By Kent Dolezal
by Kent Dolezal
The Havre Daily News
Friday, May 14
After enjoy success this season, the Havre High golf teams enter the postseason with the Central A divisional Saturday in Dillon and quickly pick up the 36-hole Class A tournament Tuesday and Wednesday at the Anaconda Old Works golf course.
I see them excited and ready, Havre coach Keith Evenson said on how the Blue Ponies are looking to the postseason. We want some good competition. Were going to have it at divisional, and better at state by far.
The Blue Ponies ended the regular season with the girls team going undefeated in its tournaments and the boys team won all but one of its events. However, the team has not played against many other Class A teams, having played against mainly teams from the Hi-Line and the Golden Triangle.
The Havre boys will have Nick Obie in the top spot with Kevin Harada second. Jason Johnstone will hit No. 3. Troy Toner is the No. 4 golfer, and Kyle Sheppard in the final spot. All five are freshmen.
The girls team will have senior Shanda Lammerding as the lead golfer. Lisa Wagner, a junior is in the No. 2 spot, while sophomore Jessica Sande is No. 3. Seniors Tiffany Obie and Katie Springer round out the squad at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively.
An extremely strong freshman group this year, Evenson said about his boys team. Our first starting seven kids are freshmen. We are really strong at an early age.
The Dillon course is shorter than Beaver Creek, the Blue Ponies home course, Evenson said. The Old Works is a Jack Nicholas design and is near the top, if not in the No. 1 spot, of every course ranking in the state. Evenson said he is excited the his players will battle of the state tourney on a course of that quality. Havres returning girls played the same course last year at state, and many of the other players have hit the Old Works recreationally.
The state meet is the only 36-hole tourney the Ponies hit this year, putting the teams mental focus to the test.
The one thing is if you find yourself a little bit behind, or ahead, you know that you have to go out and do well the next day, Evenson said. It is mentally being ready two days in a row, and getting a good rest.
Another thing is getting along with the other kids, and we have that. We have a harmony among the group. If one person gets down, the other kids are there picking them up and helping them out. I think that is to our advantage.
Evenson credits Lammerding for being the teams positive leader. The senior has been the No. 1 girl for all four years of high school.
Wagner was medalist a few tourneys this year. Lisa will be one of the people down at divisional that will push Shanda. She has come a long way, Evenson said.
Sande battled her way from the JV squad at the beginning of the season to the No. 3 spot on the varsity. The last few tournaments Jessica has just gotten better and better. She is starting to get into the 40s, that will really help us out in the team game.
Tiffany has worked extremely hard, he said. She was shooting in the 60s, now she is in the low 50s. Her mental game has gotten a lot stronger.
Springer had to miss several golf events through the season with her involvement in the district and state music festivals. It is nice to have Katie back on the team. She will help us out. Right now, she feels very good about her game.
Consistency best describes Nick Obies game, Evenson said. Nick goes out and he knows he can do it, and he does. If he has a bad hole, he knows he can make it up later on. And that is why he has been so consistent all year.
Harada brings the ability to go long off the tee box, Evenson said. He might make mistakes around the green, but he can make up for them on the par 5s, because on most par 5s he reaches the green with an iron on the second shot. He can clean up his messes with birdies on the par 5s.
Johnstone is another long hitter for the Ponies. He birdies a lot of par 5s. He has a nice mannerism on the course. He never seems to get flustered, Evenson said. He has been very steady for us all year.
Troy has really worked hard and he is playing excellent right now. He hits a nice long ball and it is straight. What has helped Troy mainly is his mental game. He is not getting down on himself, like he was at the beginning of the year.
Sheppard had a nice tournament in Chinook last weekend to help propel him into the post season. He played well at the beginning of the year, but he had a couple tough tournaments. He has a nice game.
I am anxious to see what we can do against good competition, Evenson said on how is anticipating the state tourney. I think we will be pleasantly pleased with what we can do.
