HHS golfers start the postseason

The high school golf season is short and quick. It starts before school gets going and it ends before fall really takes hold.

And the end is in sight for the 2015 Havre High golf season. But before the Blue Ponies put their clubs away for the winter, there’s still a lot to do.

Havre begins postseason play Saturday when the Ponies compete in the Central A Divisional tournament in Lewistown. The top two boys and top two girls teams, and the Top 15 individual boys and girls all advance to the Class A state meet next weekend in Sidney.

For the Blue Pony boys, advancing to state isn’t the goal. The Ponies have their sights set on contending for next week’s state championship, but this Saturday, they are primed to win a divisional title — something HHS hasn’t done in four years.

But the Ponies certainly can accomplish that goal Saturday with good scores. Havre is by far the deepest team in the Central A, which is composed of the Ponies, Lewistown, Belgrade, Livingston and Browning. Havre has four returning All-Conference players in seniors Jeff Miller and Jerod Boles, as well as juniors Dustin Haas and Kane Gabrielsen. All four have vast postseason experience, while Miller and Boles are three-time All-Conference performers. And, any one of those players could win the individual title this weekend, and all four will certainly be in contention. Junior Aden Passon will also be in contention this weekend as he makes his first postseason appearance for the Ponies.

“Our boys have a good chance,” said HHS head coach Brett Gilman. “They just need to go out and play their game.”

Of course, Havre will need all the good scores it can get though, because, while the Ponies are the most talented team in the field, defending Central A champion Lewistown is playing on its home course, and the Eagles beat the Ponies there two weeks ago. So, HHS will have to put up some solid scores in order to ensure leaving the Pine Meadows Golf Club with the divisional championship.

Meanwhile, the HHS girls are probably behind when it comes to the team title race Saturday. Havre has seniors Randi Gabrielsen and Payton Howard, both of whom have advanced past the divisional tournament before. But after that, HHS is a young team. Regan Lammers and Grace Litzinger played at the divisional tournament a year ago as freshmen, and advanced to the state tournament, but they are still learning and growing as players. Freshman Teagan Fee rounds out the HHS lineup, which will have to contend with very strong teams from Lewistown and Browning this weekend.

But, even though the Pony girls are young, there’s no doubt they should get a number of girls, if not all, into next week’s state tournament. And for Gilman, that would mean taking the boys and girls teams to the state meet for the third year in a row. And that’s always the goal.

“The girls have been improving every week,” Gilman said. “Their scores have gotten better each week, and we hope to see that continue this weekend.”

Saturday’s Central A tournament at Pine Meadows will start at 9:30 a.m. in Lewistown. All of those who qualify will advance to the Class A state tournament next Friday and Saturday in Sidney.