a best of 2:00.48 in the 800-meter dash, a personal record of 4:30.76 in the 1,600-meter dash and a best of 9:48.22 in the 3,200-meter dash.

Brody Henry should also do well in the distance runs for the Ponies this weekend. This season, he has a personal record of 2:00.49 in the 800 and a best of 4:32.28 in the 1,600.

Other Ponies that will look to do well in the field events this weekend. Jacob Herring will compete in the javelin with a personal record of 149-09 and Kale Van Campen will compete in the triple jump with a best of 41-06.5.

The HHS boys team will also look to do well in the relays this weekend. In the 1,600 relay this season, the team of Herring, Shane Patacsil, Michael Emge and Trayden Riley have a best of 3:33.22.

At the meet, the Ponies will face some tough competition. Over the course of the weekend, the Ponies will compete against Billings Central, Miles City, Glendive, Lockwood, Livingston, Hardin and Sidney. Filius expects Laurel to be the toughest school in both the boys and girls meets while she also expects Lewistown to be tough in the girls meet.

The Class A State Meet will be held in Laurel next week. As the Ponies try to qualify for that meet this weekend, Filius believes they just need to forget about their times and measurements this season and just go out and compete.

"They have to not worry about where they're sitting," Filius said. "You have to just go and compete and do the best you can because it's the same race for everyone there. It's the same weather conditions, the same track so you never know what can happen. You just can't count yourself out mentally."

The HHS track and field teams will begin the Eastern A Divisional Meet in Sidney Friday before wrapping it up Saturday.