The old saying is true, there is strength in numbers.
    At least it’s true for the Havre High girls cross country program.
    The Blue Ponies were once a dominant force in not only the Central A, but also Class A cross country. But the last time the Ponies have won a state championship was in 2004 under head coach Kim Ray. And before that it was in 2001, and before that, clear back in 1990.    
    But in recent history, the Ponies also have a few No. 2 finishes under their belts, claiming second place at the state meet in 2003 and 2005. Prior to that, the Ponies last second-place finish was in 1989.
    There was a time when the Ponies were the team to the beat. It hasn’t been like that lately, but looking at this year's squad it is safe to say that the Pony girls are well on their way, once again rising to the top.
    Current head coach Kyle Fisher has been a big part of this comeback in the making, and in his third year as head coach, he is excited about the positive progress the program is making.
    “We should be climbing that ladder for years to come,” Fisher said. “In the next couple of years we should be fighting for trophies at state and I expect to see that out of these girls.”
    The Havre girls may still be in the rebuilding stages, but this year should also be the first big step in taking the program to the next level.
    With divisionals just days away the Ponies have their sights set on a top-two finish as well as a trophy. At state next week in Helena, the Ponies are determined to finish anywhere in the top five, and doing so would mean a huge improvement after finishing as the No. 15 team a year ago.
    Having talent is a must have in the sport of cross country, but without numbers, talent doesn’t seem to take a team where it needs to go.
    And numbers are what have been missing from the HHS girls cross country team. In recent seasons the Ponies have averaged right around a 10-girl roster. But with having 25 girls come out for the team this year, the Ponies are strengethening their depth.
    “That’s definitely a good place to start when you are rebuilding,” Fisher said. “Getting numbers out makes for great competition. This year we have 25 girls out, and that really helps. It makes them more competitive, they have to compete for the varsity spots and that creates competition within the team, which carries over into the weekend.”
    No varsity spots are ever final. And with 25 girls battling it out every day in practice to fill seven varsity spots, the bar has definitely been raised this season. Last year with just 10 girls, varsity spots were filled and there was no real push to compete within the squad.
    Former Havre High runners such as Sarah Vigliotti and Kelsey Lodge have given the Ponies great talent, but lack of numbers surrounding them unfortunately was the team's downfall.
    This season the Ponies have both talent and numbers.
    Trisha Kinsella, Mikell Kinsella, Shelby O’Neil, Mariah Zandhusien, Brittanee Korb and Brooke Jappe have been here since Fisher has taken over. But with other talent coming in over the years such as Lauren Scofield, Larissa Price, Ashlynn Van Voast and Katie Christianson, the team is steadily improving.
    And while the team is solid all the way through, Van Voast and Christianson have really given the Ponies a boost this season. Both girls were former volleyball players who made the move to cross country this season and have excelled, especially Christianson who has been HHS's No. 1 runner all season long. VanVoast and Christianson are also solid contributors to HHS athletics during tack season.
    “It was definitely a huge asset to the team to get both of those girls,” Fisher said. “Both of the girls had good results from carrying over from track and both girls knew how to work hard. Both of them have been huge assets for us and we are very fortunate to have those girls.”
    This year there are only three seniors on the Pony roster, and just one on varsity. And if the Ponies can continue to attract good numbers over the next few years as well as return their sophomores and juniors, another state title may be an attainable goal in the near future.
    But with strength lying in the numbers, a good turnout is key.
    “We have always had some great girls out there running for us,” Fisher said. “But this is a team sport as well as an individual sport. And being a team sport, having such low numbers we can’t be as competitive as we would like to be.”
    HHS  will compete in the Central A meet Saturday in Browning.