News you can use

A big round ahead: Pony golfers hit the postseason

The Havre Blue Ponies just played a tough golf course in Billings. Thursday morning, the Ponies will do it again, but with a lot more on the line.

Havre travels to Billings to play Lake Hills Golf Course at the Eastern A Divisional, where 18 holes separates them from qualifying for next week's state tourney.

"We're excited," HHS head coach George Ferguson said. "These kids have already been through a lot this season. We all know everything kids have had to do just to get to play this fall. So I'm looking forward to them going down there and doing there best, and concentrating on just golf. They've earned it."

The Havre boys have, Ferguson admits, been on a reception tour this season. A year ago, a younger Pony squad failed to qualify for state in the first-ever Eastern A Divisional Tournament. The tournament has gone the way of many other divisional tourneys in Class A, which is to say, the Northeast A and the Southeast A are combined. In that tourney in Sidney last September, the Havre boys finished sixth overall, and only pushed three golfers to state. This year, though, Havre has finished no worse than fourth among Eastern A opponents at any tournament the Ponies have played.

Led by seniors Josh Warp and Caleb Chambliss, both of whom have gone to state in each of the last two seasons, the Ponies have been shooting good team scores all fall. Juniors Caleb Spangler, Theron Peterson and Kale Reno round out the pony lineup this week.

"Our boys have had a really strong season, and they've been very consistent," Ferguson said. We've pretty much had the same lineup all fall, and that says something about these five guys because we prequalify every week, and we have some very good golfers in that qualifying group. So the fact these guys stayed in the Top 5 all year, it says a lot about how much they've kept improving, and the good golf they've been playing.

"I think they're on a mission, too," Ferguson said. "We're not going to catch Central or Laurel, nobody is. But we've been right there in third or fourth all year, and that's the goal, to get one of those top four spots and get all of our guys to state, and I believe our guys are up to it. They just need to relax, have fun and play their games. I know they can do it."

The Havre girls have a chance to do the same Thursday.

Like the boys, the Pony girls have been in the top half of the Eastern A all season, finishing no worse than fifth at any tournament, and as high as third in several events. Seniors Jocelyn Staples and Carlee Kato, junior Sophie Kirkpatrick and sophomore Sylvie McKeon-Hanson are all returning from last year's divisional team, one in which Staples reached the state tourney, while junior Katharine Greenwood has come on strong this season.

"Our girls have done a great job this season," Ferguson said. "They've been consistent, they've improved in a lot of aspects, and I think one big thing they have going for them is their experience. I've been really impressed with our girls this season. I'm really impressed with how much Katharine Greenwood has improved in one year. She really has come on strong, and with the other four girls all coming back from last year, she's made us a very complete team, and a team I definitely think can qualify for state."

And that's the goal, to get to the Class A state tournament, which will be held at the Butte Country Club Oct. 1-2. To do that, the Ponies must finish in the top four in team scores or, as individuals, finish in the Top 30 boys and girls. Of course, the field will again be tough. On the boys side, Central, Laurel, Lewistown and Livingston, along with Havre are all very tough teams, while Sidney can be a contender as well. On the girls side, Laurel is a heavy favorite, while Central and Sidney have also posted good results this season.

"Our division is really good," Ferguson said. "For a time, Class A golf was dominated by teams in the west, but not right now. The Laurel boys and girls are as good as it gets. They, along with the Billings Central boys, have beaten AA teams this season. They're very good. And every team has strong players, so this tournament is not easy at all.

"But, that's what makes it fun and, when our kids do well, so gratifying," he continued. "We know we're up against really good teams, really good players, and a Lake Hills course that will be a challenge, as well. But I truly believe our 10 kids are up to that challenge. They've already had a heck of a season, and now all that's left to do is go to Billings and play some really good golf, so they give themselves a chance to go on to state. And I'm really excited to go watch our kids do just that."

The 2020 Eastern A Divisional will get underway with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Thursday in Billings. The Class A state tournament will be played Oct. 1-2 at the famed Butte Country Club.

 

Reader Comments(0)