Lady Pirates feeder teams excel in Polson SPLASH Tournament
Polson High School softball coach Jamie Hanson looks at the banners up above the press box over home plate.
One side of the banners are full, the other side empty, and he knows his feeder program from 8-U to the 16, 18-U have some more work to do to fill the right side of the championship banners.
It has now been seven years since Polson has hoisted an MHSA Class A championship trophy, and Hanson, in his first year taking over the legendary Larry Smith, is looking to change that drought, and he knows it starts with the feeder programs.
Progress continues to be made, and it is was evident at the success of this past weekend’s SPLASH tournament the Polson hosted across the board, there is plenty of talent emerging through the feeder system.
The 14-U captured first-place, the 12-U, and 16-U won second, the 10-U took third, and the 10-U Mission Valley team finished fourth, all signs these teams, and players are aiming for one thing: championships.
“Definitely (I saw progress), the 10-U is working hard on getting better, and they are a bunch of little squirts, and that are doing the same stuff (the 16, 18-U teams) are doing,” Hanson said. “(The success) trickles down, from the 12-U, which is a team that has a lot of talent, and it trickles down to the 14-U, that has tons of talent.”
The Lady Pirates, a team young only on paper were one of the toughest outs in MHSA Class A competition this year, in spite of losing several key players to graduation, and Larry Smith to retirement, Hanson, and his staff, fielded one of the most competitive Lady Pirates teams in recent memory.
The reason for this success is simple: playing time. All of these players from 8-U to 16, 18-U, continue to gain valuable game experience.
“They all received valuable playing time, and that is our feeder program for the summer,” Hanson said. “The 16 to 18-U started have started to mesh together, and all of our teams are a lot and starting to mesh, and getting that game experience. You can practice, hit, do tees, and there is nothing like (playing in a game) to get that game experience.
It takes a village to raise a banner
One reason the feeder programs are successful is because of parental involvement.
At the SPLASH Tournament, Polson boasted of nearly 50 volunteers doing a various task to make the 20-plus team tournament a success.
“To put on this tournament it is a huge thing,” Hanson said. “This is not just softball, it’s for the community, and there were 22 teams, and last year we had some teams from Canada, and we would like to get some of those back (next year) that would be awesome.”
Hanson said he has the aspiration to make the SPLASH Tournament, which has been around 22-plus teams for the last couple of seasons, bigger.
This season, 45-50 volunteers, worked in various capacities to ensure Polson was well-represented with a smooth tournament. According to Hanson, he was successful.
“I would like to make this thing huge,” Hanson said. “(This tournament) Is a great thing for Polson it is huge. I am proud of all the members in the community that has worked, and the just the people involved in running the tournament did a nice job.”
Polson will travel to Great Falls next weekend for their next round of tournaments, and the following weekend ends up in Frenchtown and Kalispell.
Going National
The 14, and 16, 18-U teams will get some additional exposure during their softball summer when they travel to Spokane in the third week of July.
Both teams will get exposure to some of the best softball prospects in the country regionally, and nationally, which helps them expand their game.
Hanson is excited about the additional experience both of his teams will gain from playing some of the top-tier competition.
“Who knows who we may end up (playing in that tournament),” Hanson said.
The following are the box scores for the Mission-Valley softball teams:
2019 SPLASH
Home Run Derby
Polson Softball Complex
Saturday, June 8
16/18U SPLASH HR derby entries
Lexy Orien, Polson (1st) - HR, deep cf
Kobbey Smith, Polson (2nd) - hit cf fence, deep 2rf, deep cf
Kallie Finkbeiner, Polson - base cf fence, mid-rf, mid-cf
Anna Vert, Polson - deep cf
Meechia Emerson, Flathead - mid-rf, shallow-cf
SaVanna Carpentier, Polson - mid-cf, shallow-rf
Mckenna Rensel, C-Falls - deep-rf, ricochet off machine net
Sam Collins, C-Falls - deep foul
Kira Brousseau, C-Falls
Alexa Milhollen, C-Falls
14U SPLASH HR derby entries
Maddi Collins, C-Falls (1st) - HR, deep cf
Sydney Mann, C-Falls (2nd) - deep-cf, mid-rf
Hayden Peters, C-Falls - deep-cf, mid-rf
Aspen Darsow - deep-rf, shallow-rf
Jillian Madison, C-Falls - deep-rf
Ashlynn DePoe, Polson - deep-cf, deep-lf
Bella Paul, Polson - deep-lf, mid-cf
Tyneesha Brown, Polson - deep-rf
McKenna Hanson, Polson - mid-of
Alexis Johnson - mid-of
Reegan Stinger - mid-of
other Polson participants: Nikki Kendall, Trinity Towne, Turquoise Pierre, Carli Maley.
