Prep Football Preview and Predictions: Sept. 20
<p>Bryce Cullen had a breakout game last week against Troy.</p>
Polson (1-1) at Browning (1-2)
Friday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Polson rebounded from a Week 1 loss to beat lowly Corvallis, 28-6, last Friday. The Pirates looked much better on both sides of the ball. ... The Indians are 0-2 against Northwestern A teams, losing consecutive blowouts at Whitefish and against Columbia Falls at home. ... Polson capped off Browning’s 2012 season with a 49-0 drubbing here on the south shore. ... The key for the Pirates will be limiting turnovers and establishing a running attack. The emergence of Brady Hislop at running back is a welcome addition to the Pirate offense, and Scott Wilson will throw formerly injured tight end Dylan McCrumb into the mix this week, giving QB Andrew Weltz yet another target. ... The Pirates’ defense looked to be much improved last week as well.
Robertson’s Prediction: Polson 35, Browning 21
Ronan (1-1) at Bigfork (2-0)
Friday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Ronan will travel up the east shore to face the Vikings, who reached the state semifinals in Class B last season. ... The Chiefs will have to focus on Bigfork tailback Boyd Rieke, but quarterback Josh Sandry had a big game against Florence last week. ... Ronan will have to continue to find balance on offense, this week against a Bigfork defense that will be the young season’s toughest test to date. Chiefs quarterback Connor Benn was successful both running and throwing last week. Ronan will need more of that kind of performance to play the upset card on the Vikings.
Robertson’s Prediction: Bigfork 27, Ronan 14
Mission (0-3) at Plains (0-3)
Friday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Plains hasn’t won a game in more than two seasons, but the Horsemen may have their best chance of 2013 with the struggling Bulldogs coming to town. ... Mission coach Rich Ferris is noticing improvement with his young team each week, he says, but the Bulldogs haven’t scored since their season-opening loss at Eureka. ... The Horsemen sank 16 points on Whitehall’s staunch defense last week and 34 on Shelby the week prior, so we know Plains can sniff out the end zone a little bit. ... Plains hasn’t shown they can stop anyone, though, allowing an average of 43 points per game. The only team who’s allowed more points than that in Class B could be the Bulldogs. ... Mission will have to rely on Raymond Matt’s ball-carrying abilities and the spotty-but-somewhat-successful passing attack led by sophomore Nick Durglo to win this one.
Robertson’s Prediction: Plains 33, Mission 27
Drummond (2-0) at Arlee (1-2)
Friday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Perennial 8-man powerhouse Drummond has dominated Seeley-Swan and Darby with identical 50-14 victories in their first two contests of 2013. ... By contrast, the Warriors lost to Seeley-Swan, 40-24, and defeated Darby, 64-28. ... The question is, which Arlee will we see? The Warriors offense exploded last week for 64 points, with QB Riley Rogers passing and rushing for personal career highs. ... Rogers and the Warriors D will be charged with stoppping dual-threat Kevin Oberweiser, a senior who has accounted for eight Drummond touchdowns in the Trojans’ first two games. ... Arlee will look to capitalize on the recent breakout play of P.J. Haynes at running back and Patrick BigSam and Tyler Tanner at receiver to pull off this homecoming upset.
Robertson’s Prediction: Drummond 58, Arlee 48