State A Girls: Defending champion Havre a contender

Havre has all kinds of winners these days.

"We've had a very good winter," said Havre High athletic director Dennis Murphy. "Our swimming girls' team was second at state, our wrestling won it, and our boys' basketball team made it to state. And now our girls."

The Havre girls' basketball team, coached by Dustin Kraske, seeks its second straight State A championship this weekend as the tournament unfolds at Hamilton High. The 16-4 Ponies last week won their fourth consecutive Central A divisional title and open defense of their state crown Thursday night at 8 against Hardin (12-9).

"To win a state championship is obviously very special," said Murphy, whose own 14-year coaching career with the Blue Pony girls featured extensive success, including a state title. "And we graduated a lot of experience from that team. Being able to get back to the state tournament with this group is really great, because of lot of them were playing freshman ball last year. Our older kids did a great job of setting an example and coach Kraske has done a really nice job of setting high expectations."

In other first-round games, Billings Central (10-11) takes on Lewistown (9-13) in the opener at 12:30 and Columbia Falls (19-1) meets Butte Central (17-5) at 2 p.m. Then Thursday night at 6:30, tournament host Hamilton (15-6) meets Frenchtown (13-7).

Havre has many fine guards, including Morgan Mazurkiewicz and Dani Wagner. Mazurkiewicz tossed in 25 points Saturday as the Ponies defeated Lewistown 54-46 in the Central A title game.

"Morgan's the key to the team, really the heart and soul of it," Murphy said. "One thing about her is she works as hard as she can all the time, whether it's a practice or a game."

Mazurkiewicz averages about 16 ppg. Her sister Tori, who missed much of the season because of a leg injury and is another superb competitor, has been cleared to play this weekend.

"She should see some minutes, but we'll have to see how many," Murphy said. "She was really an integral part of last year's team."

The Ponies defeated Hamilton 52-43 last year in the State A championship at Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls. It was Havre's first girls' title since 1997.

Hardin is led by senior forward Darrelyn Left Hand, who averages about 16 ppg. She scored 17 in Hardin's 55-47 loss to Billings Central in the Eastern A title game last weekend.

Lewistown, which ousted Livingston 58-45 in a Central A challenge game on Monday, is led by junior 3-point specialist Tara Olson and excellent junior forwards Jaree Mane and Kyra Fleharty. The latter scored a career-high 23 points against Livingston as the Eagles of coach Deena Wier advanced to the state tourney for the first time since winning it all in 2005.

"Lewistown had a really nice finish at Central A. They're obviously playing their best basketball of the year," Murphy said.

Columbia Falls is 19-1 and features coach Cary Finberg, a highly successful mentor with two boys' state championships on his coaching resume. The Wildkats are led by 6-0 senior Winter Kemppainen, senior guard Ciera Finberg and sophomore point guard Cydney Finberg, the coach's daughters.

The Wildkats won the Class AA state title in 1983 but have never won an A championship. The team's last appearance to the State A title game was in 1986.

Mollie Peoples is a top player for Butte Central.

Hamilton has an eight-game winning streak and is led by one of Montana's best players, Tribune Super-Stater Taylor Goligoski (23.8 ppg). Seniors Jaylee Albert and Kali Hayes are also fine performers for coach Mark Albert.

The Broncs are seeking their first state championship since 1984. The tourney was also played at Hamilton High that year.

Frenchtown is led by senior Lacey Hochhalter and freshman Alivia Williams.