local area teams
16/18U Polson Purple Rain
14U Polson Lakers
14U Ronan Mighty Maidens
12U Polson Purple Wave
10U Polson Lil Lakers
10U Mission Valley
14U Bitterroot Sparks-Berning features a pair of Arlee players among their roster in Sophia Forgey and Carli Doerr.
16/18U AGE DIVISION
16/18U SPLASH bracket battles
championship
Frenchtown 001 000 4 – 5 5 2*
Polson 001 300 0 – 4 15 5*
Sadie Smith (5K) and Hallie Habeck. Katelyne Druyvestein (3K,2W,1HB) and Kallie Finkbeiner. W – S.Smith. L – Druyvestein.
FRENCHTOWN FURY – Cass Bagnell *0-3, Mikaela Field *0-3, Layne Bauer 1-4, Claire Bagnell 2-4, Habeck 0-3, Madison LaTray 0-3, S.Smith *0-3, Shelby Miotke 2-3, Maddy Eggers *0-3.
POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 3-4, Finkbeiner 3-4, Grace Quinones 2-4, Lexy Orien 1-3, Turqoise Pierre 0-4, Anna Vert 3-4, SaVanna Carpentier 2-4, Giana Fyant 0-4, Shae Brown 1-3.
2B – Miotike; Druyvestein, Finkbeiner. RBIs – Field 2, Bauer, Eggers, Cl.Bagnell; Orien, Brown, Druyvestein, Finkbeiner. SF – Orien. BB – Cas.Bagnell, Field, HB – Habeck. ROE – Cas.Bagnell, Field, S.Smith. FC – Ca.Bagnell, Eggers. 4SB – Vert 2, Carpentier, Brown. (Su09Jun19champ)
consolation (3rd/4th)
(#5) C-Town Rebels 7, (#2) Eureka Lions 2
semifinals
(#1) Purple Rain 8, (#5) C-Town Rebels 1
C-Falls 000 100 0 – 1 4 5
Polson 000 035 x – 8 8 0
Savvy Ellis and Abbie Darsow. Katelyne Druyvestein (6K) and Kallie Finkbeiner. W – Druyvestein.
C-TOWN REBELS – Alyssa Blankenship 0-2, Darsow 0-3, Mckenna Rensel 1-3, Jazzy Marino 0-3, Ellis 1-3, Abbey Underdahl 0-3, Haylee Lawrence 1-3, Jayden Hamilton 1-3, Kira Brousseau 0-2.
PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 0-4, Finkbeiner 3-4, Grace Quinones 2-4, Lexy Orien 0-4, Turqoise Pierre 0-4, Anna Vert 1-3, SaVanna Carpentier 0-2, Giana Fyant 1-2, Shae Brown 1-2.
2B – Finkbeiner 3, Vert. RBIs – Druyvestein, Finkbeiner, Quinones 2, Fyant. BB – Blankenship; Carpentier, Fyant, Brown. ROE – Druyvestein, Finkbeiner, Orien 2. FC – Darsow; Druyvestein. 9SB – Druyvestein 2, Finkbeiner 2, Quinones, Orien, Carpentier, Fyant, Brown. (Su09Jun19semi)
(#3) Frenchtown Fury 8, (#2) Eureka Lions 5
first round lo
(#5) C-Town Rebels 10, (#4) Flathead Breeze 4
16/18U pool play
Purple Rain 13, Flathead Breeze 5
Polson 352 3 – 13 17 1
Kalispell 320 0 – 5 4 1
Kobbey Smith and Kallie Finkbeiner. Sammie Labrum and Halle Schroeder. W – Ko.Smith.
POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Katelyne Druyvestein 2-4, Finkbeiner 1-2(3B,2RBI,HB,ROE), Grace Quinones 2-3, Lexy Orien 2-3(2B,FC,2SB), Mossy Kauley 2-2(3RBI,BB), Ko.Smith 2-3(3B,3RBI), Anna Vert 1-3(RBI,SB), SaVanna Carpentier 2-3(2B,RBI,CS), Giana Fyant 1-3, Shae Brown 2-3.
FLATHEAD BREEZE – Kenna Vanorny 1-1(2HB,SB), S.Labrum 2-3(RBI), Ilyssa Centner 0-1(BB,HB), Teagan Powell 0-2(RBI,HB), Ahauna Imperator 1-1(RBI,HB), Karissa Comer 0-2(RBI,FC), Cassidy Sletten 0-1(BB), Meechia Emerson 0-1(BB). (Sa08Jun19gm4pool)
Purple Rain 10, Frenchtown Fury 1
Polson 314 02 – 10 10 2*
Frenchtown 000 01 – 1 1 1
Katelyne Druyvestein (6K,1W,1HB) and Kallie Finkbeiner. Claire Bagnell, (4) Sadie Smith and Hallie Habeck. W – Druyvestein.
POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Finkbeiner 1-3, Grace Quinones *2-3(2B,2B,ROE), Lexy Orien *1-3(2B,2RBI), Mossy Kauley 1-3, Kobbey Smith *2-3(RBI,ROE), Anna Vert 2-3(RBI), SaVanna Carpentier 1-2(2B,2RBI,BB), Giana Fyant *0-3(RBI, D3K,ROE).
FRENCHTOWN FURY – Cass Bagnell 0-1(HB), Layne Bauer 0-1(BB), Habeck 1-2(RBI), Juna Ashby 0-2(FC).
(Sa08Jun19gm3pool)
Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternative assessments differ: FrGC (P:13H,0E) - Quinones 3-3 (F:H vs P:ROE), Ko.Smith 3-3 (F:H vs P:ROE), Fyant 1-3 (F:H vs P:ROE).
Purple Rain 11, Eureka Lions 2
Polson 232 30 – 11 10 2
Eureka 100 01 – 2 4 1
Katelyne Druyvestein and Kallie Finkbeiner. Avory Escobar, (4) Kiera Ward and Katie Schmidt. W – Druyvestein
POLSON PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 1-3(BB), Finkbeiner 1-2(2RBI), Lexy Orien 1-3, Mossy Kauley 3-3(RBI), Kobbey Smith 0-2(HB), Anna Vert 1-3(ipHR,RBI,FC), SaVanna Carpentier 1-2(HB), Giana Fyant 0-3(ROE), Shae Brown 2-2(BB). 5SB – Druyvestein, Orien 2, Brown 2.
EUREKA LIONS – Escobar 1-2, Schmidt 1-2, Ward 1-2(ROE), Reena Truman 0-1(BB), Kiah Hawkins 1-2(RBI), Ellie Durden 0-1(ROE). (Sa08Jun19gm2pool)
Purple Rain 11, C-Town Rebels 2
Polson 335 0 – 11 11 1
C-Falls 200 0 – 2 1 5
Savvy Ellis (3K,3W,1HB) and Abbie Darsow. Katelyne Druyvestein (5K,4W,2HB) and Kallie Finkbeiner. W – Druyvestein.
