Ponies net success at home

The Havre High tennis teams were certainly excited about a full weekend of tennis on the Blue Ponies' home courts. And, with just one meet at home all season long, they took full advantage.

Havre hosted the annual Havre Invitational Saturday, a tournament which featured the Blue Ponies, as well as Hardin, Belgrade, Lewistown, Conrad and Cut Bank. But the Ponies also got in an extra day of tennis as they took on Hardin and Belgrade Friday as well.

And at the end of the two days, despite some rough weather, Blue Pony head coach George Ferguson was more than happy with how things turned out.

"All of our kids got to play a lot of tennis, against really good competition," Ferguson said. "And they got to do it on their home courts, in front of friends and family. So the weekend was a big success. Our kids represented our program really well. They played hard, they played with pride and passion and they played well, so I couldn't ask for anything more out of these last two days. It was an awesome weekend."

The weekend started on Friday when, in spite of howling winds, the Ponies took on Hardin in the morning, with the boys winning 4-3 and the girls falling 7-0. Then, after a lengthy rain delay, the Ponies managed to still squeeze in their dual with Belgrade, with the HHS boys coming out on top 5-2 and the girls falling to the Panthers 5-2.

But while the weather was shaky Friday, it was anything but Saturday, where 96 matches were played at the Bill Vaughey Memorial Tennis Courts and nearly 50 more played at the courts at MSU-Northern. And in those matches, Havre found plenty of success, including the Ponies sweeping the boys championships for the third year in a row.

In doubles, the teams of Nate Korb and Jake Sedahl and Trey Murphy and Kennedy McKay each won three times to reach the championship bout where Sedahl and Korb won 6-2. In singles, senior Dustin Haas was outstanding as well, winning close matches over Hardin's Michael Neeser in the semifinals and Belgrade's Jeff Fourneir in the championship match to keep the Havre Invite title at home. Trey Hanson also won two matches in the boys singles bracket, while fellow seniors Jase Stokes and Bobby Personett, playing in their first Havre Invite, played really well.

"Our older guys, they had a great day," Ferguson said. "And this was probably one of the most competitive Havre Invite's I've ever had in my 15 years. Hardin and Belgrade are tough Class A teams, Cut Bank, Conrad and Lewistown have plenty of really strong players, too. So the fact that our kids accomplished so much this weekend, it speaks to not only how well those guys all played, but how much potential I think this boys team has going forward.

"And I was really happy for our three seniors who won championships," Ferguson added. "As I've said many times, the Havre Invite means a lot to our kids, and I know it meant a lot to those three guys to win their last-ever Havre Invite matches. That's always a special feeling."

While Havre's veteran boys team racked up a lot of wins Saturday, a younger Blue Pony girls team also gained ground. The Ponies didn't place any of their competitors in the field, which was dominated by veteran players from Hardin and Belgrade, but the duo of Alex Donaldson and Katie Donaldson made noise in doubles, while Paige Nelson came within one win of placing in singles. Havre also got a win from Marcee Murphy and Devyn Solomon in the doubles bracket as well.

"The great thing I saw this weekend from our girls is how quickly they adjusted to the level of competition they were up against," Ferguson said. "Hardin and Belgrade are both really deep teams, and I think we struggled a little bit on Friday against them. On Saturday, it was completely different. Our girls, in wins and losses, played some really good tennis. They made adjustments, they applied not only what we've been working on in practice, but also what they learned on Friday, and they all played really well on Saturday.

"Again, the competition in our meet this year was better than it's ever been," he continued. "And I really thought all of our girls did a great job on Saturday. They played some quality tennis, no matter the score, and that's what's most important to me right now. With having a young team like our girls team is, I look at how they played a lot more than I look at what the scores were, and I thought our girls played really well Saturday."

Saturday as a whole - well, as usual - Ferguson was extremely excited about his teams' only home meet of the season, just as his players were.

"It's always nice to play on your home courts," Korb said. "I like playing here. I think that I play better, and it's nice to have more people here that can come and watch you and cheer you on.

"We have a lot of great traditions in our program," Ferguson said. "And the Havre Invite is one of them. Our kids really embrace this weekend, and this year was no different. Our players all did so well, they played well, and they represented our school and our program with pride. It was just an awesome weekend for our kids and for our program, and I'm proud of all of our kids, from our first-year players to our seniors. It was a really fun two days, and I'm grateful to our kids, our parents and families, our school and to all the teams who came in and it made it such a great two days."

With the Havre Invite behind them, the Ponies will embark on the heart of their 2017 schedule, which starts with the Class A Duals this Friday and Saturday in Cut Bank.

