There's no doubt the Havre Blue Ponies have had a successful run in tennis. In just the last 14 seasons, the Blue Pony boys and girls have combined to win state 15 trophies and five Class A state championships.

Now, the Ponies will try for more hardware when the 2016 Class A state tournament starts Thursday morning in Bozeman, and concludes Friday afternoon in Livingston.

Havre qualified four boys and three girls through last week's Central A Divisional, and while that might not seem like a lot, HHS head coach George Ferguson always believes quality is every bit as important as quantity at the state level.

"Sure, we would have loved to be taking an entire bus full of kids to the state tournament, and we had a lot more kids who are certainly good enough to be there," Ferguson said. "But, the divisional tournament doesn't always work like that, and on the flip side, I've had teams of just four girls, and teams of just three boys either win, or come close to winning state championships in past years. And this year, we are taking seven very good tennis players to state players who can do a lot of damage individually. And when you do damage individually, the team points rack up, and that's always been our approach at state."

In the case of the Pony boys, quality is certainly on Havre's side. While defending champion Billings Central, along with Glendive have strong teams, too, the Ponies' lineup, of Jeff Miller and Dustin Haas in singles and Jerod Boles and Jake Sedahl in doubles, has to be considered a favorite to hoist the big trophy this weekend.

"Are we the favorite?" Ferguson said. "I don't know. There's plenty of good players and good teams at the state tournament. But, I will say, we have some big guns going to state, and if they play like I know they can, then we will be in the mix at the end, and that's all anyone can ask. I'll just say, I have a lot of confidence in those four guys, that's for sure."

When it comes to favorites, Miller is certainly one in singles. He was the 2014 state champion and a runner-up last year, so he knows what it takes at this level. He'll get stern tests from the likes of Central's Harrison Fagg and Hamilton's Alexander Raymond among others, but, Ferguson noted that when Miller is on top of his game, as he has been this year with his 34-2 record, he's very hard to beat.

"Jeff has seen and done it all in high school tennis," Ferguson said. "Nothing will be a surprise to him or catch him off guard this weekend. He knows what he has to do to achieve his goals. He's one of the best players in all of Montana, and he's going to play great in his last state tournament. I know that."

Boles and Sedahl have also been to the state tourney before, Boles playing last year with Noah Landgraf, while Sedahl played singles. Now, the duo is looking to bring a state doubles title back to Havre, and while Ferguson said there are strong teams from Glendive and Central standing in their way, the pair really shined last week in Lewistown, and he expects the same, just as he does from Haas, whose making his first trip to state.

"Jake and Jerod are playing so well right now," Ferguson said. "It has taken them a while to grow into a doubles team, just as it does with any new team. But, they're right where they want to be right now. It's going to be tough, the boys doubles draw is loaded with strong teams, and a few of them are right in our path. But those guys gained a lot of confidence winning last week in Lewistown, and I think that's going to carry right over into this week. I'm really excited for them, and for Dustin, because I think those three guys give us the depth and firepower we need to make a run at a trophy this week."

Making a run at a trophy may be a little more difficult for the Havre High girls. The senior doubles team of Rainey Stoner and Madison Huebsch, along with sophomore singles player Paige Nelson are all state tourney first-timers. And, none of them are a top seed in this week's draws. Still, just like the boys team, Ferguson has extreme confidence in his girls, too.

"I know those three will play really well," Ferguson said. "They all three wanted to get to state really bad this season, and they achieved that goal. But, I also know they're not going to be satisfied with just getting there either. They are going to go out and put forth a great effort and try and win matches. They are all very competitive and they want to advance and make some noise this week."

Stoner and Huebsch have been together for the past three seasons, and this weekend will be their last hurrah. After finishing second in the Central A last week, they are a No. 2 seed in the tournament, and drew a tough team from Dillon in the opening round. Still, Ferguson said that all teams in the draw shouldn't underestimate his Blue Ponies.

Meanwhile, Nelson, after finishing fourth in the Central A, has the tough task of playing defending state champion Barclay Fagg in the opening round. And while beating Fagg will be a tall order, Ferguson said that the experience Nelson will gain in that match, and the tournament, will be invaluable.

