Polson gridders seek playoff spot in 2020
Last season, the 2019 rendition of the Pirates just missed qualifying for the playoffs on the last game of the regular schedule.
The Pirates built on a 0-9 campaign in 2018 with a 4-5 mark last season when they narrowly missed making the playoffs.
The Pirates opened their season by shocking then fifth-ranked Columbia Falls, earning them a brief tenure among the ranked the following week in lieu of the displaced Wildcats.
A rash of untimely injuries would slowly deplete their roster, thereby diluting their potency: concussions, dislocation, broken leg, torn ligaments and the like sidelined some of their most seasoned veterans. The fact that they remained in the hunt for a postseason berth until their final game was a testament to team resolve, resourcefulness and resiliency.
The Pirates graduated nine that include all-stater (2x a-c: 1st-tm 2019 WR/CB, hm 2018 CB) Ryker Wenderoth, all-conference (1st-tm TE 2018) Trevor Schultz, MT Tech recruit Bo Kelley, lead rusher as well as tackler Dugan Davis, top ten team tacklers Garrett Croft, Kaleb Unger and Kenton Sisler among others. Attrition will further impact the roster with the absence of third-leading rusher Logan Adler and the Simmons linemen.
While filling vacancies left by any departure of seasoned veterans is never an easy task, the Pirates return a seasoned corps of experience. Among them is accolade accentuated, jack of all trades all-conference (hm P) senior Boston Goode, who has dabbled in a little bit of everything over the course of his gridiron prep career: under center, rushing, receiving, punting, secondary.
Returnees among the receiving corps include 6-5 senior Trevor Lake, 6-4 junior Braunson Henricksen, 6-4 junior Colton Graham along with Goode. Backfield rushers include Goode among others in the process of amplifying their aptitude.
With the graduation of multi-season quarterback Kelley, the Pirates will be breaking in a new signal-caller. At this juncture of the preseason, multiple options remain in process of exploration.
Returnees among the defensive secondary are liable to include Goode, junior Robert Perez and sophomore Jarrett Wilson among others.
Other senior returnees include center Ethan Cunningham and linebacker Caleb Pierre.
The Pirates hope to get a leg up on the competition in the kicking game by integrating a crossover from the soccer squad.
Polson head grid coach Kaden Glinsmann embarks on his second season at the helm, assisted by Ryan Antos (OC), Hazeez Rafiu (DC), Brandon Couture (STC), Jason Burroughs (OL), Pat Danley (LB) and volunteer assistants Joe Bartlett and Devon Cox.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to get to play this fall,” Glinsman said. “We’ve got a young roster, but we feel like our leadership is where it should be. Our guys are ready to compete.”
One of the goals for the Pirates this season will be to remain healthy, which takes on an additional layer this season beyond evading injury to include ensuring players avoid getting tackled by exposure to a pandemic virus that would precipitate quarantine containment.
The Pirates open their schedule on the road at Columbia Falls Friday, Aug. 28.
2019 NWA Polson Pirate FB stat pack (4-5)
RUSH – 214-706 (Dugan Davis 78-334, B.Kelley 70-134, Logan Adler 25-116, Boston Goode 15-82, Garrett Croft 21-37, R.Wenderoth 4-3, K.Unger 1-0) PASS – (Bo Kelley 77-209-1318-17, R.Wenderoth 0-2). RECEIVE – 77-1318 (Ryker Wenderoth 39-595, Jarrett Wilson 16-359, Colton Graham 3-80, Kaleb Unger 3-89, D.Davis 5-68, Trevor Schultz 2-51, G.Croft 4-37, Braunson Henriksen 1-24, Trevor Lake 2-12, B.Goode 1-2, L.Adler 1-1). INT – P18 (R.Wenderoth 9, B.Goode 3, J.Wilson 2, D.Davis 2, Caleb Pierre, Trevor Schultz). PD – P25 (R.Wenderoth 10, J.Wilson 7, D.Davis 3, B.Goode 2, T.Lake, Braunson Henriksen, Kenton Sisler). FF – P14 (R.Wenderoth 3, B.Henriksen 2, G.Croft 2, B.Goode 2, D.Davis, K.Sisler, J.Wilson, B.Kelley, Abel Kimmel). FR – P9 (R.Wenderoth 5, B.Henriksen, D.Davis, T.Lake, B.Kelley). SK – P9 (B.Henriksen 4, G.Croft 2½, Kaleb Unger 1½, K.Sisler). TFL – P (K.Sisler 4t, D.Davis 2t1a, G.Croft 2t, R.Wenderoth 1t1a, Bra.Henriksen 3a, T.Lake 2a, Caleb Pierre 1a).
TKL/AST – Dugan Davis 24t31a, Ryker Wenderoth 25t10a, Bo Kelley 21t25a, Garrett Croft 19t29a+4cf, Braunson Henrikson 17t27a, Jarrett Wilson 20t10a, Boston Goode 16t12a, Caleb Pierre 10t34a, Kaleb Unger 7t10a, Kenton Sisler 12t22a, Josh Simmons 7t17a, Logan Adler 4t7a, Trent Dwelle 6t9a, Trevor Lake 2t5a, Trevor Schultz 4t2a, Aaron O’Rouke 3t4a, Robert Perez *2t2a, Tyler Otto 1t2a, Tristan Simmons 1t1a, Jaron Keene 1t1a, Brogan Nice 1t1a, Trent Wilson 1t, Hunter Pittsley 2a, Abel Kimmel 1a, Taylor Bennett 1a. SCORING (P140pts) – R.Wenderoth (8TDrec+1TDir+Crec) 56, D.Davis (3TDrun+1TDrec+Crun) 26, J.Wilson (2TDrec) 12, B.Kelley (1TDrun+2Crun) 10, L.Adler (1TDrun) 6, C.Graham (1TDrec) 6, K.Unger (1TDrec) 6, T.Schultz (1TDrec) 6, Bra.Henriksen (1TDfr) 6, T.Lake (Crec) 2, H.Pittsley (2PAT) 2, safety 2.
Asterisk (*) denotes stat variants where data differs from Pirate defensive tally: B.Goode 9a, B.Kelley 29a, R.Wenderoth 9a, G.Croft 20t(38.5total), Bra.Henrikson 32a, K.Unger 7t10a(SK+1t1a), K.Sisler 23a, T.Lake (TFL+2a=7a), R.Perez 3a,
