By Tiffany L. Rehbein
The Havre Blue Pony track team will have a little time off in preparation for the Central A divisional track meet.
Due to inclement weather, the dual slated to be held with Lewistown today was cancelled. By the time the divisional meet rolls around, the Ponies will have been out of action for two weeks.
"I feel bad for the JV kids," Havre head coach John Ita said. It would have been the last meet for the junior varsity and the the final home showing for the Blue Ponies.
The Ponies competed at the Lewistown Invitational last weekend where Lewistown won the boys' team title and the Havre girls won the other.
However, some of Havre's big-time point-getters were out of action last weekend.
"When we went to Lewistown, the coaches stressed to the kids, Go down there to win, place or PR,'" Ita said. "Across the board, people did just that."
Freshman Evan Olson, junior Jayson Nissen, Chris Anderson, and Matt Sasaki all put forth efforts which resulted in personal-best distances and times.
Olson, in the 3,200 meters, knocked 25 seconds from his previous best time. In the 1,600 meters, he knocked 11 seconds from a previous time.
Nissen lopped 10 seconds from his time in the 800 meters.
"It was just an incredible feat," Ita said. "That is what was really neat about going down to a meet like that."
Sasaki and Anderson threw the javelin seven feet farther than they ever had before.
"They all did a nice job," Ita said.
Damen Woolsey of Lewistown currently holds the second-fastest time in the 100 meters in the Class A at 10.96 seconds. Havre's Brent Finneman has a personal-best time of 11.07 in the race.
Steve Heberly of Havre has a best time of 11.2, while Adam Landgraf clocked in at 11.3 in the race.
In the 200 meters, Woolsey also has the second-fastest time in the Class A at 22.4 seconds. Finneman has a time of 22.9 in the race.
Lewistown's Jeff Marsden is a fine high jumper. He has a personal-best jump of 6-4 in the event.
Although the Eagles are weak in the distance events, shot putter and discus thrower Jesse Allen will be tough to beat at divisional. Allen is ranked third in the state in the shot put with a toss of 54-5. He is ranked second in the state in the discus with a mark of 160-2.
Havre's Jesse Suek and Chris Klobofski pose the strongest competition in those events.
"We have some really quality kids in key positions," Ita said. "We have good quality and good numbers. It should be an excellent meet."
Jake Dusek in the jumps, Brian DeRosa in the hurdles, and
On the girls' side, LaShae Michels won both the long and triple jump at Lewistown.
Michels is ranked third in the Class A in the triple jump behind a personal-best jump of 34-7 3/4. She is ranked in the top five in the long jump in the Class A.
Distance moguls Jennie Peterson, Jenna Baltrusch, Jillian Brough, and Erin Lynch are each strong point-getters.
The distance runners have been putting in some efforts in the shorter races to improve their long runs.
Peterson placed second in the 800 meters last weekend with a time of 2:35.49. Baltrusch was third with a personal-best time of 2:35.52.
Peterson leads the Class A in the 3,200 with a personal-best time of 11:45.1. She did not compete in the event last weekend.
Lynch placed fourth in the race with a time of 13:37.78.
Erin Patera and Jeri Matter in the javelin, Amy Ranes in the high jump, Maureen Porter and Cara Holmquist in the pole vault, and Jeanna and Jayla McPherson, Tami Huestis and Melissa Haymaker in the throws are all good point-getters for Havre.
Patera is ranked in all classes in the state in the javelin with a toss of 115-10. On the state level, the Western Division, including Bigfork's Nicole Manicke and Amanda Emslie, should pose some good competition.
Ranes is ranked third in the Class A with her personal-best jump of 5-1 in the high jump. Hardin's Kelsey Biermann and Livingston's Rae Stevenson are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the event.
The Central A divisional track meet is slated for May 19-20 at Bozeman.
