Pony tennis takes charge at Lewistown

The Havre High boys tennis team showed Saturday in Lewistown why the Ponies are the defending state Class A champions.

In a dual contest with the Lewistown boys, the Havre team lost only one match. Havre won every match in a dual with Hardin.

"The boys played very well," Havre coach Sam Dierman said. "They are ready for the divisional and state competition."

Against Hardin, the doubles team of Mike Frey and Daine Solomon shut out their opponent, winning 6-0, 6-0. Jeremy Heninger and Seth Maristuen recorded a near shutout, winning 6-0, 6-1.

Havre's No. 3 doubles team of freshmen Marc Mariani and Gary Wagner also won both matches. Against Lewistown, Mariani and Wagner won 6-0, 7-5, and against Hardin, they triumphed 6-0, 6-3.

"Our doubles teams of Heninger/Maristuen and Frey/Solomon will be the top two teams in the divisional seedings," Dierman said. "Mariani/Wagner are the best No. 3 doubles team around."

Cody McLain was also on the victorious side of some lopsided scores. McLain defeated his Hardin opponent 6-0, 6-0 and Lewistown 6-0, 6-2.

Senior Andrew McLain won both of his matches by defeating his Lewistown opponent 6-4, 6-0 and Hardin 6-1, 6-0.

Tyler Vincent escaped with a narrow win over Lewistown 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5) before cruising past Hardin 6-0, 6-2.

Freshman Kyle Baltrusch fell victim to Lewistown in the first dual, but came back to beat Hardin 6-2, 6-2.

"Cody McLain and Baltrusch will hold two of the top three seeds in the divisional boys singles division," Dierman said. "Tyler and Andrew are going to be right there at divisional time. Every boy has a realistic chance to qualify for state."

The Havre girls team handed Livingston its first dual loss of the season in a close 4-3 win. The Ponies continued on to beat Dillon and Anaconda, both 6-1.

"It is the first time that we beat Livingston in a dual competition," Dierman said.

"If everybody has great performances at divisionals, we have an outside shot of knocking them off. It will be tough because divisonals are in Livingston but at least we have a shot."

Amy McLain and Laura Hedstrom and the doubles team of Erika Johnson and Sara Suek each won all three of their matches. Singles player Samantha Shrauger and the doubles teams of Taylor Donaldson and Casey Peterson and Jennifer Gorder and Ryan Hamilton each won two of three matches, while Crystal Pyrak won one of three matches.

"Crystal Pyrak did very well but must learn how to play on key points. If she does a better job of that, she will be tough to beat," Dierman said. "Amy McLain is amazing for a freshman. She defeated a girl from Livingston who placed second in state in doubles last year."

"Laura Hedstrom had her best weekend of the season and is peaking at the right time," Dierman added.

The divisional tournament is Friday and Saturday in Livingston.

The following are the results from Lewistown:

Havre boys 6, Lewistown boys 1

Kyle Baltrusch lost to J. Ernst 6-7 (0-7), 0-6

Cody McLain def. B. Ernst 6-0, 6-2

Tyler Vincent def. Bride 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5)

Andrew McLain def. Boyce 6-4, 6-0

Mike Frey/Daine Solomon def. Bakkedahl/Sweeney 6-4, 6-0

Jeremy Heninger/Seth Maristuen def. Jenni/Byerly 6-1, 6-0

Marc Mariani/Gary Wagner def. Byerly/Atchison 6-0, 7-5

Havre boys 7, Hardin boys 0

C. McLain def. Greer 6-0, 6-0

Baltrusch def. Krebs 6-2, 6-2

Vincent def. Hyde 6-0, 6-2

A. McLain def. Whiteman 6-0, 6-2

Heninger/Maristuen def. Minnick/Anderson 6-0, 6-1

Frey/Solomon def. Bull Shows/Flack 6-0, 6-0

Mariani/Wagner def. Kunz/Wagner 6-0, 6-3

Havre girls 4, Livingston girls 3

Crystal Pyrak def. Briggs 4-6, 6-4, 7-5

Amy McLain def. Chappell 6-4, 5-7, 7-3

Samantha Shrauger lost to Hoover 0-6, 3-6

Laura Hedstrom def. Storey 6-4, 6-3

Jennifer Gorder/Ryan Hamilton lost to Hannon/Winfrey 1-6, 4-6

Taylor Donaldson/Casey Peterson lost to Nelson/Scofield 1-6, 0-6

Erika Johnson/Sara Suek def. Foote/Kesling 6-4, 2-6, 8-6

Havre girls 6, Dillon girls 1

Pyrak lost to McDonald 1-6, 3-6

McLain def. Godecke 6-1, 6-2

Shrauger def. Smith 6-0, 6-0

Hedstrom won by forfeit, won exhibition match 6-0

Gorder/Hamilton def. Ryan/Nield 6-4, 6-3

Johnson/Suek def. Montgomery/McDougall 6-1, 6-2

Havre girls 6, Anaconda girls 1

Pyrak lost to Yeoman, 4-6, 3-6

McLain def. Spear 6-0, 6-4

Shrauger def. Hamilton 7-5, 6-0

Hedstrom def. Everett 6-1, 6-3

Gorder/Hamilton def. Svaldi/Sweeney 6-3, 6-4

Donaldson/Peterson def. Beausoliel/Johnston 6-4, 6-2

Johnson/Suek won by forfeit