HAVRE DUALS

Friday

BOYS

Havre 4, Hardin 3

Singles

Jonothan Noteboom, HAR def. Dustin Haas, HAV, 8-5; Ricky Hill, HAR def. Bobby Personett, HAV, 8-3; Trey Hanson, HAV def. Charles Story, HAR, 9-8 (7-2); Gabe Passes, HAR def. Jase Stokes, HAV, 8-0.

Doubles

Korb/Sedahl, HAV def. Neeser/Yarlott, HAR, 8-5; Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Lundberg/Bush, HAR, 8-3; Ophus/Brown, HAV, Lopez/Limpy, HAR, 8-4.

Havre 5, Belgrade 2

Singles

Dustin Haas, HAV def. Thomas O'Leary, BEL, 6-0; Jeff Fourneir, BEL def. Bobby Personett, HAV, 6-1; Trey Hanson, HAV def. Connor McLaughlin, BEL, 8-3; Jase Stokes, HAV def. Skyler Pulse, BEL, 8-3.

Doubles

Korb/Sedahl, HAV def. Layman/Hamilton, BEL, 6-2; Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Koltz/Olsen, BEL, 6-2; Bell/Chisholm, BEL def. Ophus/Brown, HAV, 8-3.

GIRLS

Hardin 7, Havre 0

Singles

Brittany Schaff, HAR def. Paige Nelson, HAV, 8-1; Makiko Reisig, HAR def. Kadyn Acor, HAV, 8-4; Katie Murdock, HAR def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 8-2; Jade Cruse, HAR def. Cassidy Acor, HAV, 8-4.

Doubles

Kindness/Dushane, HAR def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV, 8-2; Cai/Flamm, HAR def. Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV, 8-5; Herrera/Anderson, HAR def. Lindbloom/Miller, HAV, 8-2.

Belgrade 5, Havre 2

Singles

Paige Nelson, HAV def. Kiah Hohenstein, BEL, 7-5; Hattie Maisch, BEL def. Kadyn Acor, HAV, 6-2; Lauren Adams, BEL def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 8-3; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Carrie Sander, BEL, 8-4.

Doubles

Reddick/Gilbertson, BEL def. Solomon/Murphy, HAV, 6-4; Wierda/H. Stokke, BEL def. Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV, 7-6 (7-4); Stout/Stokke, BEL def. Lindbloom/Miller, HAV, 6-2.

HAVRE INVITATIONAL

BOYS

Singles

Championship – Dustin Haas, HAV def. Jeff Fourneir, BEL, 6-4; Consolation Final – (Tie) Michael Neeser, HAR, Danyon Rice, LEW; Semifinals – Haas, HAV def. Neeser, HAR, 6-5 (9), Fourneir, BEL def. Rice, LEW, 6-3.

1st rd – Haas, HAV, bye; Tyler Huber, CON def. Colten Barsness, CB, 6-1; Thomas O'Leary, BEL def. Jase Stokes, HAV, 6-5 (8); Neeser, HAR def. Jayce Philipps, LEW, 6-1; Fournier, BEL, Bye; Trey Hanson, HAV def. Gus Meiwald, CB, 6-1; Jonothan Noteboom, HAR def. Bobby Personett, HAV, 6-3; Rice, LEW, Bye; Quarterfinals – Haas, HAV def. Huber, CON, 6-1; Neeser, HAR def. O'Leary, BEL, 6-1; Fourneir, BEL def. Hanson, HAV, 6-4; Rice, LEW def. Noteboom, HAR, 6-3.

Consolation Bracket – Phillips, LEW def. Stokes, HAV, 6-4; Hanson, HAV def. Barsness, CB, 6-2; Noteboom, HAR def. Phillips, LEW, 6-2; Huber, CON def. Meiwald, CB, 6-5 (7); O'Leary, BEL def. Personett, HAV, 6-4; Noteboom, HAR def. Hanson, HAV, 6-4; O'Leary, BEL def. Huber, CON, 6-2; Neeser, HAR def. Noteboom, HAR, 6-3; Rice, LEW def. O'Leary, BEL, 6-3.

Doubles

Championship – Nate Korb/Jake Sedahl, HAV def. Trey Murphy/Kennedy McKay, HAV, 6-2; Consolation Final – (Tie) Dawson Matt/Colby Kraft, CB, Jordel Yarlott/Ricky Hill, HAR; Semifinals – Korb/Sedahl, HAV def. Matt/Kraft, CB, 6-2; Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Yarlotl/Hill, HAR, 6-5 (3).