PURPLE RAIN – Druyvestein 1-3(2B,RBI), Finkbeiner 1-1(2B,RBI,2BB), Grace Quinones 1-3(2B,RBI), Lexy Orien 2-3(RBI), Mossy Kauley 1-2(RBI,SF), Kobbey Smith 0-1(HB,BB), Anna Vert 1-3(2B,2RBI), SaVanna Carpentier 1-2, Giana Fyant 2-2(RBI), Shae Brown 1-2(RBI). SB – Druyvestein, Carpentier 2, Fyant 2, Brown;
C-TOWN REBELS – Alyssa Blankenship 0-1(BB), Haylee Lawrence 0-1(SH), Mckenna Rensel 0-0(2BB), Ellis 0-0(2HB), Abbey Underdahl 0-1(BB), Jazzy Marino 1-2(RBI), Jayden Hamilton 0-1(ROE). SB – Blankenship 2, Hamilton. CS – Rensel.
Runs – Finkbeiner, Quinones, Orien 2, Kauley, Ko.Smith, Vert, Carpentier, Fyant 2, Brown; Blankenship, Ellis. (Sa08Jun19gm1pool)
14U AGE DIVISION
14U SPLASH bracket battle
championship (1st/2nd)
(#1) Polson Lakers 10, (#2) Kalispell Emeralds 2
Polson 322 102 – 10 8 1
Kalispell 200 000 – 2 3 5
Turquoise Pierre (10K,2W) and McKenna Hanson. Avery Anderson (1K,3W), (5) Morgan Vivian and Laynee Vessar. W – Pierre.
POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 1-3, Turquoise Pierre 1-3, Reegan Stinger 0-4, Hanson 2-4, Ashlynn DePoe 1-4, Caitlyn Ward 0-3, Alexis Johnson 1-2, Ansley Nordberg 0-1, Bella Paul 2-2, Julia Barnard 0-1, Carli Maley 0-1, Tyneesha Brown 0-0.
KALISPELL EMERALDS – Emma Cooke 1-3, Vessar 1-2, Anderson 0-3, Brooklyn Imperato 0-2, Kyrah Ferrington 1-2, Vivian 0-2, Emily Pedron 0-2, Kaidyn Lake 0-2, Gracie Morton 0-2.
3B – Hanson. 2B – Johnson, Paul 2, Hanson. RBIs – Pierre, Stinger, Hanson, DePoe 2, Johnson, Paul 2; Ferrington. BB – Maley, Kendall, Pierre, Brown; Imperato, Vessar. ROE – Pierre, Ward, Kendall; Cooke. FC – DePoe; Anderson. DP – Kendall. Runs – Kendall 2, Pierre 2, Stinger, Hanson, DePoe, Ward, Johnson, Paul; Vessar, Anderson. (Su09Jun19champ)
consolation (3rd/4th)
(#3) Sparks-Berning 9, (#5) Frenchtown Fury 3
Alivia McCormick and Sophia Berning. Olivia Campbell and Abby Faulhaber. W – McCormick.
BITTERROOT SPARKS-BERNING – Sophia Forgey 0-3, Carli Doerr 0-2(ROE,R).
semifinals
(#1) Lakers 13, (#5) Fury 2
Frenchtown 002 ( 0 ) – 2 3 6*
Polson 120 (10) – 13 11 6*
Olivia Campbell, Alexia Chalmers and Abby Faulhaber. Ashlynn DePoe (4K) and McKenna Hanson. W – DePoe.
FRENCHTOWN FURY – Faulhaber 2-2, Charlie Habeck 1-2
POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 3-3, Tyneesha Brown 0-2, Turquoise Pierre 2-2, Reegan Stinger *1-3, Hanson 2-3, DePoe 0-3, Julia Barnard 0-2, Caitlyn Ward 1-2, Alexis Johnson 1-3, Bella Paul 1-3.
