Making the cut: Four Pony golfers headed to state

By Havre Daily News Staff

With a wicked winter storm fast approaching, the Havre High golf teams managed to get step one of the 2019 postseason in.

Thursday in Sidney, the Blue Ponies took part in the 2019 Eastern A Divisional Tournament, held at the Sidney Country Club, where Havre qualified three boys and one girl for next week's state tournament.

"I was proud of all of our kids," Havre High head coach George Ferguson said. "Sidney is a tough course, the weather was tough, and our division is really good. So I'm very proud of our kids for fighting through all of that and doing their very best. As a coach, that's all you can ask for."

The Pony boys had hopes of a top-four finish in Sidney, but the likes of champion Billings Central, as well as Laurel, Sidney and Livingston were just too strong in the end. The Rams edged the Locomotives in a two-hole playoff for the team title, while Havre slipped to seventh in the final standings.

The Ponies did get three boys through to state, in senior Tyrel Kjersem and juniors Josh Warp and Caleb Chambliss. All three Blue Ponies shot 93, with Chambliss finishing 23rd, Warp 24th and Kjersem 25th via tiebreakers. First-timers Tavish McLean (106) and Kale Reno (109) rounded out the scoring for the Havre boys.

"It was an up-and-down round for our boys," Ferguson said. "All of them were hoping to play better, and they know they're capable of playing better. But that's golf. Sometimes, it just isn't your day. But all five of those guys are very good golfers, and they were a lot closer to the top of the field than their scores showed. So I'm not the least bit disappointed. They grinder it out the best they could.

"We also qualified three boys for state," he continued. This divisional is deep and talented, so getting into the top 30 wasn't as easy as it might have seemed. Josh, Caleb and Tyrel, they still had to play good golf to finish where they did, and even though I know they had higher goals, they still did what it took to get into state. They executed when they needed to. They earned their way to state, and I'm proud of them for that because it wasn't easy."

It wasn't easy for the short-handed Havre girls either. The Ponies took just three golfers to Sidney, and like the boys, had to play against a loaded field.

Junior Jocelyn Staples, led the way with a 112, giving her a 20th-place finish, while junior Carlee Kato shot 124, one place out of the top 30. Freshman Sylvie McKeon-Hanson had to withdraw due to illness.

"First off, I'm super proud of these girls," Ferguson said. "It's been a challenging season for them. Tough courses and tough competition, and divisionals was really tough. So for Jocelyn to battle through and get to state, that shows how far she's come as a golfer this season. Carlee, she was really close, and she improved 12 strokes from her last round in Sidney. She did awesome. Sylvie did awesome, too. She wasn't feeling well, and she tried to go as long as she could. But I'll say this, those three girls, they really came a long way in a short amount of time, and they impressed me so much. I'm just really proud of them."

Despite the up-and-down play in Sidney, Ferguson added, he was impressed with his entire varsity team. And with just one senior in the program, he said Havre has a bright future on the golf course.

"We've got some very good golfers in our program," Ferguson said. "They're a fun group to coach. And so many of them are coming back next year. So it's exciting."

The future is bright for HHS, but the future is also now for the four Ponies who will play in next week's Class A state tournament in Laurel. The tournament runs Thursday and Friday at the prestigious Laurel Golf Club.

"Josh, Caleb, Tyrel and Jocelyn, I'm really happy for them," Ferguson said. "And we're excited to watch them play at state. The great thing about this sport is you have to play your way into the state tournament. It's not handed to you. And those four did that on Thursday, and I'm really excited for them."