Pirates fall to Hamilton, get ready to host Chiefs for homecoming

Polson High School football coach Pat Danley, his coaching staff and his players have made an effort to battle the precarious situation their team was dealt at the start of the season.

After the team lost quarterback Colby Soderquist, the quarterback they committed to in the off season after last season’s starter Bo Kelley was lost because of an ACL injury to a season-ending leg injury, the Pirates were forced to throw third-string QB Boston Goode into action against two of the top-ranked Class A Montana High School Association against Dillon and Hamilton in two of the Pirates first four weeks of regular season games.

Goode continued to rapidly progress even in Polson’s 48-12 loss to Hamilton Friday night at Hamilton.

Danley said the Broncs were as good as advertised, as many have predicted them to be one of the top-contending teams to compete for a state championship crown.

“Hamilton is very good because they have a lot of team speed, a pretty good offensive and defensive line and an experienced quarterback,” Danley said. “They’ve already beaten Columbia Falls in a rematch. If they aren’t the favorites to win, they are certainly right up there.”

Hamilton didn’t waste any time asserting their dominance.

“They got the ball, marched right down the field and it was 7-0 right off the bat,” Danley said.

Polson quickly responded on the first offensive play from scrimmage when Goode connected with Parker Toth, who ran right down the sidelines for a 75-yard touchdown run.

“Parker just outran everyone,” Danley said. “It was a nice thing to get a little bit of excitement and it was 7-6. We were a little bit better offensively and certainly better than the previous week.”

Danley sighted the quick offensive start by Goode to his rapid progression as a signal caller in a varsity situation.

“Goode is improving and I think there may have been a little regression in the Corvallis game,” Danley said. “Goode made a read on that first play that was just beautiful and you have to give Parker credit. He outran the defense and that was a nice way to start the game. He is getting better. He has a strong arm and is still working to progress.”

The Pirates, who have begun their season 0-4, has diminished the significance on the Polson-Ronan rivalry because they need a win to stay alive in the Class A Northwestern Conference race.

“Obviously, we want to beat them and from their coaching staff I know Coach Zee, who previously worked as an assistant for Ronan back when they were in Class B, had a lot of camaraderies,” Danley said. “We have a lot of respect for those same struggles. It’s certainly not anything personal. We want to beat them and they want to beat us. They’ll bring a lot of people and hopefully, we will have a crowd that will show up in force. Our band is going to be there and hopefully, we will give the fans something worth the price of admission in terms of playing a good football game.”

Despite all of the adversity the Pirates have faced in the first half of the season, Danley said he is “confident’ his team will battle as they begin the second half of the season in Polson-Ronan.

“I am proud that our kids kept battling against Stevi, Dillon and Hamilton and they’ve kept battling,” Danley said. “Obviously, it is a difficult situation to be in and stay up for that when you start off the season 0-4. Kids aren’t coming off the field because there is a shortage. We want a victory at some point and I have to say our kids are battling. They’ve shown themselves to be mentally and physically tough to come back to practice and keep battling through adversity. For the most part they have shown a positive attitude and I know at some point, that is going to translate into victories.”

Hamilton 48, Polson 12

NWA Polson (0-4), SWA Hamilton (4-0)

Polson 6 0 0 6 – 12

Hamilton 28 13 7 0 – 48

H – Michael Golden 1 run (Tyler Barnes kick)

P – Parker Toth 65 pass from Boston Goode (kick failed)

H – Tucker Jones 25 pass from Carson Rostad (Barnes kick)

H – T.Jones 6 pass from C.Rostad (Barnes kick)

H – Cam Rothie 3 pass from C.Rostad (Barnes kick)

H – C.Rothie 3 pass from C.Rostad (Barnes kick)

H – Landon Duce 4 run (kick failed)

H – C.Rothie 14 pass from Tyson Rostad (Barnes kick)

P – Ryker Wenderoth 17 pass from B.Goode (kick failed)

RUSH – P19-0(B.Goode 6-13, Hunter Fritsch 8-10, Dugan Davis 1-4, Corbyn Lund 2-(-)4, 2-(-)23), H22-162 (Golden 15-130). PASS – P11-23-211 (B.Goode 6-16-135-1, Toth 4-6-48, Wenderoth 1-1-28), H24-36-246-0 (C.Rostad 18-28-227, T.Rostad 6-8-19). REC – P11-211 (Wenderoth 6-71, Trevor Schultz 2-66, Toth 1-65, Davis 1-7, Fritsch 1-2), H24-246 (C.Rothie 10-136). KR – P5-97 (Lund 3-56, Wenderoth 2-41). PUNT – B.Goode 5-147. 2PD – Wenderoth, Schultz. HURS – Wyatt Goode. 3TFL – Schultz 1, Davis ½, Croft ½, Marquardt ½, Walker ½. FMBL – P1,H1. FMBLCAUS – Lund. TKL/ASST (P20t38a) – Wenderoth 5t4a, Lund 3t4a, Davis 1t7a, Schultz 4t, Kordell Walker 2t3a, Fritsch 2t2a, Toth 1t4a, Garrett Croft 1t4a, John Marquardt 6a, Caleb Pierre 1t, W.Goode 2a, Victor Perez 1a, Ethan McCauley 1a. (Fr14Sep18)