Pirates snag rivalry game from Chiefs

Mike Cast, Leader Staff

POLSON - In a football rivalry bout that surpassed even the monumental hype, the Pirates took the first place prize, knocking off a valiant team by a score of 48-30 in Ronan.

"I think that Ronan played a very good football game. They definitely kept us guessing," Polson head coach Scott Wilson said.

The game had it all: running quarterbacks, special teams hits that made you cringe, lead changes, and loads of third and fourth downs that could make or break the game.

Ronan was the first to strike. Junior running back Cory Hardy slammed one home for a touchdown and senior running back Tyson Noyes made an endzone catch for the two point conversion.

Polson came back a couple of possessions later when a freight train named Tim Rausch blasted through the Ronan line to nearly even it up.

Polson settled for the extra kick, counting on chances later in the game. Again Ronan finished, putting itself up another score.

The Pirates evened it up at 14 and then used junior running back Brock Picard to go ahead 21-14 late in the first half.

Capitalizing on a Ronan error, Polson scored again before the half to go into the break 28-14.

Ronan encroached twice in the second half, even as Polson continued to build points of its own. The first push was on a huge hit by Ronan lineman Evan Waldron on a Polson kick returner that resulted in a fumble and touchdown for Ronan. The second was a long touchdown pass by Ronan senior quarterback Mike Fisher to senior running back Tyson Noyes.

It was a deep look that they tried earlier in the game. It wasn't enough to stop the Pirates, who kept the ball moving themselves.

"What we did to neutralize them was put some drives together to run the clock," Wilson said.

It was the consistent talent and playmaking abilities of Polson, led by junior Tim Rausch, senior quarterback Craig Bagnell and a great offensive line, that won the game.

Late in the game Ronan grew tired.

"You could just see our kids were exhausted," Ronan head coach Jim Benn said. "It was the first time I've seen that all season. I just couldn't be more proud of the guys."

As time seemed sure to run out on them, the spirit of the last game of the year and the rivalry kept the Chiefs going for one final possession.

Fisher and Noyes took turns with the ball for first down after first down. They moved it all the way to the 5-yard line, where the Pirates finally put up the wall.

Despite Ronan's last effort, the Pirates finished undefeated in conference and proved they are the team for the playoffs.

Wilson said he was happy to pull out a win.

"When you play against a rival it doesn't matter what your record is," he said.

Any given Sunday, as they say, or in this case, any given Friday night.

Benn felt that the game had its ups and downs just like the season. Although little mistakes like turnovers and penalties hurt his team, he was very pleased with the effort and offensive and production.

"We pushed and pushed, and tried to make plays. We gave it everything we had," he said.

His season over, Benn looked back on his team's achievements.

"We doubled our offense from last year. I think we've come a long way," he said. "I feel really good about the direction this program is going."

The Pirates will carry the momentum into the playoffs. They have a bye in the first round and then play at home.

Wilson said that there wasn't a lot the Pirates could do to stop Ronan on defense so Polson's offense became its defense. Drives have been something Wilson has been focusing on all season, teaching the Pirates to take away an opponent's chance to score by keeping the ball on their side.

"It's one of those things that's about focus, play after play," Wilson said. "If you look at the last three weeks of the season, we have done that in the second half … that experience will be big going into the playoffs."

The Pirates will either face from the Miles City from the East conference, a strong running team or Butte Central, a program that likes to air it out.

The winner this Saturday will have its hands full when it plays a rested Polson team at 1 pm on Saturday, Nov. 8.