Ponies enjoy one last round at home

A golfer has to be brave to play high school golf in Montana. At least brave enough to face the elements for 18 holes, which is exactly what the Havre High golf teams did this past weekend at Beaver Creek Golf Course.

Fortunately, the weather was not too frightening for the Ponies, but the feeling of fall was definitely in the air. Saturday Yet, the cold, blustery day did not stop the Ponies from putting together a solid performance for the Havre Invitational, winning the boys competition and having the top individual golfer among the boys and the girls.

Jeff Miller led the way for the HHS boys and took home first place at the tournament by firing a stellar 78. Randi Gabrielsen took home the top spot for the girls field with a 95.

In the team competition, the Havre boys won going away with a score of 334, 32 strokes better than the score of 366 posted by Lewistown. Yet, the HHS girls wound up third with a score of 494, trailing Browning, the first-place finisher by 68 strokes. Lewistown came in second with a score of 468.

Miller was outstanding, but fellow HHS golfer Dustin Haas also put together a good round for the Ponies, firing a 79 on the links-style golf course and finishing just one stroke behind Miller for second place.

Wyatt Lindbloom carded a solid round of 87 for HHS, while Jerod Boles shot a 90 and Kane Gabrielsen shot a 96. Despite playing for the junior varsity squad, Trey Hanson had a very good outing, shooting an 85, while Aden Passon shot an 88.

"Jeff and Dustin both played very well," HHS head coach Brett Gilman said. "We had a couple of our other guys that struggled a bit. So it would be nice to see them all get on the same page and all shoot well at the same time. Going into this last stretch before divisionals and state, I would like to see everyone start to shore things up and start playing some better golf, so when we go to divisionals and state we can make some noise."

After Gabriesen, the next best finisher for the HHS girls team was Grace Litzinger, who shot a 115. Then it was Jordan Keith with a 141, MacKenzie Tilleman with a 143 and Regan Lammers, who posted a round of 156.

"It's kind of the same thing with the boys," Gillman said. "We have to try and get the girls on the same page so they are all playing their best at the same time. Right now, they have a lot of work to do. We are going to have to trim probably 30 strokes off our scores to beat Lewistown at divisionals, and I think that it's doable ,but it will be difficult. Right now it is kind of the same thing with the boys, we have different girls playing well on different days, so if we can keep them all playing well together at the same time."

The HHS girls may not be the favorite to make some noise at the Central A Divisional tournament in a couple weeks but the Havre High boys team will have high expectations.

"I think that the boys team will be the favorite when we go to divisionals," Gillman said. "Its just a matter of being more consistent and trying to get everyone playing their best golf at the same time."

The Blue Pony boys had two champions this weekend. Boles shot an 80 in Friday's Lewistown Invite played at Pine Meadows Golf Course. His round was good enough for the top spot in the boys field. Miller added an 85, while Haas shot 89, Gabrielsen carded a 90 and Lindbloom an 89. Hanson added an 87 to lead the HHS JVs.

The Ponies, who will head to the Central A Divisional tournament in Bozeman Sept. 26, will have one more week of tune ups beginning this Thursday when they will be in Billings at the Billings Central Invitational at Eagle Rock Golf Course. Then on Friday, HHS will travel to Laurel for the Laurel Invitational.

Note: Havre Daily News sports editor George Ferguson contributed to this story

Havre Invitational

At Beaver Creek Golf Course

BOYS

Havre Varsity (334 1st) – Jeff Miller 78 (1st), Dustin Haas 79, Wyatt Lindbloom 87, Jared Boles 90, Kane Gabrielsen 96.

Havre JV – Trey Hanson 85, Aden Passon 88, Tucker Carlson, Brad Bender 96, Gavin Mosbrucker 98, Kyle Kirkpatrick 98, Tanner Hentshal 99, Ryan Bakke 106, Cody Rennick 107, Hondo Owens 112, Nic Tanner 113, Michael Bakke 114.

GIRLS

Havre Varisty (494 3rd) – Randi Gabrielsen 95 (1st), Grace Litzinger 115, Jordan Keith 141, Mackenzie Tilleman 143, Regan Lammers 156.

Lewistown Invitational

Friday

at Pine Meadows

BOYS

Havre Varsity (344, 2nd) - Jerod Boles 80 (1st); Jeff Miller 85, Dustin Haas 89, Kane Gabrielsen 90, Wyatt Lindbloom 98.

Havre JV 1 (386) - Trey Hanson 87, Aden Passon 93, Brad Bender 96, Gavin Mosbrucker 110, Cody Rennick 154.

Havre JV 2 (414) - Tanner Henstchel 99, Ryan Bakke 100, Kyle Kirkpatrick 106, Tucker Carlson 109, Michael Bakke 112.

Havre JV 3 - Kennedy McKay 98, Nic Tanner 108, Tate Munyon 184.

GIRLS

Havre Varsity (548, 3rd) - Randi Gabrielsen 110, Grace Litzinger 121, Jordan Keith 127, MacKenzie Tilleman 134, Regan Lammers 150.