Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com
Needing to get something positive out of the final week of the regular season, the Havre High boys and girls tennis teams did that and more this weekend. On Saturday, at the Lewistown Invitational, both HHS teams went undefeated in the duals they played. The HHS boys were a perfect 3-0 before storms cancelled their dual with Hardin, and the Blue Pony girls were 4- 0 entering their dual with Central A rival Livingston when the rains finished off play for the day. “Saturday was a very good day for both our teams,” HHS head coach George Ferguson said. “I can find something really positive about how each and every player on both our teams played in Lewistown. I really liked a lot about what happened there, and that’s what we need with divisionals next up for us.” The HHS girls, playing with a full lineup for the first time in over a month, got a perfect day from the singles portion of its roster. Havre started off by beating Dillon 4-3 in a matchup of the last two Class A state champions. Then, the Ponies throttled Hardin 6-1, Anaconda, 5-2, and they won the only three matches that were played against a short-handed Butte Central team. In singles, Katie Mariani, Hope Hedges, Haley McLain and Christen Kittelson went undefeated for the Blue Ponies, and all four won all of their matches sin convincing fashion. In doubles Havre got two wins from its No. 1 tandem of Haley Donovan and Courtney Kinholt and another two victories from Jolee Landgraf and Morgan McCann. “Our girls played well,” Ferguson said. “This was the first week we have used this lineup, and it was good to have some consistency. I think this meet gave our kids a lot of confidence as we head to divisionals. “We were disappointed that the dual against Livingston was interrupted,” he added. “It was one both teams have looked forward to all season. But we were playing well when the rains came, so we can build on that this week.” On the boys side, the Ponies cruised for the most part, only having a slight rough patch in their opening dual against Livingston. Havre defeated the Rangers 8-2, and then thumped Lewistown, 6-1, and Butte Central, 7-0. “We started off a little slow against Livingston,” Ferguson said. “But then, things started clicking, especially against Lewistown, and we finished the day playing some of our best tennis of the year. “ Havre got an undefeated day from Kyle Miller in singles, and the Blue Pony doubles teams of Todd Roe and Billy Wagner, Ryan Kinholt and David Zentmire and Tim McLean and Brad Hanson were all perfect as well. The Ponies also got a big win from Shane Kemmer, as he defeated Lewistown’s Matt Gruener, and sophomore Mason Sheppard played extremely well against Lewistown’s Justin Hartford in an appearance at the No. 1 singles spot. “I am really proud of our boys team,” Ferguson said. “We finished the year 18-2 in duals, and that looks really good on paper. But up until Saturday, I didn’t feel like we had really played well for a whole day as a team. And it happened in Lewistown, so now I’m hoping we can build on that momentum and go to divisionals fully ready to defend our title.” The Ponies will now prepare for the Central A divisional tournament in Lewistown on Friday and Saturday. The HHS boys are the eight-time defending Central A champions, while the Pony girls have won the last three Central A titles.
