George Ferguson
Havre Daily News sports editor
gferguson@havredailynews.com
The Havre Middle School track has been a busy place this spring. And, after a week of no competition due to Easter break, the HMS track will liven up again on Saturday morning when the Chinook Invitational track meet invades Havre.
The Chinook meet will be very similar to the first three meets held at the HMS track this season. Havre has already played host to North Star High School's Cal Wearley Invitational and the Havre High Lions Invitational, as well as the Rocky Boy Invitational.
But, according to Chinook head coach Mark Roseberry, the Chinook invite will be just a little more low key.
“This isn't as huge a meet as the last two we've been in up there,” Roseberry said. “There will be some very good teams and a lot of individual talent, but I think that because it isn't such a large meet, some of our kids who have gotten lost in the big meets a little will have a chance to improve and get some very valuable experience on Saturday.”
Aside from the host Sugarbeeters, the meet will feature Class B powerhouses Malta and Fort Benton. Both teams have strong track and field programs this season and Roseberry said that both could be looked at to do big things this weekend.
“Malta has a really strong team in both girls and boys track this year,” Roseberry said. “If they are at full strength, they are going to be very tough.
“And we have seen Fort Benton once already this season,” he added. “And they are also a very strong team. I think having both of those schools in our meet will make things pretty competitive.”
Of course, the District 9C and 10C will also be well represented this weekend. Both Big Sandy teams could be looked at as favorites to sweep the team titles at the Chinook Invitational, which is something the Pioneers already did two weeks ago at the Rocky Boy meet. The Chester/J-I Hawks also bring a strong boys contingent and one of the best girls track teams in all of Class C.
Rounding out the Chinook invite lineup will be North Star, Turner, Hays-Lodge Pole, Rocky Boy, Turner, Dodson, Simms, Harlem and a Havre High junior varsity team.
Not only is Roseberry certain that Saturday's meet will be highly competitive in the team competitions, but with Big Sandy, Chester/J-I and others in attendance, there is no doubt that there will be some outstanding individual performances as well.
The Chinook Invitational will give Big Sandy freshman sensation Kourtney Danreuther another chance to showcase her amazing talents. In her brief high school track career, Danreuther has treated the HMS track like her own personal playground, twice sweeping victories in six different events. The freshman also has recorded the top times in all of Montana in 2006 in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles and the best long jump of the young season, an astounding 17-2. She also has the second best 100-meter time of the season and the third best 200-meter time of the year. What makes her start to her career even more incredible is the fact that she has only raced in the 400 meters once this year and she has the top time in Montana in that event as well.
Others to watch this weekend include Big Sandy boys standout Kyle Danreuther as well as Chester/J-I's Daina Kolstad who is another elite sprinter. Chinook's Crystal Roseberry is one of the top jumpers in the field and the Beeters' Mike Miller is an outstanding thrower.
The 2006 Chinook Invitational track meet will get under way with field events at 9:30 a.m. and running events at 10:30 a.m. All of the action will take place on Saturday the HMS track.
