Lady Pirates softball team begin preparation for state

Polson girls softball coach Jamie Hanson witnessed progress from the 8U to the 16-18U Lady Pirates softball teams since the teams started the season March 11.

The Lady Pirates softball teams, the feeder system for Polson High School, which competes in Montana High School Association Class A in the spring, began the process of laying the groundwork for creating a softball dynasty in the post-Larry Smith era.

Polson continued to progress in all phases of the game, according to Hanson, and the latest tournament results in Kalispell showcased that progress.

This weekend’s highlights for the program included a second-place finish for the now highly touted 14-U team, a key piece in the reignited Polson’s stranglehold on MHSA Class A championships, which they haven’t won since 2012.

The 14-U Lady Pirates placed second in the gold bracket of the tournament, the 16, 18-U finished third in the gold bracket and the 12-U team captured second in the silver bracket.

“They are playing well and I am very proud of all of my teams, and being able to watch the games as they play, our teams are playing pretty darn good competition,” Hanson said. “How they are playing with each other is pretty incredible. Our girls haven’t had any knockdown, drag-out fights, and being together in the same atmosphere, I am proud of them. They are doing great, and they are great role models for our younger kids.”

Getting ready for state

The Kalispell Tournament, the last regular season tournament both teams will participate in before entering the Montana state-wide softball tournament next week, gives all of the teams an opportunity for a final tuneup, according to Hanson.

Taking a break isn’t Hanson’s style, but he said he felt his team resting would do his team well headed into the state tournament.

“I usually don’t like taking the weekend off,” Hanson said. “However, these girls have been playing softball non-stop since March 11, and I think it will give them a good weekend of R and R. We will get back after it, and practice a few days this week to prepare for state. There is nothing wrong with a little rest (before the state tournament) but we will be OK.”

The Montana state softball tournament will be a pool-play format, and several of the competitions the Lady Pirates have participated in, leading up to the state, has adequately prepared them for the amplified intensity of the tournament format, Hanson said.

“They’ve been doing well and using the teams to practice for the state tournament, and that is what you want to do to prepare for the state tournament,” Hanson said. “Our teams are playing some good competition, at some of this tournament, and there were three pools of five, and like I said that is helping us prepare for state.”

The tournament

gets amplified, according to Hanson.

Hanson feels his teams will respond to the finality of a state-sanctioned event.

“(In) preparing for state, they are going to do just fine,” Hanson said.

SMASH softball tournament

Kidsport Complex, Kalispell, MT

Friday-Sunday, June 28-30

16/18U AGE DIVISION

16/18U gold bracket

(#2) Kaizen-Ardiel 14, (#6) Purple Rain 9

Kaizen-Ardiel (24-18-1)

Polson 450 0 – 9 7 7

Calgary 404 6 – 14 12 2

Kailea Hager, (3) Mikhaela Muir and catcher. Katelyne Druyvestein and Kallie Finkbeiner.

POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 2H, Finkbeiner 2H, Anna Vert (3RBI)

CALGARY KAIZEN-ARDIEL – Melissa Crisanti 3H, Kennedy Devitt (2RBI), Ashley Low (2RBI)

(Su30Jun19semi)

(#6) Purple Rain 13, (#3) Flathead Breeze 5 (qtr)

16/18-U silver bracket

championship

(#9) Insanity 8, (#7) Kaizen Futures 2

MV Insanity (8-10-2) Kaizen Futures (24-15-2)

Mission Valley 221 110 1 – 8 15 1

Calgary 200 000 0 – 2 12 5

Liev Smith, (5) Kylee Pitmann, (7) Macao Jackson and Natalee Deschamps. Amy Penner, (4) Mackenzie Lee and catcher.

MISSION VALLEY INSANITY – Madison Clairmont 2-4, Regan Clairmont 2-4, L.Smith 2-4, Jackson 2-4, Kelsey Frank 1-3, Emilie Corley 1-4, Pittman 2-4, Deschamps 0-4, Makiya Dubois 2-3, Riley Wilson 1-3.

CALGARY KAIZEN FUTURES – Ashley McNees 2-3, Shayla Hurley 2-3, Miranda Wiedener 1-3, Dara Korpfmuller 1-3, Jo Cochrane 1-3, Amanda Paquette 2-3, Alicia Christensen 1-3, Lee 1-3, Penner 1-3.

