Runners head to Bozeman

The post season is here for the Havre High cross country team, as it heads to the Central A Divisional meet in Bozeman.

The 3-mile race will be hosted by the Belgrade Panthers at the East Gallatin Recreation Area in Bozeman.

The Ponies are fresh off a first-place finish in their own invitational last Saturday. They hope to carry that performance over to this weekend for the last prep race before the state meet.

"All of our girls are really running well right now," coach Kim Ray said. "And we have been on this course once before, so I think we can do pretty well at this meet."

The meet will also feature Lewistown, Anaconda, Browning, Livingston, Dillon and Butte Central. According to Ray, Lewistown will be the team that figures to challenge her Ponies for the team title.

"I think that they will be our toughest competition at the divisional meet," Ray said. "The rest of the teams in our division really only have one or two strong runners at the most."

Havre's lineup for the divisional and state meet will be Alicia Rundquist, Shannon Newth, McKayla Patterson, Kelsey Malsam, Rebecca Hilliard, Katie Siebrasse and Mandi Nystrom. Andee Peterson, who had competed on the varsity team for most of the year, is sidelined with an injury and will not be able to compete the rest of the season.

"Andee has a stretched membrane on the side of her ankle," Ray said. "When she runs, it has become very painful for her so she won't be able to compete for us."

The varsity races in Bozeman will begin at noon on Saturday.