1st rd – Korb Sedahl, HAV def. Dylan Bell/Javan Chisholm, BEL, 6-0; Charles Story/Gabe Passes, HAR def. Ben Kolar/Dawson Southworth, LEW, 6-1; Matt/Kraft, CB def. Caleb Koltz/Tate Olsen, BEL, 6-3; Austin Padilla/Clint Judisch, CON def. Jacob Miller/Logan McQuinn, LEW, 6-2; Trey Leyman/Aiden Hamilton, BEL def. Brady Ophus/Tommy Brown, HAV, 6-1; Yarlott/Hill, HAR, Bye; Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Parker Larson/Bert Paulsen, CON, 6-3; Tanner Mannin/Nate Kinderski, LEW def. Taylor Lundberg/Matthew Bush, HAR, 6-2; Quarterfinals – Korb/Sedahl, HAV def. Story/Passes, HAR, 6-2; Matt/Kraft, CB def. Padilla/Judsich, CON, 6-5 (10); Yarlot/Hill, HAR def. Layman/Hamilton, BEL, 6-5 (6); Murphy/McKay, HAV def. Mannin/Kinderski, LEW, 6-3.

Consolation Bracket –Bell/Chisholm, BEL def. Kolar/Southworth, LEW, 6-3; Kotz/Olsen, BEL def. Miller/McQuinn, LEW, 6-2; Ophus/Brown, Bye; Lundberg/Bush, HAR def. Larson/Paulsen, CON, 6-3; Mannin/Ki9nderski, LEW def. Bell/Chisholm, BEL, 6-4; Layman/Hamilton, BEL def. Koltz/Olsen, BEL, 6-4; Padilla/Judisch, CON def. Ophus/Brown, HAV, 6-4; Lundberg/Bush, HAR def. Story/Passes, HAR, 6-3; Layman/Hamilton, BEL def. Mannin/Kinderski, LEW, 6-2; Padilla/Judisch, CON def. Lundberg/Bush, HAR, 6-4; Matt/Kraft, CB def. Layman/Hamilton, BEL, 6-5 (2); Yarlott/Hill, HAR def. Padilla/Judisch, CON, 6-4.

GIRLS

Singles

Championship – Brittany Schaff, HAR def. Deshawna Anderson, HAR, 6-2; Consolation Final (Tie) – Taylor Woods, LEW, Kiah Hoehnstein, BEL; Semifinals – Anderson, HAR def. Hallie Maisch, BEL, 6-2; Schaff, HAR def. Hoehnstein, BEL, 6-3.

1st rd – Paige Nelson, HAV, Bye; Anderson, HAR def. Courtney Moran, CB, 6-0; Megan Barrett, CB def. Lissy Southworth, LEW, 6-2; Maisch, BEL, Bye; Schaff, HAR, Bye; Alyssa Bartsch, CON def. McKenzie Tommerup, HAV, 6-1; Hoehnstein, BEL, Bye; Woods, LEW, Bye; Quarterfinals – Anderson, HAR def, Nelson, HAV, 6-4; Maisch, BEL def. Barrett, CB, 6-3; Schaff, HAR def. Bartsch, CON, 6-1; Hoehnstein, BEL def. Woods, LEW, 6-4.

Consolation Bracket – Woods, LEW def. Moran, CB, 6-2; Southworth, LEW def. Bartsch, CON, 6-2; Barrett, CB def. Tommerup, HAV, 6-2; Nelson, HAV, Bye; Woods, LEW def. Southworth, LEW, 6-5 (7); Nelson, HAV def. Barrett, CB, 6-4; Woods, LEW def. Maisch, BEL, 6-4; Hoehnstein, BEL def. Nelson, HAV, 6-5 (4).

Doubles

Championship – Katie Murdock/Makiko Reisig, HAR def. Dalayne VanDyke/Dania Jones, CON, 6-1; Consolation Final (Tie) – Brooke Gilbertson/Lilly Reddick, BEL, Imani Kindness/Naumie Dushane, HAR; Semifinals – VanDyke/Jones, CON def. Gilbertson/Reddick, BEL, 6-3; Murdock/Reisig, HAR def. Maddie Flamm/Lisa Cai, HAR, 6-4.

1st rd – Abigail Weirda/Hannah Stokke, BEL def. Lilly Overstreet/Shannia Schmidt, CB, 6-0; Gilbertson/Reddick, BEL def. Abby Gatz/Alexia Arndt, LEW, 6-5 (12); Paige Stokke/Laura Stout, BEL def. Katie Donaldson/Alex Donaldson, HAV, 6-4; Summer Elmore/Audra Fry, LEW def. Riley Bird/Cidney Claycomb, 6-3; VanDyke Jones, CON def. Kindness/Dushane, HAR, 6-5 (4); Weirda/Stokke, BEL def. Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon, HAV, 6-2; Flamm/Kai, HAR def. Macee Barry/Madi Seifert, CB, 6-0; Carley Ries/Hayley Ries, CON def. Sydney Kelsey/Nicole Wolett, LEW, 6-0; Murdock/Reisig, HAR def. Megan Lindbloom/Teagan Fee, HAV, 6-1; Quarterfinals – Gilbertson/Reddick, BEL def. Stokke/Stout, BEL, 6-4; VanDyke/Jones, CON def. Elmore/Fry, LEW, 6-1; Flamm/Cai, HAR def. Weirda/Stokke, BEL, 6-0; Murdock/Reisig, HAR def. Ries/Ries, CON, 6-1.

