Polson 12U softball finishes year with 30 wins

“We will take a couple of weeks off and we will get right back at it,” Hanson declared.

Hanson said playing against the level of competition his team played against and competing against hand-picked all-star teams that are the best in the team’s respective city and region will only make his team better.

“(Playing against high level competition) makes you stronger and makes you better,” Hanson said. “There is no better way to practice than to play someone that is better. That is when you really find out where you are at.”

The 12U team lost back-to-back contests to the Missoula Avalanche and the Great Falls Select.

“You want to play the best and those teams (we play) are tough,” Hanson said. “The girls give the teams they played all of the credit. We had a meltdown in an inning that cost us six runs and like I said, that is the nature of the game, too.”

Hanson said he was “proud” of his team’s accomplishments this season.

“I am really proud of our team’s effort and camaraderie with these kids,” Hanson said. “This season was just awesome and it all comes from the parents. We push and push for this program to become a family. I am not just talking about the 12U. I am talking about the whole program.”

Hanson said the Ronan Maidens’ 12U team even came over and encouraged the Polson 14U team during their quest to try to advance to regionals.

“We built a lot of relationships with our towns and that was really fun to see,” Hanson said. “I can’t thank the parents enough for everything too. It’s not just their coaches, it’s their kids and they have an impact on our lives.”

12U JO USA State

Venue: Bozeman

The 12U age bracket featured a pair of teams with full fledged area players among their rosters in the Hanson-coached Polson Purple Wave and the Ronan Maidens. Both these teams were eliminated from advancement, but a handful of area players competed in the title tilt for hardware. The Hanninen-coached Avalanche features Payton Smith among their roster, while the Gagner-coached Avalanche lace their lineup with the likes of Sophia Forgey from Arlee.

12U championship

Avs-Schneiter 5, Avs-Ries 4

Although this 12U championship was between two Missoula-based Avalanche teams, the Mission Valley had its share of representation in the title tilt with Kooper Page of Mission among the champion Schneider squad and the Crawford sisters from Arlee along with Ashlynn Depoe of Polson on the roster of runnerup Ries.

Avs-Schneiter (37-9), Avs-Ries (31-13)

Avs-Ries 000 110 2 – 4 9 0

Schneiter 102 010 1 – 5 11 1

Kooper Page (1K,5H,1W), Kylie Kovatch (5) and Kasidy Yeoman. Ashlyn Depoe (1K,8H,2W), Kendra Jacobs (5) and Emma Ries.

MT AVALANCHE RIES – Jerny Crawford 2-3(RBI,BB,R), Rheid Crawford 1-2.

(Su09Jul17gm52)

12U third place

Avs-Ries 9, Selects-Jarazeski 3

Avs-Ries 17, Belg Fastpitch Grn 7

Avs-Schneiter 8, GF Selects-Jaraczeski 7

Avs-Ries 11, Avs-Hanninen 1

Avs-Ries 16, Blgs Force 0

Avs-Schneiter 15, Avs-Hanninen 0

MT Avs-Ries 11, Purple Wave 1

Turquoise Pierre (3K,4W) and Mckenna Hanson. Kendra Jacobs and Emma Ries

MT AVALANCHE – Jerny Crawford 2-3(2RBI,2R), Rheid Crawford 0-1(BB,SB,R), Ashlyn Depoe 1-3(RBI,R)

POLSON PURPLE WAVE – Nikki Kendall 0-2(BB), Pierre 0-1(BB), Reegan Stinger 1-2(R), Taylor Henricksen 0-1(BB,SB). (Sa08Jul17gm39)

GF Selects-Jaraczeski 13, Purple Wave 1

Turquoise Pierre (4K,1W), Alexis Johnson (4) and Mckenna Hanson. Lauren Lindseth, Tenny Ehnes (4) and

POLSON PURPLE WAVE – Nikki Kendall 0-1(BB), Hanson 1-2, Pierre 1-2(SB), Aubree Marshall 1-2, Taylor Henricksen 0-1(BB), Caitlyn Ward 0-1(BB,R), Alexis Johnson(SacB).

(Sa08Jul17gm31)

Purple Wave 16, Bitterroot Sparks-Berning 0

Sparks (4-14-1)

Polson 506 05 – 16 16 0

Bitterroot 000 00 – 0 0 *4

Turquoise Pierre (9K,2W) and Mckenna Hanson. Autumn Sutton, Shilo Lampi (4) and #8 Regan M.

PURPLE WAVE – Nikki Kendall 1-3, Hanson 2-5, Tyneesha Brown 1-3, Pierre 4-4, Aubree Marshall 2-3, Idella West 1-1, Reegan Stinger 1-3, Taylor Henricksen 0-3(D3K,E), Caitlyn Ward 3-3, Alexis Johnson 0-3, Bella Paul 1-1.

2B – Marshall, Hanson. RBIs – Kendall, Hanson, Brown, Pierre 2, Marshall, Stinger, Henricksen 2, Ward 4, Paul. BB – Brown, Stinger, Henricksen, Paul, Kendall 2, Ward; Jesse 3, Sutton.

7SB – Marshall, Hanson, Stinger 2, Henricksen, Pierre, Kendall.

Runs – Kendall 2, Hanson, Brown, Pierre 3, Marshall 2, West, Stinger 2, Henricksen 3, Johnson.

(Fr07Jul17gm13) Bozeman

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s): BS13e

Bozeman Stealers-Ouellette 16, Ronan Maidens 8

Blgs Force-Chartier 14, Ronan Mighty Maidens 2,

Blgs Force (34-3)

Ronan 000 2 – 2 3 0

Billings 233 6 – 14 13 0

#12 (3IP:6K) and catcher. Caelin C and catcher.

T.M. Tyariah Morigeau (BB)

(Fr07Jul17gm8)

2016 roster = Morigeau 1-4, Ella Brown 1-3, Kelsey Gillen 1-4, S.Gardipe 2-3, Kaleigh Benson 0-4, Bella Dubeil 2-3, Kaydance Santos 1-3, Brogan Youngren 0-1, Sidney Bauer 2-2 [awaiting PA: Wenona YellowOwl, Kysis Santos, Jelayna Tenas, Emma Gardipe].