2B – Jackson. RBIs – M.Clairmont, Jackson, Franks, Corley, Pittman, Deschamps, Wilson; Wiedener, Korpfmuller, BB – Franks; Logan Chin. ROE – Jackson, Pittman, Deschamps, Dubois. FC – Lee. SB – M.Clairmont, L.Smith, Franks, Corley; Hurley, Kropfmuller, Lee, Paquette. GIDP – Cochrane.

Ronan (2Clairmonts, Jackson, Corley), Dillon (Pittman, Dubois), T-Falls (Frank, Wilson), Plains/HS (Deschamps, 2Jacksons), M-A-C (L.Smith, Shyanne Reum, Frankie Smith)

(#9) Insanity 4, (#8) Calgary Adrenaline 2 (semi)

(#9) Insanity 13, (#12) West Hill Heat 0

16/18U pool play

Purple Rain 2, Calgary Adrenaline 2

Adrenaline (3-27-2)

Katelyne Druyvestein (7K) and Lexy Orien. Natalie Beerkircher, (5) Kayla Hicks and Emily Coffey.

POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 1-2(HB), Kallie Finkbeiner 2-3(RBI), Grace Quinones 1-3, Orien 1-3, Kobbey Smith 1-2, Anna Vert 1-2 (RBI), Mossy Kauley 0-1(BB), Liz Scabbyrobe 1-1(BB), SaVanna Carpentier 1-2.

CALGARY ADRENALINE – Katrina Wray *3-3, Robyn Fisk *3-3, Hailey Woon (2B,RBI), Ali Meyers 2-3, Emilee Brimacombe 1-1(BB). (Sa29Jun19gm3pool)

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternative sources vary: AdrGC (PR:3H,1E/CA:7H,3E) - Wray 2H, Fisk 2H

Purple Rain 2, Calgary Kaizen-Ardiel 2

Kaizen (22-18-1)

Katelyne Druyvestein (3K) and Lexy Orien. Mikhaela Muir (9K) and Megan Poole.

POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 1-2(BB), Kallie Finkbeiner 1-3, Grace Quinones 1-3, Orien 3-3(2x2B,2RBI), Kobbey Smith 1-3(2B), Gianna Fyant 0-1(BB).

CALGARY U19 KAIZEN-ARDIEL – Abby Wilson 1-2(2B), Sorcha Walker 0-1(BB), Muir 1-2(RBI), Ashley Low 1-2.

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternative sources vary: KazGC (P:5H,3E/K:4H,1E) - Orien 2H

Purple Rain 14, West Hill Heat 0

Katelyne Druyvestein and Lexy Orien. Regan and Payton.

POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 3-3, Kallie Finkbeiner 2-2(2RBI,BB), Grace Quinones 2-3(3B,4RBI), Orien 1-3, Kobbey Smith 1-3, Anna Vert 1-1(BB), Mossy Kauley 1-1(BB), Gianna Fyant 1-2, Shae Brown 2-2(3B), Liz Scabbyrobe 1-2, SaVanna Carpentier 2-2.

WEST HILLS HEAT – Regan (BB), Morgan (ROE). (Fr28Jun19gm1pool)

Spokane Valley Impact 11, MV Insanity 1

Liev Smith, (4) Kylee Pittman and catcher.

U16 Kaizen 9, MV Insanity 1

Jayden Segstro and catcher. Liev Smith, (4) Kylee Pittman and catcher.

MISSION VALLEY INSANITY – L.Smith (RBI)

MV Insanity 11, C-Town Rebels 4

14-U AGE DIVISION

weekend wielders of wicked wands – Nikki Kendall 7-12(.583avg: 4xbh,5rbi,4sb), Julia Barnard 4-7(.571avg,4rbi), McKenna Hanson 4-11(.364avg: 5rbi,SF,5sb), Turquoise Pierre 4-10(.400avg:2B,4rbi,1sb), Alexis Johnson 3-7(.429avg:3sb), Carli Maley 2-6(.333avg: 3rbi), Tyneesha Brown 2-7(.286avg: 2B,rbi,2SH,sb), Ashlyn DePoe 2-10(2SH,rbi,2SB).

14-U gold bracket?championship

(#1) Avs-Summerfield 6, (#2) Lakers 4

Trailing by a half dozen, the Lakers almost erased their deficit when they plated four in the fifth. Payton Smith of Charlo contributed two hits for the 14U gold champion Avalanche

Lakers (19-7-2), Avs-Summerfield (18-10)

Missoula 001 140 0 – 6 7 1*

Polson 000 040 0 – 4 5 6*

Charlee Hoover, Ashley “Mitch” Mitchell and Kenna Campbell. Turquoise Pierre (4K,8H,1W), (6) Ashlyn DePoe (2K) and McKenna Hanson. L – Pierre (5-2)

MT AVALANCHE-SUMMERFIELD – Stella Summerfield *1-4, Campbell 0-4, Payton Smith 2-4, Hoover 2-4, Jayden Gagner 1-2, Lexi Romero 0-1, Alexis Godin *0-3, Ava McPhillips 0-3, AJ Hanninen 0-3, Morgan Olson *1-2, Mitchell *0-1.

POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 1-3, DePoe 0-3, Hanson 0-3, Pierre *1-2, Julia Barnard *1-1, Alexis Johnson *1-3, Tyneesha Brown *0-1, Ansley Nordberg 0-1, Reegan Stinger 0-3, Caitlyn Ward 1-2, Bella Paul 0-2.

2B – *Morgan. RBIs – Brown, Paul; Summerfield, Campbell, P.Smith, Hoover, Jaiden, Godin. SH – Godin; *Brown. BB – Jaiden. *ROE – *Brown; Summerfield *2. FC – Godin. SB – Hoover. CS – Kendall. (Su30Jun19chmp)

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternative sources vary: AvsGC (A-S: 10H,3E/PL: 3H,1E) - Summerfield 2-4 (A-S: k,1B,2B,E; PL: K,H,E,E), Hoover ab3 (A-S: 3B; PL: 1B+E9), Morgan 2-2 (A-S: 2B,2B; PL: E,2B,[E]), Mitchell 1-1 (A-S: 1B, PL: ROE conflated with Morgan); Johnson 0-3 (A-S: ROE, PL: 1B).

(#2) Lakers 3, (#6) Kalispell Emeralds 2

Lakers (19-6-2)

Kalispell 011 00 – 2 5 1

Polson 102 0x – 3 4 3

Morgan Vivian and Laynee Vessar. Ashlyn DePoe, (4) Turquoise Pierre and McKenna Hanson. W – DePoe (9-2-1)

KALISPELL EMERALDS – Emma Cooke 0-2, Vessar 0-2, Avery Anderson 0-3, Brooklyn Imperato 1-3, Vivian 1-2, Kyrah Ferrington 2-3, Kaidyn Lake 0-3, Jena Vachal 1-2, Emily Pedron 0-2.

POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 1-2, Hanson 0-2, DePoe 1-2, Pierre 2-2, Tyneesha Brown 0-2, Carli Maley 0-1, Reegan Stinger 0-1, Caitlyn Ward 0-2, Alexis Johnson 0-2, Julia Barnard 0-1.

3B – Kendall. 2B – Pierre. RBI – Ferrington; Hanson, Pierre 2. SH – Vessar. BB – Cooke, Vivian. ROE – Cooke, Anderson, Imperato. SB – DePoe. Runs – Ferrington, Imperato; Kendall, DePoe 2. (Su30Jun19semi)

(#1) Avs-Summerfield 3, (#4) Red Deer Rage 2

14-U silver bracket

championship

(#7) Adrenaline 10, (#8) MV Insanity 2

(#8) MV Insanity 7, (#11) Fury Fastpitch 2

14-U pool play

Lakers 14, West Kootenay Rebels 3

Lakers (18-6-2)

Nikki Kendall smacked a 3RBI triple in the second inning.

Polson 281 3 – 14 9 3

W.Kootenay 000 3 – 3 1 4

Turquoise Pierre (3K,0H,1W), (3) Bella Paul (1H) and McKenna Hanson. Serena, (3) Brynn and Taylor. W – Pierre (5-1).

POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 2-3(3B,3RBI,2SB), Hanson 1-1(SF,RBI,BB,2SB), DePoe 1-2(RBI,BB,SB), Pierre 0-2(RBI,ROE,BB,SB), Tyneesha Brown 1-1(RBI,2BB), Alexis Johnson 2-2(3SB), Paul 1-2(2RBI), Caitlyn Ward 0-2(FC), Carli Maley 0-2(ROE), Julia Barnard 1-2(RBI).

W. KOOTENAY REBELS – Natasha 1-2(2RBI) (Sa29Jun19gm3pool)

Lakers 11, Fury Fastpitch 1

Julia Barnard hit a bases loaded 2RBI single in the bottom of the second, while Tyneesha Brown doubled to open the bottom half of the third.

