Havre golfers tee it up in Lewistown

Although summer is still in full swing, the Havre High School golf team is now in its second week of the regular season. After a trying start to the 2003 golf season in Great Falls, the Ponies now head to Lewistown for today's Fergus High Invitational Golf tournament.

The Fergus Invitational will be a 18-hole stroke play event and it will be held at the Judith Shadows Golf Club just outside the city limits of Lewistown. And after seeing the best of Class AA golf earlier in the week in Great Falls, Havre head coach Keith Evenson said that the competition won't be quite as severe today in Lewistown.

"We faced some very good teams and two very challenging courses in Great Falls," Evenson said. "In Lewistown there won't be as many teams, but it will be good experience for our girls and some of our younger players."

"We are also taking a lot of junior varsity players to Lewistown," Evenson added. "So this will be a very good opportunity for them to get their first tournament experience as well."

Due to the fact that school does not officially begin until next week, the Ponies will be without several players on both the girls and boys teams this week because of summer obligations.

The boys lineup will be the same as Great Falls from one through four. Trent Normandy, Ben Erickson, Chazz Hurlburt and Tony Jensen will all play varsity again this week. And Ben Milam qualified for the fifth spot to round out the Havre boys lineup.

"Ben (Milam) played well in qualifying this week," Evenson said. "But Matt Hedstrom, Cory Stremcha and a few others are right there also so that fifth spot will be up for grabs all season."

On the girls side of things, Brittany Job will be out of the lineup this week because of family obligations. Also Kim Bryson is still questionable for today's tournament after suffering back spasms on Tuesday in the second round of the Great Falls Invitational. That will leave Allie Ward, Morgan Zimmer and Catlin Anderson to compete on the Ponies varsity team today.

"We may not have a full girls team this week," Evenson said. "But for the girls this tournament will be another good opportunity for them to gain some more tournament experience."

The Ponies will be joined by host Lewistown as well as both Great Falls High and CMR JV teams. Evenson also says that Billings Central and Laurel may also be at the tournament.

The Fergus High Invitational will get underway with a shotgun start at 9:00 a.m. at the Judith Shadows Golf Club.