Havre High Hoops 2019-2020: Pony girls aim to stay on top

Going back-to-back as state champions does not happen very often these days, but the Havre High girls basketball team has achieved that historic accomplishment after beating Hardin last season in the Class A state championship.

Now, this year will bring about a chance to bring home another state title and a possible three-peat, too.

Already, the Ponies in the last decade have put up what some may consider a dynasty of sports, with three championships in 2014, 2018 and 2019.

And all three of those years, veteran head coach Dustin Kraske was there and now, he and his team have a chance to make even more of a historical season than previous years. But, first, Kraske will aim to have his team focus on improving as the season goes on.

"We're just trying to get better every practice and work to accomplish that, quite frankly," said Kraske. "Everything revolves around that, getting better every day."

Havre's varsity squad will not look much different from the previous year, minus last year's seniors like Lauren Kato, Abagail Morse and Kassidy Compton. The seniors on the varsity team this year consist of University of Montana commit Kendall Keller, who has been an electric player for the Ponies, Kadia Miller, Sam Oliver, Jessa Chvilicek, Kylie Walker and Katie Wirtzberger.

There will be no new faces on the varsity squad, but many returners will be back for another year. Players like Sydney Wilting, Kaylee Torgerson, Loy Waid, Sadie Filius, Quinn McDonald and Britton Paulson will be ready to help the senior class make some noise this season.

The schedule this year will include some familiar faces and some new ones, as well. Mainly, the Ponies' new conference, the Northeast A, will include new opponents like Sidney, Glendive and Miles City, with rival Lewistown, too. Havre will play all those teams, including out-of-conference Browning, twice this season.

The new conference will certainly bring about some different competition and new experiences for the team. There is always something fun about getting to compete against some different opponents, and Havre will surely find a new atmosphere among the Northeast A.

Other teams that the Blue Ponies will see again this year include the Class AA schools of Great Fall High and Great Falls CMR, while the Class B schools of Fairfield and Malta will be back again, too. On top of that, Havre will open their season against two state tourney teams from last season in Laurel and Billings Central.

The schedule is definitely a difficult one, but the Ponies are excited to get on the hardwood and give every team they face a great challenge and vice versa. For Kraske, there are some keys he will have his team orient its season around to achieve the success it has had in the past.

"Well, I think that we'll have to learn what our new roles are with this particular group," Kraske said. "Then, strive to play together. I think that's the key to any team to do well, and we want to do well, so we have to share the ball, collectively work defensively and play together. It'll be fun."

The Blue Ponies will get to open their season at home Friday against the Laurel Locomotives in the Havre High gymnasium, followed by an away-game against the Billings Central Rams Saturday down in Billings.