Ponies golf, tennis, track teams all host invites
By Jason Shoot
Anyone who says Havre doesn't have much to offer to area residents obviously haven't seen Saturday's local high school sports schedule.
Havre High's three spring sports track, tennis and golf are each hosting invitationals this weekend, attracting oodles of Montana high schools to the Hi-Line.
The tennis tournament begins at 8 a.m. at the tennis courts located at the high school and Montana State University-Northern, the golf invite will start at 9 a.m. at Beaver Creek Golf Course, and the Havre Invitational track meet will begin at 10 a.m. at Havre Middle School.
Several schools from the Hi-Line will be represented in at least one of the invitationals, but Havre track coach John Ita said this weekend just happens to be Easter weekend, keeping many schools at home. The track meet will include around 15 schools.
"We tend to rotate this weekend (with other schools) every six or seven years, and normally we have between 26 or 30 schools," Ita said. "I feel fortunate (fewer schools are competing)."
Havre tennis coach Sam Dierman said the tennis invitational will include six schools, which is typically fewer than in the past.
"Some schools just don't (travel on Easter weekend)," Evenson said. "But like I told my athletes, Family comes first.' Everyone is going to be missing a few kids. The way spring goes there's something going on every weekend.
"We usually have Chinook, Big Sandy, Chester and Fort Benton, but because of Easter (the tournament) has been cut back a little bit."
Keith Evenson, Havre's golf coach, said eight schools will compete in the golf invite, but he added that most of them are Class B and C schools.
"Because of Easter there's not a lot of team coming," he said. "Lewistown is coming, and Conrad should be coming with a nice team. It's the first time we've seen Lewistown, and we've got a friendly, competitive relationship with them. It's a positive relationship."
The recent weather has also played havoc with the respective coaches' ability to get their kids some time to practice.
"Monday we got a good practice, Tuesday nothing, Wednesday we practiced but it was a little cold, and then Thursday nothing again," Dierman said.
"It's been rough for everybody," he added. "Other coaches I've talked to said they're in the same boat I'm in. Hopefully, the weather will hold."
