BATTLE OF THE BEST

Northern A rivals Polson and Whitefish square off in Montana

state championship game

WHITEFISH - After falling 3-0 in their state championship game Saturday against Whitefish, the Polson Pirates still had one more thing to do.

"Win or lose, we still do this," said one of the seniors, as the team lined up and walked down the width of the field and joined their parents and fans for one final time.

Head coach Jess Kittle, having seen his team rise to the occasion and become the most successful Class A team for the past two years, announced the all-state selections on the team and was able to get his guys to crack smiles after they had played their hearts out on the field of battle.

"I wanted the kids to know how everyone was still real proud of them," Kittle said afterward.

And boy Polson, you should be. The Pirates won nine games this season and eventual state champion Whitefish was the only Class A team squad they lost to. They were the only team in the state to make the semifinals two years in a row.

They also had not just one of the top scorers in the state, but two in James "The Lawman" Larson and Riley "The Leg" Lemm.

Not to mention a defense and a goalie that could probably stop a Sherman tank from advancing down the soccer field.

Polson fell to Whitefish as the Bulldogs wrapped up their third state championship under head coach O'Brien Byrd but they still showed that of the schools in Montana that have soccer, the Pirates are among the best.

"Our hats are off to Polson, they have our absolute respect," Byrd said. "The thing that stood out when we played them was their team spirit and their competitive attitude. They didn't surprise me at all how they beat Hamilton last week."

The Pirates bucked the No. 1 seeded Broncs two weeks ago in dramatic overtime shootout fashion, and came into the Whitefish game with a gameplan that worked very well in the opening stages of the game.

"We knew Whitefish was going to throw everything at us," Kittle said. "They're strong on their offensive side more than they are on their defensive side."

Kittle had senior Caden von Wildenradt concentrate on defense and mark up on Bulldog scoring machine Sam Donaldson.

He also moved junior Steven Walk up to the forward position to use his speed to harass the Whitefish passing game.

"Steven can run for the whole day and never get tired," Kittle said. "He did a great job at that and Whitefish gave up the ball several times on the defensive side."

Nick Howell also neutralized breakaway opportunities by the Bulldogs and again showed that he's the premier defender in the state.

"Nick was solid back there," Kittle said. "It's pretty rare that he gets beat. He never lets you down on defense."

Polson hung back and stopped Whitefish from scoring until the 33rd minute of the first half when Donaldson was able to take a rebound ball in front of the goal and put it in the net.

"I really felt like we were still in the game at that point," Kittle said. "We had some good looks and good opportunities. If we would have converted on those then we would have had Whitefish on their heels."

In the second half, there were two dangerous crosses in front of the goal by the Pirates that could have tied the game, including one where the shot went off the post.

"That was a great opportunity to bring the game level," Kittle said.

However, the Bulldogs would put in another goal on a corner kick. Polson goalkeeper Clay Frissell again blocked the initial shot but Nathan Boone was able to put the rebound in the net.

"Their first two goals came off rebounds but Clay got to the ball first," Kittle said. "Clay is an amazing goalie. He's just so impressive at keeper and he did a good job at those point-blank shots."

Whitefish would score again in the 79th minute, but by that time, Polson was pressing for goals and their players were pushing up the field.

"The majority of our players were on the attack so it's not anyone's fault on that goal," Kittle said.

Polson had last reached the state championship game nearly a decade ago, and this was the first championship game under coach Kittle.

It was also a first for the Pirates' group of seniors, who helped win a Montana Cup state championship two springs ago, and had been playing soccer together from youth league on up. Riley Lemm, Nick Howell, Peregrine Frissell, Caden von Wildenradt, and Jon Murphy have been the core group of guys that have helped lead this team to succeed the past few years.

"It's a special group of guys," Kittle said. "It's a real rare group that have been leaders on the team. I'm going to miss those guys tremendously."

Seniors VJ Araos and Everardo Guerrero were also valuable players that came into the season with a philosophy to spread the talent around the field and attack with a more balanced approach. Along with junior James Larson's ability and Steven Walk's speed, it's been a tough squad to beat these past two years.

"I think it's been an elite group of guys," Kittle said of his team. "They're the ones that make it happen out there."

Another positive from the state championship game was just how well the younger players came into the contest and made an impact.

"There isn't a player on our team that is going to give less than 100 percent," Kittle said.

Freshman Jonah Kasnitz not only showed improvement throughout the season but was in the thick of things during the state championship game. He should be a tremendous part of the squad as well next season.

"He gained confidence all season long," Kittle said. "I think that the young players improved so much during the season and in the three postseason games. That's going to benefit them in the future."

Freshman Alex Helgeson also saw plenty of playing time in the game, and was dangerous at forward this season.

What couldn't be ignored was the severe home-field disadvantage the Bulldogs had.

Polson fans packed around the field and there was some debate as to who had the most fans at the state championship game. With a sea of purple and signs, the Pirate fans certainly made their presence known.

"It's the biggest, craziest crowd I've ever seen," Byrd said after the game. "They were loud. It was impressive."

It should come as no surprise though, because they were sure proud of their team.