Spangler brothers take second at state tennis

Spangler brothers take second at state tennis

By George Ferguson

From a divisional championship one week earlier, to the state championship match, it has been quite the ride for Havre High brothers Carter and Max Spangler.

The Blue Pony duo completed a great run together at the Class A state tennis tournament last Friday in Kalispell as they finished second in boys doubles. The tandem lost to the top team from Billings Central in the state championship match, but it was an fun run and second-year Blue Pony head coach Jeff Miller was extremely proud of his team.

And he should have been, as earlier Friday, the tandem upended Southeast A champion Hardin the semifinals. The Ponies had lost three times to the top team from Hardin this season, but, in the semifinals, the Spangler brothers prevailed 6-3, 6-3, becoming the most recent in a long line of Havre boys doubles teams to reach the state finals.

Carter and Msx started the run with a win on the opening day over the No. 2 team from Hardin, then, the Ponies beat a tough Whitefish squad in the quarterfinals.

The rise to the state championship match capped a brilliant four-year career for Carter, who played singles his freshman year, doubles his sophomore year, singles again his junior year and doubles with his young brother his senior year, It also helped the Ponies finish fourth behind state champion Central, Polson, as well as Libby and Whitefish who tied for third.

Also contributing to Havre's 14 team points was a win from Carter Chagnon and Mason Kinsella in boys doubles, while senior Jackson Headress lost both of his matches in boys singles.

Billings Central also won the girls team title, while Hamilton was second and Miles Coty was third.