"I think Rainey and Madison are a team that other teams will not want to play," Ferguson said. "One thing they know, they know how to compete and play the game of doubles. They've been doing it for so long. So I expect them to play very well. They are going to be a very tough out for anybody who has to play them this weekend.

"And Paige is right where she should be right now," he continued. "She is our third straight number one player for us who played that spot as a sophomore, and made it this far. So, while she's got a tough bracket this week, she's going to come out of it a much better player, and it's exactly how you want a young player's career to progress. So this is going to be a great weekend for Paige, no matter what the results of her matches turn out to be."

A great weekend is all Ferguson is hoping for and asking of his seven players making the trip. Yes, the HHS boys have lofty goals, and have had lofty goals all season long, and yes, the draws will be tougher on an inexperienced girls team. But, at the end of the day, Ferguson said his goals for his players remain the same.

Shannon Hanson

Havre High senior Rainey Stoner, along with doubles partner Madison Huebsch and singles player Paige Nelson, make up the Pony girls team headed to this week's Class A state tournament in Bozeman.

"I don't want them to feel any added pressure," Ferguson said. "I want them to go out and play for themselves first. They've earned that right at this point. Yes, it's still partially a team sport, and yes, team trophies are at stake. But I just want each player or each doubles team to just focus on themselves, have as much fun as possible and play the best tennis of their lives. They deserve that experience, and if they do that, the team points will add up anyway.

"This is an exciting time in these kids' lives," Ferguson added. "Whether it's our senior's last state tournament, and last matches of their careers, or it's the young kids who are here for the first time, this is something really special for them, and something they'll always remember. So, we're going to focus on one match at a time, and see how it all turns out in the end. But I'm really excited for these kids, they are all great players and great kids, and I can't wait to get this tournament started."

The 2016 Class A state tournament begins Thursday morning at the Bobcat Tennis Center in Bozeman. The tournament is slated to conclude Friday afternoon with the second day being played at Livingston.

With some people, certain things come naturally. It's like they were born or destined to do it. Jeff Miller is that way with tennis. The sport is like second nature to him and as he goes for his second individual state title in three years, there is little doubt, he's one of the best Havre High has ever seen.

When it comes to accomplishments, Miller has accumulated a laundry list of them from his time on the tennis courts for the Blue Ponies. It started his freshman year with a Central A divisional title and victories at the state tournament, but in truth, his path to the individual state title he would eventually win in 2014, started much further back, basically to the day he was born.

In Miller's family, tennis is king. All three of his brothers played for the Ponies and two of them, Jeremy Heninger and Kyle Miller, won state championships as doubles players. His other older brother, Nick Heninger, was also an accomplished tennis player at HHS and at one time or another, all three have assisted current head coach George Ferguson in coaching the team.

"I think they have been a big part of it," Miller said. "They (brothers) got me started in it, they got me into it. They raised me around it and going to all the tournaments and watching all of them play and going to the courts with them and going to practices, they have basically made me the player that I am today."

While Miller has been shaped by his brothers, he has also been shaped by his head coach, Ferguson, another relative of his, who has coached Jeff and Kyle during his tenure.

"I think it's been good," Miller said of his coach-player relationship with Ferguson. "I think sometimes it's been easier because we are family, but we have our disagreements, too. But he has really helped me a lot throughout my career. He is always there to talk and always willing to go play, no matter what, so it's been the best possible situation for me."

Miller may be quick to give much of the praise for his development to his coach and his brothers, but the simple truth is that he is the beneficiary of his own legendary work ethic. His records and trophies, which are many, are simply the result of countless hours on the courts, fine tuning and transforming his game into that of a champion.

"Jeff is kind of the last of a dying breed in Montana high school tennis," Ferguson said. "He's always played other sports, and he's a great all-around athlete, but tennis has always been his focus and his passion. From a very young age, he started putting a lot of time into his tennis. He's probably spent more time on our tennis courts the last 10 years than anyone in the history of our program. Actually, he's spent more time there than any resident of Havre probably. He's also traveled around with me, playing in a lot of extra tournaments and, anymore, that kind of commitment to tennis isn't as common.