Consolation Bracket – Gatz/Arndt, LEW def. Overstreet/Schmidt, CB, 6-2; Murphy/Solomon, HAV def. Lindbloom/Fee, HAV, 6-2; Barry/Seifert, CB def. Kelsey/Wolett, LEW, 6-3; Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV def. Gatz/Arndt, LEW, 6-4; Kindness/Dushane, HAR def. Claycomb/Bird, CB, 6-3; Stokke/Stout, BEL def. Murphy/Solomon, HAV, 6-3; Barry/Seifert, CB def. Elmore/Fry, LEW, 6-3; Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV def. Weirda/Stokke, BEL, 6-4; Kindness/Dushane, HAR def. Ries/Ries, CON, 6-3; Stokke/Stout, BEL def. Barry/Seifert, CB, 6-4; Kindness/Dushane, HAR def. Donaldson/Donaldson, HAV, 6-4; Gilbertson/Reddick, BEL def. Flamm/Cai, HAR, 6-4; Kindness/Dushane, HAR def. Stokke/Stout, BEL, 6-5 (4).

MSU-Northern Courts

(Round Robin)

Lauren Adams, BEL def. Kadyn Acor, HAV, 6-4; Ron Barnhill, CON def. Kendall Holden, HAV, 6-2; Jade Cruse, HAR def. Bryn Nault, HAV, 6-1; Tyrel Kjersm, HAR def. Miguel Lopez, HAR, 6-3; Mary Anne Herrera, HAR def. Kassidy Compton, HAV, 6-0; Dawson Berg, CON def. Reece Bulkley, HAV, 6-2; Tessa Gatz, LEW def. Tiffany Ralph, HAV, 6-4; Weston Chruch, LEW def. Jack Johnsrud, HAV, 6-0; Eliza McLaughlin, BEL def. Kyndall Keller, HAV, 6-4; Greg Fulbright, LEW def. Joey Bender, HAV, 6-1; Angela Rhines, HAV def. Dalice Church, LEW, 6-3; Traylee Limpy, HAR def. John South, HAV, 6-0; Tessa Gatz, LEW def. Kadyn Acor, HAV, 6-3; Connor McCauley, BEL def. Kendall Holden, HAV, 6-1; Jake Huston, HAV def. Skylar Pulse, BEL, 6-3; Tessa Gatz, LEW def. Bryn Nault, HAV, 6-4; Cassidy Acor, HAV def. Dalice Church, LEW, 6-3; Kassidy Compton, HAV def. Martina Casamentti, CON, 6-2; Eliza McLaughlin, BEL def. Tiffany Ralph, HAV, 6-2; Weston Church, LEW def. Reese Bulkley, HAV, 6-2; Greg Fulbright, LEW def. Jack Johnsrud, HAV, 6-1; Tessa Gatz, LEW def. Kyndall Keller, HAV, 6-0; Ron Barnhill, CON def. Joey Bender, HAV, 6-0; Eliza McLaughlin, BEL def. Angela Rhines, HAV, 6-1; Skyler Pulse, BEL def. John South, HAV, 6-1; Dalice Church, LEW def. Carsyn Vogel, HAV, 6-0; Martina Casamenti, CON def. Cassidy Acor, HAV, 6-3; Lauren Adams, BEL def. Bryn Nault, HAV, 6-2; Connor McCauley, BEL def. Jake Huston, HAV, 6-0; Tessa Gatz, LEW def. Carsyn Vogel, HAV, 6-1; Weston Chruch, LEW def. Tyrel Kjersm, HAV, 6-1; Jade Cruse, HAR def. Kassidy Compton, HAV, 6-2; Greg Fulbright, LEW def. Reece Bulkley, HAV, 6-5 (6); Ron Barnhill, CON def. Jack Johnsrud, HAV, 6-2; Skyler Pulse, BEL def. Joey Bender, HAV, 6-0; Kadyn Acor, HAV def. Eliza McLaughlin, BEL, 6-1; Bryn Nault, HAV def. Dalice Church, LEW, 6-0; Westin Church, LEW def. Jake Huston, HAV, 6-5 (2).