Lakers (17-6-2)

Alexia Chalmers, Olivia Campbell and Willow Mitchell. Ashlyn DePoe (3K,1H), (4) Turquoise Pierre (2K)and McKenna Hanson. W – DePoe (8-2-1)

FRENCHTOWN FURY FASTPITCH – Dakota Fortney *1-2(RBI,ROE)

POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 1-2(RBI,BB,2SB), Hanson 2-3(2RBI,ROE,2SB), DePoe 0-2(SH,ROE), Pierre 0-3(RBI,FC,SB), Tyneesha Brown 1-3(2B,SB) Ansley Nordberg 0-1(BB,R), Bella Paul 0-2(ROE), Caitlyn Ward 0-0(BB,HB,2R), Carly Maley 1-1(RBI,BB), Julia Barnard 1-2(2RBI,R).

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternative sources vary: FuryGC: Fortney 2-2(F:2H, P:1B,ROE)

Lakers 7, C-Town Rebels 7

Lakers (16-6-2)

C-Falls 312 10 – 7 6 1

Polson 303 1t – 7 6 1

Haden Peters and Demye Rensel. Nikki Kendall (2K,3H,8W), (4) Ashlynn DePoe and McKenna Hanson.

C-TOWN REBELS – Aspen Dawson 1-1(BB,HB,RBI), Sydnee Mann 2-3(RBI), D.Rensel 1-2(2B,HB), Kyrah Trenkle 0-2(BB), Peters 1-2(RBI), Jasmine [Marino] 0-2(RBI,BB), Sidnee Brousseau 0-2(RBI,BB), Kaylee Smith 0-1(RBI,BB), Sophia Robbins 0-1(BB), Maddie Collins 0-1(BB), Ivy Salmon 1-2(2B).

POLSON LAKERS – Kendall 2-2(2x2B,RBI), Hanson 1-2(RBI,SB), Turquoise Pierre 1-1(BB), Carly Maley 1-2(2RBI), Ansley Nordberg 0-2(RBI), Alexis Johnson 0-0(BB), Tyneesha Brown 0-0(SH), Julia Barnard 1-1(RBI).

(Fr28Jun19gm1pool)

Red Deer Rage 5, MV Insanity 4

Insanity 13, Laurel Freedom 4

Avs-Summerfield 7, MV Insanity 3

Payton Smith, (3) Mitch and AJ Hanninen. Kiara Sherman, (3) Kaleigh Benson and Harlee Stokes.

MT AVALANCHE-SUMMERFIELD (11H,1E) – P.Smith 0-2 (HB,2FC,R).

MISSION VALLEY INSANITY (6H,4E) – Benson 1-2(2B,ROE), Ashlie Welker 1-1(BB), Sherman 0-1(BB), #32 1-1, Stokes 2-2(RBI,R), Izibelle Crabb 1-2(RBI). (Fr28Jun19gm1pool)

12-U AGE DIVISION

12U silver bracket

championship

(#10) Sparks-Dypwick 12, (#9) Purple Wave 3

Sparks-Dypwick (12-4-1)

Bitterroot 301 100 7 – 12 19 1

Polson 100 000 1 – 3 6 4

Maddie B and catcher. Sammy Rensvold and

BITTERROOT SPARKS-DYPWICK – Sadie N 3H, Kai 3H, Kennedy D 3H

POLSON PURPLE WAYVE – Kailey Smith (BB), Summer Newman (BB)

semi

(#9) Purple Wave 9, (#8) C-Town Rebels 6

(#9) Purple Wave 10, (#12) MT Wildfire 4

12-U pool play

Purple Wave 10, MT Wildfire 2

Calgary Kaizen Futures 20, Purple Wave 6

Emeralds 06 11, Purple Wave 0

10-U AGE DIVISION

10-U bracket

semifinal

(#3) Fury Fastpitch 7, (#2) Mission Valley 6

Frenchtown 330 1 – 7 8 2

Mission Valley 311 1 – 6 4 0

(#2) Mission Valley 7, (#7) Avs-Tarran 4

(#3) Fury Fastpitch 9, (#6) Lil Lakers 7

10-U pool play

Mission Valley 10, Lil Lakers 1

Lil Lakers 10, Avalanche 10

Emeralds 8, Lil Lakers 0

Emeralds 5, Mission Valley 1

Mission Valley 17, Avs-Tarran 0

Mission V 61(10) – 17 6 0

Missoula 00( 0 ) – 0 1 14

Hailey Papp, (3) Ella Wingo and catcher

MISSION VALLEY – Bri B. 2H(21RBI), Shelby T. 1H(2RBI), Iris A. 1H, Madison I.(2BB), Maizey M. (2BB), Jaden M. (2BB)