3B – Pierre. 2B – Faulhaber; Kendall, Johnson. RBIs – Faulhaber, Carah Evans; Kendall, Brown, Pierre 4, *Stinger, Barnard, Johnson, Paul. BB – Barnard, Ward. HB – Kendall. ROE – Emma Magnuson, Dakota Fortney, Emma Lloyd, Campbell, Evans, Chalmers; Brown, Stinger, DePoe, Johnson. SB – Kendall, Johnson, Barnard. (Su09Jun19semi)
Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternative assessments differ: FrGC (F:9H,1E; P:15H,0E) - Stinger 2-3(F:H,2rbi; P:ROE,1rbi+E)
(#2) Kalispell Emeralds 11, (#3) Sparks-Berning 7
BITTERROOT SPARKS-BERNING – Sophia Forgey 0-3(FC,R).
first round (loser out)
(#5) Frenchtown Fury 5, (#4) C-Town Rebels 2
(#2) Kalispell Emeralds 11, (#7) Libby Loggers 1
(#3) Sparks-Berning 16, (#6) Mighty Maidens 8
Ronan 303 2 – 8 6 E
Bitterroot 317 5 – 16 H E
Lourasia Weatherwax, (3) Maizey Blixt, (4) Tyariah Morigeau and Kysis Santos. L.Bruschie and S.Berning. W – Bruschie.
RONAN MIGHTY MAIDENS – Kaydance Santos 2-3, Brogan Youngren 1-2(BB), Morigeau 1-2(BB), Weatherwax 0-1(2BB), Blixt 1-2(2B,BB), Ella Brown 0-3, Ky.Santos 1-2, Aaliyah Adams 0-2, Naloni Cahoon 9-0(BB), Tia Carpentier 0-0(BB).
BITTERROOT SPARKS-BERNING – Sophia Forgey 1-3(2B,ROE), Carli Doerr dnb.
Runs – Ka.Santos 2, Youngren 2, Morigeau, Rasia, Blixt; Forgey 2 (Su09Jun19gm1brkt)
14U SPLASH pool play
Lakers 5, Frenchtown Fury 4
Polson 110 30 – 5 4 7
Frenchtown 300 01 – 4 2 2
Turquoise Pierre (5K,1H,2W), (5) Ashlynn DePoe (2K) and McKenna Hanson. Olivia Campbell and Abby Faulhaber. W – DePoe.
POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 0-1(BB), Tyneesha Brown 1-2(RBI), Trinity Towne 0-1(BB), Hanson 1-2(FC), DePoe 1-1(HB), Pierre 0-2 (2RBI,ROE), Caitlyn Ward 0-1(2RBI,SF,ROE), Reegan Stinger 1-2, Julia Barnard 0-0(BB). SB – DePoe, Ward; SB – DePoe, Ward.
FRENCHTOWN FURY – Emma Magnuson 0-2(BB), Dakota Fortney 1-2, Faulhaber 0-2(RBI,ROE), Carah Evans 0-1(BB), Kaylyn Kolar 0-2 (RBI,2ROE), Campbell 0-2(ROE), Emma Lloyd 1-2, Alexia Chalmers 0-2(ROE), Saige Williams 0-2(ROE).
SB – Faulhaber, D.Fortney. (Sa08Jun19gm4pool)
Lakers 9, Libby Loggers 0
Polson 270 00 – 9 10 0
Libby 000 00 – 0 1 2
Turquoise Pierre (12K,1A) and McKenna Hanson. C.Benson, (4) Mackenzie Foss and Destinee Crawford. W – Pierre.
POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 1-3(RBI), Tyneesha Brown 1-3(2B), Trinity Towne 2-3(RBI), Hanson 1-(2B,RBI), Ashlynn DePoe 0-2(BB), Pierre 0-0 (3BB), Caitlyn Ward 1-3(RBI), Reegan Stinger 2-2, Alexis Johnson 1-2, Bella Paul 0-1(BB,FC), Carli Maley 0-0(2BB), Julia Barnard 1-2(2RBI). 5SB – Johnson, Towne, Maley, Paul,Ward.
LIBBY LOGGERS – Lyndee McElmurry 1-2.
