By George Ferguson/Havre Daily News Sports/gferguson@havredailynews.com
It may be hard to believe, but after trips to Browning and Belgrade over the past five days, the Havre High golf team's season is now half over.
The Ponies recently completed a tournament at East Glacier last Friday and the Belgrade Invitational in Bozeman on Tuesday.
"I am pretty happy with where we are at right now," said HHS head coach Carla Bolken. "We have some kids on our team that are shooting good scores right now and we're getting better every tournament."
At East Glacier on Friday, the Havre High girls team had a very solid showing despite competing with just four players. The Ponies finished the tournament with a 346 total, good enough to claim top honors. Lewistown was three strokes back to finish second.
Sophomore Ali Ward paced the Ponies with a round of 95 which put her in second place for the tournament. Senior Brittany Job shot a 103 to also finish in the top ten. Steadily improving freshman Stacy Sheppard came in with a 117, while Hailey McLain fired a 131.
The HHS boys finished in second place with a team total of 344. The Whitefish Bulldogs captured the team title with a total score of 326. Senior Ben Erickson led the way for the Ponies firing a round of 83 to finish in fourth place. Anthony Wirtzberger finished fifth after shooting an 86. Rounding out the Pony lineup was Brandon Job, who finished just out of the top ten with an 87. Sean Strand shot an 88 and Matt Hedstrom came in with a 91.
On Tuesday at Riverside Country Club in Bozeman, the HHS boys team was able to finish fourth among some very good competition while playing on a very difficult course. Havre finished with a 343 total, which was actually just 13 strokes behind first place Belgrade. Livingston finished second with a 339 and the Bozeman Junior Varsity team finished third.
Erickson highlighted the day for the Ponies by finishing fourth after a solid round of 81. Brandon Job shot an 85 and Hedstrom added a 87. Wirtzberger came in with a 90 and Strand fired a 91.
"I think we have a very solid boys team right now," Bolken said. "All of our boys are very capable of shaving a few strokes off and lowering their scores and that is very encouraging."
Tuesday was not so kind to the HHS girls team. The Ponies finished third among three teams competing. However, senior Brittany Job fired a round of 97 to tie for medalist honors. Ward also had another solid outing for the Ponies finishing in sixth place with a 103. Sheppard finished the day with a 123 and senior Cathy Beecher shot a 132.
"Both Brittany and Ali are playing very well right now and shooting good scores," Bolken said. "Now we just need another girl to get her scores down consistently and when that happens we will be a very good team. That is what the girls are working on now."
The Ponies will be back in action on Monday when they travel to Helena for the Helena Invitational.
Browning Invitational
Played at The Golf Course at East Glacier Lodge
Girls Team Standings
Havre 346, Lewistown 348, Whitefish WD.
Boys Team Standings
Whitefish 326, Havre 344, Lewistown 366, Browning 409.
Boys Top 5
1. Matt Krause, WF, 76; 2. Andre Groschapf, WF, 82, 3. Zac Wooten, WF 82; 4. Ben Erickson, HAV 83; 5. Anthony Wirtzberger, HAV 86.
Belgrade Invitational
Played at Riverside Country Club
Boys Team Standings
1. Belgrade 331, 2. Livingston 339, 3. Bozeman JV 341, 4. Havre 343, 5. Anaconda 346, 6. Laurel 346, 7. Lewistown 357, 8. Dillon 361, 9. Butte Central 369, 10. Belgrade JV 370.
Boys Top 10
1. Chris Goldan, BEL, 70; 2. Kayle Ingrahm, LIV, 77; 3. Jordan Michael, LAU, 80; 4. Ben Erickson, HAV, 81; 5. Marko Stanisich, DIL, 81; 6. Matt Cissel, LIV, 82; 7. Dan Markovich, BC, 83; 8. Joel Reichert, BEL JV, 84; 9. Reese Milner, BOZ JV, 84; 10. Jorey Trotter, BOZ JV, 84.
Girls Team Standings
1. Bozeman JV 422, 2. Anaconda 428, 3. Havre 455.
Girls Top 10
1. Amy Eubanks, ANA, 97; 2. Brittany Job, HAV, 97; 3. Mikaela Durham, BOZ JV, 99; 4. Hanna Barney, LIV, 101; 5. Nicole Miller, ANA, 102; 6. Ali Ward, HAV, 103; 7. Chelsea Hecht, BOZ JV, 105; 8. Rikka Holiday, BOZ JV, 106; 9. Shelby Hecht, BOZ JV, 112; 10. Kynsi Berg, LIV, 112; Shea Downey, LEW, 112; Lyndsay Laughlin, ANA 112.
