Pirates reset records despite season opener road loss

At Columbia Falls, the visiting Pirates played an evenly matched first frame, but Polson double up their advantage 28-14 when Jarrett Wilson scored on a quarterback keeper early in the third period.

At that juncture of the contest, the Pirates seemed to have the harnass in hand for steering the momentum of the contest in their favor.

But the host Wildcats countered with an 84 yard kickoff return that provided the spark that ignited the engine of their offense. A subsequent scoring reception would pulled the hosts within one.

Thereafter, Columbia Falls would score thrice during the final frame to culminate the rally, while the Pirates were denied from crafting a response in kind. Multiple conversions on long yardage situations kept drives alive that ordinarily would have gravitated toward a change of possession. Much like the proverbial idiom about felines, these Cats managed to parlay some of these figurative lives when they teetered on the brink, wriggling out of predicaments by transforming lulls and hiccups into productive scenarios that they were then able to capitalize upon.

Pirate head grid coach Kaden Glinsmann commented, "I think we were able to come out and start fast, [but] our youth and inexperience showed in trying to put the game away late. ...Up two possessions, [we] weren't able to finish. We give a ton of credit to Columbia Falls - they were competitors - they battled back and made plays when they needed to."

Not to be overlooked in the loss was the setting of a tandem of school single game records, according to master miner of minutiae Brian Reed, Class A sports stat archivist extraordinaire.

At the passing end of the spectrum, Jarrett Wilson's outing of over 400 yards eclipsed the 310 yard mark set by Craig Bagnell against Stevensville back in 2007. Bagnell is now the head football coach of the NCAA D2 University of Mary Marauders. Not bad for a debut by the sophomore, a somewhat new position for him after being a receiver last season. One would be inclined to surmise that young protege Wilson paid closer attention to the coaching of his father than he let on, long time Polson head grid coach Scott Wilson, who himself played quarterback back in the day.

At the receiving end of the spectrum, Colton Graham's dozen or more receptions for 250+ yards surpassed the 248 mark set by Matthew Rensvold against Columbia Falls back in 2016 (Fr14Oct16). Rensvold is now part of the receiving corps among the football roster of the University of Montana Grizzlies.

The Pirates host a visit from the Whitefish Bulldogs this Friday, September 4.

Columbia Falls 48, Polson 28

Polson (0-1), C-Falls (1-0)

Polson 6 16 6 0 – 28

C-Falls 7 7 13 21 – 48

P – Colton Graham 65 pass from Jarrett Wilson (pass incomplete)

CF – Cade Morgan pass from Mason Peters (Niels Getts kick)

P – Graham 80 pass from J.Wilson (Graham pass from J.Wilson)*

P – Ethan McCauley 48 pass from J.Wilson (Graham pass from J.Wilson)*

CF – Cody Schweikert 3 run (Getts kick)

P – J.Wilson 1 run (pass incomplete)*

CF – Isaiah Roth 84 kickoff return (Getts kick)

CF – Taylor Bryan 10 pass from Peters (kick failed)

CF – Bryan 33 pass from Peters (Getts kick)

CF – Roth 37 pass from Peters (Getts kick)

CF – Schweikert 4 run (Getts kick)

RUSH – P (J.Wilson , Trent Wilson ), CF(Peters 8-104). PASS – P(J.Wilson 32-53-444-1), CF(Peters 23-41-347-1). REC – P32-444(Graham 12-251, McCauley 3-61, Xavier Fisher 7-55).

(Fr28Aug20)

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternate data exists: News coverage cites Polson conversions as 1pt PAT kicks, whereas the Pirates attempted 2pt Conversion passes each time.

Expanded stat specs had not been uploaded to MaxPreps prior to deadline. Those cited derived from CF statkeeping source. Brian Reed wk1 review featured on Twitter and < leaguelineup NWMTA > website.