Chris Peterson
Havre Daily News
cpeterson@havredailynews.com
Both Havre High basketball teams put the finishing touches on the their seasons recently with the Blue Ponies annual award banquets, which honored the achievements of the 2005-06 basketball season.
Havre High senior Steph Flatau, who just completed a storied four-year career with the Blue Ponies, took home the girls basketball awards for Most Valuable Player, highest field goal percentage, leading rebounder and top scorer.
Fellow senior Alexa Lipp also took home numerous awards including defensive player of the year, steals leader and highest 3-point field goal percentage. Lipp also set the HHS girls record this season for the most three's made in a single game with seven.
Seniors Keelie Solomon and Kelsey Evans also received awards. Solomon won the coaches award and Evans won the captain award, as well as the award for the most assists.
However, the seniors weren't the only players that took home hardware. Sophomore Stephanie Stremcha was awarded the six man of the year award, Sophomore Tricia Samson was named newcomer of the year, sophomore Katie Mariani won the award for the highest free throw percentage and sophomore Stacey Sheppard was named practice player of the year.
The Blue Ponies won 15 games under
second-year head coach Jason Wirt this season and finished second to Browning in the Central A regular season standings.
On the boys side, the Most Valuable Player award was shared by seniors Jared Weigel and Jeremy Giardina. The fact that the award was split is fitting because Weigel and Giardina were the team's top players. Both players earned Central A first team All-Conference honors and they were
also awarded first team All-State honors. Giardina and Weigel also shared the award for the best 3-point field goal percentage. Weigel won the award
for the most assists and Giardina won the award for the highest free throw percentage.
Senior Michael Barton took home his fair share of awards as he was named honorable mention All-Conference. Barton also won the award as
the top rebounder,
and the award for the highest field-goal percentage.
Fellow seniors Logan Grant and Tanner Veis shared the award for defensive player of the year and Scott Miller was named sixth man of the year.
The only other award given out was to junior Jeremiah Moog, who was awarded the newcomer of the year award.
The Havre High boys finished second at the Central A divisional tournament and defeated Belgrade to advance to the Class A state tournament in Bozeman where they were knocked out by Butte Central on the final day of the tournament.