(Sa08Jun19gm3pool)
Frenchtown Fury 5, Mighty Maidens 3
Lakers 13, Mighty Maidens 1
Polson 020 47 – 13 7 2
Ronan 000 10 – 1 1 2
Lourasia Weatherwax (1K,2W), (5) Maizey Blixt and Kysis Santos. Ashlynn DePoe (5K,3W), (5) Turquoise Pierre (3K,1W) and McKenna Hanson.
POLSON LAKERS – Nikki Kendall 2-3(2B,2RBI), Tyneesha Brown 0-2(BB), Trinity Towne 1-3(2B,RBI), Hanson 0-2(HB,RBI), DePoe 1-3(ROE,2RBI), Caitlyn Ward 0-1(BB), Reegan Stinger 0-0(2BB), Alexis Johnson 1-2, Isabella Paul 0-2(FC), Carli Maley 1-2(2RBI), Julia Barnard 1-1(BB).
RONAN MIGHTY MAIDENS – Brogan Youngren 1-2(ROE,BB), Morigeau 0-1(BB), Blixt 0-2(D3K), Ella Brown 0-1(BB), Tia Carpentier 0-1(BB), Ky.Santos 0-2(ROE). (Sa08Jun19gm2pool)
Emeralds 7, Lakers 3
Polson 200 1 – 3 2 1
Kalispell 313 x – 7 3 2
Morgan Vivian and Laynee Vessar. Nikki Kendall (2K,4W,2HB), (3) Ashlyn DePoe (2K,W,HB) and McKenna Hanson.
KALISPELL EMERALDS – Emma Cooke 1-3, Vessar 1-1(BB), Anderson 1-2(RBI), Brooklyn Ferrington 0-1(BB,ROE), Vivian 0-1(HB), Emily Pedron 0-1(HB), Gracie Morton 0-1(BB), Kaidyn Lake 0-1(BB), Jena Vachal 0-1(RBI,BB), Daytona Schuman 0-0(RBI,SH).
POLSON LAKERS – Kendall 0-0(2BB), Carli Maley 0-1(BB), Hanson 1-1(HB), Reegan Stinger 1-1(RBI,BB), Caitlyn Ward 0-1(BB). SB – Kendall, Hanson. Runs – Kendall, Maley, Hanson.
(Fr07Jun19gm1pool)
C-Town Rebels 8, Mighty Maidens 0
12U AGE DIVISION
12U SPLASH bracket battles
championship
(#1) Sparks-Dypwick 14, (#3) Purple Wave 10
consolation
(#2) C-Town Rebels 11, (#4) Sparks-Cooper 7
semis
(#1) Sparks-Dypwick 16, (#4) Sparks-Cooper 0
(#3) Purple Wave 11 (#2) C-Town Rebels 7
first round lo
(#4) Sparks-Cooper 8, (#5) Frenchtown Fury 1
12U SPLASH pool play (Sa08Jun19)
Purple Wave 14, Sparks-Cooper
Sparks-Dypwick 6, Purple Wave 5
Purple Wave 9, Frenchtown Fury 4
(Fr07June2019)
C-Town Rebels 10, Purple Wave 9
10U AGE DIVISION
10U SPLASH bracket battles (Su09Jun19)
championship
(#1) Bitterroot Sparks 7, (#2) Frenchtown Fury 3
consolation
(#3) Lil Lakers 10, (#4) Mission Valley 1
semis
(#2) Frenchtown Fury 10, (#3) Lil Lakers 7
(#1) Bitterroot Sparks 16, (#4) Mission Valley 3
first round lo
(#4) Mission Valley 11, (#5) C-Town Lil Rebs 3
10U SPLASH pool play (Sa08Jun19)
Bitterroot Sparks 14, Lil Lakers 2
Frenchtown Fury 9, Lil Lakers 2
Lil Lakers 5, Mission Valley 5
Mission Valley 8, Frenchtown Fury 7
Bitterroot Sparks 17, Mission Valley 3
(Fr07Jun19
Lil Lakers 6, C-Town Lil Rebs 5
to view full tournament scores and brackets online:
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