Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Rainey Stoner, Havre High Tennis

Blue Pony senior, with her longtime doubles partner, and her team striving for a great tennis season

Rainey Stoner is anything but the normal high school girl. She is a student-athlete and she is the kind of person that truly represents what being a student-athlete is all about.

Stoner, who is in the midst of her senior year at Havre High School, has been involved in tennis and cross country for a number of years, but on top of that, she is also involved in a number of other extra-curricular activities, in fact, almost too many to count.

Stoner, who excels in the classroom and is currently student body president at HHS, is also involved in a number of other clubs at the high school, as she is the vice president of Key Club, a member of Pep Club and is also involved with Hi-Line Recycling and volunteering at the Bear Paw Ski Bowl.

Yet, as busy as the senior has been this year, and throughout her four years of high school, she has always managed to find time for sports. She has played tennis since she was a freshman and also joined the cross country team as a junior.

Stoner, who said she has never been a fan of watching sports, said she really enjoys participating in them and likes that both tennis and cross country, for the most part, are individual sports.

“I like individual sports,” Stoner said. “Because then you really only have to rely on yourself. I do play doubles in tennis, but even then, you still have to focus and take care of your serve or whenever it’s your turn. No one can do that for you.”

During her first season of tennis, back in 2013, Stoner was a singles player. However, as her sophomore season came along, she teamed up with classmate and close friend Madison Huebsch, and the two have been doubles partners ever since.

While Stoner and Huebsch have yet to make it to the Class A state tournament, they have competed at the Central A Divisional tournament the past two seasons and, last year, they were a tiebreaker away from getting to state, but ultimately fell short.

Yet, Stoner, who was a member of the 2014 HHS girls team that won the Central A Divisional championship — she and Huebsch scored two team points for the Ponies — hasn’t let last year’s letdown disappoint her, instead she is using it as motivation for her final season of playing Blue Pony tennis.

Stoner and Huebsch are determined to get to the state tournament as doubles partners this year and Stoner is also hoping to contribute and help lead the Pony girls to another divisional title.

And while Stoner, who will be attending the University of Portland next fall to pursue a degree in pharmacy, hasn’t been to state as a tennis player, she has competed at the state level multiple times as a cross country runner, so she knows what it’s like to compete against the best the state has to offer.

But right now, Stoner’s focus is on tennis and trying to close out her Havre High career with a bang. And with the season right around the corner, the Havre Daily News caught up with Stoner for five questions.

HDN: What got you into tennis and cross country?

Stoner: “I like the idea of individual sports. If you mess up, it’s your fault. Even though I play doubles, it’s still all on you to make your swings and hit the ball.”

HDN: How much would it mean for you to make it to state this season?

Stoner: “It would mean a lot to me. Madison and I have worked a lot together and this year we are both playing the hardest that we ever have. We are practicing more and if we could get to state and do something, it would mean a lot.”

HDN: How was the learning process when you began playing tennis?

Stoner: “The first time I picked up a racket was my freshman year and it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. But, Madison and I moved up and started playing with the varsity girls our freshmen year, and I think that made us better and made us work harder.”

HDN: How has cross country helped you be a better tennis player?

Stoner: “Cross country has helped with tennis in that it is a mindset. You have to go out on the court with confidence, just like you have to run with confidence. You are on your own in cross country and you have to push yourself mentally. And, because tennis is a spring sport, you have to be ready mentally and have a mindset that it is tennis season, and you have to push through that.”

HDN: What has been your favorite part of playing tennis or what is your favorite memory?

Stoner: “Definitely Ferg (head coach George Ferguson) as a coach and when we won divisionals when I was a sophomore. That year there was a bunch of seniors and that has been a pretty big motivator for me because this year, we have a lot of seniors and we want to take divisionals this year just like they did.”