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Blue Ponies set to compete in Eastern A Divisionals this weekend

As the school year soon comes to an end, so too does the spring sports season. The Havre High track and field teams will begin the final two weeks of the season as they begin the postseason with the Eastern A Divisionals in Lockwood this weekend. In her first year leading the Blue Ponies, HHS head coach Kari Filius wants to see her athletes lay it all on the line this weekend.

"(We want) to get as many kids qualified for state as we can," Filius said. "For those kids that don't make it, hopefully they end well and do the best they can so they feel good about their season but I think we have a really good chance to get a lot of us (to state)."

At the meet, the Ponies will compete against conference opponents such as Billings Central Catholic, Miles City, Glendive, Lewistown, Hardin, Laurel, Lockwood, Livingston and Sidney. Filius expects both the Laurel boys and girls teams to be the toughest competition this weekend.

In last year's divisionals, the Laurel girls team took home the divisional title while Havre finished fourth. The Hardin boys team will be looking to repeat as divisional champions after taking first place last season. The Havre boys will be looking to improve on their seventh-place finish from last year.

At divisionals, every athlete will be competing for a spot in the state meet next weekend in Butte. After allowing the top 10 in each event at divisionals to make it to state, it has been cut down to only the top eight this weekend.

Many veterans for the Ponies will be looking to do well this weekend after qualifying for state last season. Caleb Tomac will be looking to return after qualifying in the 1,600-meter dash and the 3,200 last year. This spring, he competed in the 800 and the 1,600 for Havre. He has a personal best of 2:04.89 in the 800 and a personal record of 4:36.64 in the 1,600.

Brody Henry is looking to return to state after qualifying in the 800 last year. He has a best of 2:07.17 in the 800 and has also done well in the 1,600 with a personal record of 4:49.10 this season.

Sadie Filius qualified for state in the 400, the 300-meter hurdles and the long jump last season, so she hopes to do that again in her senior season. She just set season records in the 300 hurdles and the long jump at the Eastern A Twilight this past weekend. She recorded a time of 51.36 in the 300 hurdles and she posted a distance of 14-06 in the long jump.

Emma Gillen qualified in both hurdle events last season and hopes to do that again this weekend. In the 100 hurdles this season, she has a season record of 17.83 and in the 300 hurdles, she has a best of 52.89.

Kyanna Jarvis looks to do well in the hurdles and the high jump after qualifying for state in both events last season. This season, she has a best of 16.34 in the 100 hurdles and a best of 5-00 in the high jump.

Many younger Ponies will be looking to convert their regular season success into more success this weekend to qualify for state. Brayden Kimberling has done well in the 100 with a best of 11.14 and has a personal best of 23.69 in the 200.

Kaydance Reiter will be looking to continue her strong freshman season in the sprints. She has a personal record of 13.03 in the 100 and a best of 26.74 in the 200. Hailey Gingery has run well in the long distance this spring. She has a best of 2:28.90 in the 800 and a personal best of 5:37.74 in the 1,600.

Many Ponies have been setting personal records over the last few weeks, just in time for the postseason. As they head into the postseason, coach Filius expects her athletes to continue improving and do well to end the season.

"I think the kids are still going up. They're still improving and getting PRs almost every weekend," Filius said. "We're sitting really good. I feel pretty good about where we're at and we're excited to see what they do."

The HHS track teams begin the Eastern A Divisionals in Lockwood on Friday at 2 p.m.

 

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