Pirates surge past Maroons
Quarterback Jarrett Wilson runs one in for a score against Butte Central. (Bob Gunderson)
Polson quarterback Jarrett Wilson looks for room during a run against Butte Central. (Bob Gunderson)
Xavier Fisher gains some yards after a catch against Butte Central. (Bob Gunderson)
Colton Graham pulls down a touchdown reception against Butte Central. (Bob Gunderson)
Defensive end Braunson Henriksen closes in on Butte Central quarterback Drew Badovinac. (Bob Gunderson)
Polson’s football matchup with visiting Butte Central on Friday had a familiar feel. Their previous two losses against Bigfork and Frenchtown included opponents rushing for more than a thousand yards against Pirate defense.
Butte Central running back Egan Lester found the end zone four times in the first half Friday, and his first two carries put the Pirates in a 14-0 hole. The Pirates answered on a short reception by Robert Perez to pull to 14-6.
Lester scored again to cap a drive that started after a fumble recovery and put the Maroons up 21-6.
When a subsequent Pirate drive stalled and the Pirates had to punt, Boston Goode uncorked a punt that pinned the Maroons at the 6-yard line. When they tried to go to the air for a bit of extra breathing room, Jarrett Wilson pilfered the pass for a pick-6.
The Polson defense got a stop and the Pirates soon closed the gap to 21-20.
Lester would find the end zone for the fourth time in the half on a short range plunge. But Trent Wilson blocked the extra point and the Pirates headed to the locker room trailing by a single score, 27-20.
The Pirate air attack hit its stride in the second half. Wilson tossed touchdown passes to Colton Graham and Xavier Fisher and scored on a keeper as the Pirates stunned the visiting Maroons.
Wilson had reset the school passing record for the second time this season with a 500-plus yard performance. It was the fifth game this season in which Wilson passed for more than 400 yards, and it was his first career 500-yard game.
Junior wide receiver Colton Graham set a school reception record he broke in the Columbia Falls game with a new mark of 15 catches for 259 yards.
The Pirates now focus their attention on their regular schedule finale against top-ranked and undefeated Hamilton (8-0), which features 1,000-yard passer Tyson Rostad behind center.
Polson 56, Butte Central 27
Butte Central 14 - 13 - 0 - 0 – 27
Polson 6 - 14 - 22 - 14 – 56
BC – Egan Lester 1 run (Joseph Sholey kick)
BC – Lester 38 run (Sholey kick)
P – Robert Perez 5 pass from J.Wilson (run short)
BC – Lester 10 run (Sholey kick)
P – Jarrett Wilson 25 INT return (R.Perez pass from J.Wilson)
P – Graham 2 pass from J.Wilson (advance halted after J.Perez catch)
BC – Lester 4 run (kick blocked by Trent Wilson)
P – Graham 48 pass from J.Wilson (Graham pass from J.Wilson)
P – Xavier Fisher 21 pass from J.Wilson (Graham pass from J.Wilson)
P – J.Wilson 20 run (OPI, stop after reception redo)
P – X.Fisher 47 pass from J.Wilson (J.Wilson run)
P – Graham 19 pass from J.Wilson (snap snafu)
RUSH – BC50-214(Lester 34-193), P13-48 (J.Wilson 10-33, Boston Goode 2-10, Jony Perez 1-5). PASS – BC11-21-200 (Drew Badovinac 6-12-122-1, Luke Garrison 4-8-48-1, Lakkala 1-1-30), P(J.Wilson 32-46-505-0). RECEIVE – BC(Dougie Peoples 2-66, Konnor Pochervina 2-52), P32-505 (Colt Graham 15-240[222 + 1-37 less OH], X.Fisher 8-191, R.Perez 4-33, Jony Perez 2-23, Boston Goode 2-8, Tyler Wenderoth 1-10). INT – P2(J.Wilson, R.Perez).
