Pirates show no quit
Junior Jake Skelton was second on the team in rushing with 10 carries for 85 yards.
POLSON - Down 19-7 with less than four minutes to go in the third quarter, it seemed that Polson had little fight left in their homecoming game against Columbia Falls.
Then senior quarterback Vince DiGiallonardo happened.
With the Wildcats driving, DiGiallonardo intercepted a pass and ran it back to the 21-yard line to set up his own eleven yard pass to senior running back Sheldon Fisher to make it 19-14 at the end of the third.
"He's so competitive and he's so dangerous," Polson head coach Scott Wilson said.
The Pirates defense went to work on the ensuing possession for Columbia Falls.
Two sacks, including one by junior defensive lineman Josiah Clairmont pinned them back near their own goal line.
A bad snap was recovered by Polson on fourth down and then DiGiallonardo scored on a five-yard run to take the 20-19 lead with 9:22 to go in the fourth quarter.
"That was a really good sign," Wilson said. "I'm proud of how they reacted to adversity."
The Wildcats' Nate Thompson scored with 57 seconds to go in the fourth quarter for the go-ahead 25-20 touchdown. Polson turned the ball over on their last drive of the game and suffered their first loss of the season.
Thompson had three major runs in the game, including a 69-yard touchdown run during Columbia Falls' first drive as the Wildcats score 13 points in the first quarter.
"Anytime you give a big play early it's always a momentum issue," Wilson said. "If you're home, hopefully you can weather the storm."
It took a couple of series for Polson to start executing, but once they did they racked up over 304 yards on offense. However, their run defense gave up those big runs against Thompson, who has already rushed for 1,000 yards on the season. The Pirates allowed 301 rushing yards in the game. Thompson finished with 280 yards on 43 carries.
"He's the best back we've seen so far this year," Wilson said. "He's so powerful but then he has that speed and quickness."
DiGiallonardo led his team in rushing for the fifth time, with 13 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw for 93 yards and touchdown. Junior Jake Skelton had 85 yards on ten carries.
"It kind of refocuses our team," Wilson said.
Polson will play Whitefish at 7 p.m. this Friday at home.