Ponies look to roar on the track

For the second time this week, the Havre High track teams will be competing on their own track, but unlike at the Cal Wearley, the Blue Ponies will be hosting the Lions Havre track meet.

And while the meets will have similar feels with many of the same teams competing, there will be more Class A teams in attendance as around 20 teams total plan to participate. The events will get underway at 9:30 Saturday morning and will be held at the Havre Middle School track.

“We have a lot of young kids,” HHS head coach John Ita said. “So it’s always good to get them out there and give them a chance to compete.”

Both Havre teams are fresh off the Cal Wearley, which was Wednesday in Havre. The Blue Pony girls finished second at the meet, compared to the Havre boys, who were seventh.

Both Pony squads had some impressive individual performances, especially on the girls team, which saw multiple athletes take first place. Senior Kristen Nash led the way for Havre by winning the discus, but HHS also should expect a solid contribution from Jordan Keith, who placed in multiple throwing events as well Wednesday.

Another individual winner for the Havre girls was Caitlyn Terry, who won the triple jump and also placed in the long jump. Freshman Jessa Chvilicek was also a winner at the Cal Wearley for the Ponies, by taking first place in the high jump. The jumps represent an area of strength for Havre, which also boasts Sarah Faber and Katie Wirtzberger in those events.

Wirtzberger, another freshman, also placed in the 200 for Havre, while Tayler Marinkovich, a sophomore, gives HHS another talented sprinter. The Ponies are also strong in the hurdles with both Logan Huebsch and Ireland Coyne. Loni Waid and Amelia Beard also provide Havre with point scorers in other events like pole vault and long jump.

“One of the nice things about our girls,” Ita said. “Is that we have point scorers in just about every area, we have sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, throwers, we have someone in it seems like every event that is capable of scoring points.”

The Havre boys don’t have the depth or the experience of the girls team, but the Ponies still have some athletes capable of scoring points led by Jacob LaBrie, who won the 400-meter dash at the Cal Wearley.

LaBrie leads a talent group of sprinters that also includes freshman Tanner Parsons and sophomore Martin Wilkie. With its overall collection of running talent, the Ponies are still salty in both the 400-meter and 1,600-meter relays. Havre won the Class A state championship in the long relay last season.

Outside of those events, Havre doesn’t have a much in the of sure-fire point scorers, but HHS does have some solid talent in the distance events, where Austin Jones, Jakob Keller, Trevor Williams and Noah Azure all have a history of doing well in the distance events (800, 1,600, 3,200).

“I think our boys have a lot of potential,” Ita said, “and they are working hard. We just don’t have much experience there.”

The Lions Havre Invitational track meet will start Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The Ponies have another home meet in May.