School secures fourth Class A all-sports title in last five years
By Kim Staudinger
It was a big night in Havre High athletics as Tyler Croft and Lashae Michels were awarded male and female athletes of the year last night at an awards banquet in the Havre High cafeteria.
Croft, the only Havre High athlete to win back to back state championships in both swimming and tennis, said the award came as a surprise to him.
"I didn't expect it at all," he said. "I thought that it would have gone to an athlete in a major sport like basketball or football."
The soft-spoken Croft said he could not have won the championships without his team members. "My team," he said, "I have to thank them."
Croft plans to attend the University of Washington next year as a part of the ROTC program with the U.S. Navy. He plans to major in pre-engineering.
Michels also seemed surprised by the announcement that she was named female athlete of the year.
"It doesn't even feel like I'm a senior," she said.
Michels plans to participate in track next year at the University of Mary. She intends to major in physical therapy with a focus in athletic training.
Havre also won its fourth Class A All-Sports trophy in five years. Havre placed third among all Montana schools behind two teams from Class AA.
Activities Director Charlie Klimas continued the awards by reading over 30 names of academic all-staters from the spring season. Klimas praised the athletes for being able to accomplish such a difficult task.
"This in itself is an outstanding accomplishment," he said.
In order for an athlete to qualify for the all-state award, he/shemust have maintained at least a 3.5 grade point average and lettered in his or her respective sport.
Track coach John Ita then took over the night by handing out his track awards.
After handing out the letters to his athletes, Ita announced the newest members of the Havre High Track Hall of Fame pole vaulter Maureen Porter and 400-relay team members Michels, Alyssa Matter, Rylee O'Connell and Brooke Schwan.
Ita then announced Michels was also inducted for the triple jump and long jump events.
Steve Heberly was inducted into the boys' Hall of Fame for the 100 and 200. Joe Roman added a nod for the 800.
The boys' 400 relay team consisting of Heberly, Adam Landgraf, Grant Roman and Brent Finneman and the 800 relay team of Grant Roman, Joe Roman, Heberly and Landgraf were also named to the Hall of Fame.
Ita then handed out the Adams Memorial Award to Brian DeRosa and the Mark Vukasin Award to Jillian Brough.
Heberly was named the boys' track athlete of the year, and Michels' earned the girls' award.
Class A state champion Nick Obie ran away with the golf awards for the boys by winning most inspirational golfer and boys' golfer of the year. Trent Normandy also won for young golfer of the year.
For the girls, Jessica Sande won girls' golfer of the year.
Havre tennis coach Sam Dierman awarded senior Nikki Baltrusch with the coaches award and fellow seniors Samantha Velk and Breyon Briese with the MVP award.
Jennifer Gorder earned the most improved player award.
On the boys' side, Dierman handed out his MVP award to all seven boys who went to the state tournament.
"Without each one of these boys, we would not have won the championship," Dierman said.
The seven boys who went to state are Andrew McLain, Daine Solomon, Cody McLain, Jeremy Henniger, Mike Frey, Seth Maristuen and Croft.