"Add to that the influences of Jeff's and our families," Ferguson added. "With all of his brothers being really good players and having that same passion for tennis, as well as myself being there every day, and it's just been an amazing journey and one that was kind of set in motion a long time ago. But, at the same time, Jeff deserves all the credit for where he is right now because he chose this path for himself and he did all the things that it takes to get to the point is right now with his tennis career. He put in the hard work and he has been dedicated to this sport and to our program from the time he was very young. No one forced him or had to ask him to be a tennis player, that's what he wanted to be. And I really admire that about him, and am very proud of him for that."

For the past three seasons, Miller has been the standard-bearer of Havre tennis and largely because of him, that standard has been high. During his time at HHS, the Ponies have captured four Central A championships, an achievement that was helped by Miller's four consecutive titles.

In addition to winning four divisional titles, Miller is also the all-time record holder for team points earned in the Central A conference. In fact, the senior has been so good at divisionals, that he never even lost a set.

Yet, as good as Miller has been at divisionals, he's been equally impressive on the biggest stage, the state tournament. As a freshman, he finished fifth, before winning his state title as a sophomore. Last year, as a junior, he finished runner-up and is favored to win another state title this weekend at the Class A state tournament in Livingston/Bozeman.

No matter what happens this weekend, Miller will go down as one of the truly elite players in program history, as he is currently one of just five Ponies to have won a boy singles state title. However, a first-place finish Saturday would make him just the third player in school history to win multiple titles joining Kyle Baltrusch (four) and Kellan Malone (two).

And after a season in which he has posted a 34-2 record and finished third in the No. 1 singles bracket at the prestigious Helena Invitational, which is the best finish by a Havre player in that bracket, ever, his place among the best in the state in high school tennis is not in question.

"Jeff is as good as it gets as a high school tennis player in Montana," Ferguson said. "He's one of the most successful players Havre High has ever had in terms of a four-year career. When it comes to his tennis, he's got everything a top player needs. He has a very complete, polished game, he's strong on the baseline, and at the net. He has a serve that's very much a weapon, and most importantly, he's got an extremely high tennis IQ. He's always been a student of tennis, he's always wanted to learn and know more about the game."

Now after years of studying and practicing, Miller's career, at least his high school one, is coming to an end. However, the senior, who has been ranked by the USTA Intermountain Tennis Association and the Montana Tennis Association throughout his high school career, has a number of college offers he is contemplating, which means his tennis days could be far from over.

But for everything he has achieved, in Miller's mind, there is one thing that's missing and that's a team championship. Certainly, he wants to win that second state singles title, but ultimately, it would mean even more if he could hoist the one trophy that has alluded him as a Blue Pony.

"That would be the dream for us," Miller said. "We came in wanting to win a team title, and we have never really gotten close, so that would really mean a lot."

With so many great Blue Pony tennis players before him, where Miller ranks among them is certainly an interesting debate, but even more interesting is the argument about who is the best among his family, which is saying something in its own right.

"There is definitely some competition in our family about who is the best," Miller said. "I am just glad that I was able to live up to that. I think if I am able to get two, that would put me up there. All my brothers want me to win and they would be happy for me, but there is still that competitiveness about who is the best."

Win or lose this weekend, Miller's legacy as one of the greats in the annals of Blue Pony tennis is firmly intact. And not just because of the wins, the trophies and the championships, but because of how he did it: forging himself into a champion with a desire for excellence and exceptionalism that has yet to be distinguished and will not soon be forgotten.

"As a tennis coach, and someone who truly loves this sport, and someone who loves to go to the courts and teach this game every day, it has been an honor and a privilege to be able to coach Jeff Miller," Ferguson said. "I have been blessed in my career to coach so many really good tennis players and hundred's of just awesome kids. But, to be able to coach and be around a tennis player of Jeff's caliber every single day, really since he was 8 or 9 years old, it's been one of the best experiences of my life. Jeff is truly special, on and off the court, and it's just been an amazing ride for us together. I'm so proud of all that he's done as a Blue Pony tennis player, and I just really admire him in so many ways. It's been an incredible journey and one that I'm going to cherish forever. That's what he's meant to me and to Blue Pony tennis."

Dillon hoping depth leads to success at state