Pirates keep playoff hopes alive with Whitefish win

Polson got two touchdowns from Holden Emerson to pick up a key 29-26 Western A overtime victory over Whitefish on Thursday. The Pirates improved to 4-3 to keep their postseason hopes alive, with one home game against Hamilton left on the schedule.

Emerson got Polson on the board first during the home game, running the ball in from the two-yard line. Whitefish responded with a one-yard touchdown run by Carson Gulick and a 15-yard touchdown pass by Gulick to Dane Hunt for the 13-7 lead.

Polson took the lead again as Emerson punched it in the endzone from three yards out for the 14-12 halftime lead. After a scoreless third quarter, Whitefish pulled ahead with another touchdown pass by Gulick to Mason Kelch from 11 yards out.

An 11-yard touchdown run from Uriah Ulutoa and a one-yard scoring run by Lucian Sawyer gave the Pirates a 26-20 led. A two-point conversion fail opened the door for Whitefish, which tied the game up in regulation with a two-yard touchdown run by Gulick.

Polson had a chance to end things before overtime as Tommy Sherry caught a long pass from Emerson, but the ensuing field goal attempt fell short of its school-record 33-yard distance.

Whitefish had the ball first but had its go-ahead field goal attempt tipped by Bordy Bulette and Cason Graham. Polson got the ball back, and Sawyer nailed a 23-yard game-winning field goal.

Polson finished with 147 yards on the ground, and Emerson passed for 204 yards on 9-of-20 passing. Emerson also rushed for 51 yards. Ulutoa had 15 rushes for 93 yards. Brock Henriksen caught four balls for 117 yards, Sherry caught two passes for 41 yards, and Graham grabbed two receptions for 38 yards.

Whitefish had 96 yards on the ground and 197 yards through the air. Brenden Griffin harassed the Bulldog offense, collecting three interceptions for the Pirates.

At Polson

POLSON 29, WHITEFISH 26 (OT)

Whitefish - 13 - 0 - 0 - 7 - 0 - 26

Polson - 7 - 7 - 0 - 12 - 3 - 29

SCORING SUMMARY

P — Holden Emerson 2-yard run (Lucian Sawyer kick)

W — Carson Gulick 1-yard run (kick failed)

W — Dane Hunt 15-yard pass from Gulick (Ryder Barinowski kick)

P — Emerson 3-yard run (Sawyer kick)

W — Mason Kelch 11-yard pass from Gulick (pass failed)

P — Uriah Ulutoa 11-yard run (Sawyer kick)

P — Sawyer 1-yard run (pass failed)

W — Gulick 2-yard run (Barinowski kick)

P — Sawyer 23-yard FG

GAME STATS

Rushing: Whitefish 29-87 (Gulick 19-61, Cole Moses 6-24, Hunt 1-9, Brady Howke 1-9, Riley Zetooney 2-2), Polson 39-147 (Ho.Emerson 21-51, Ulutoa 15-93, Henriksen 3-3). Passing – Whitefish (Gulick 22-37-197-3), Polson (Ho.Emerson 9-20-204-1). Receiving – Whitefish 21-189 (Kelch 4-73, Carson Krack 3-34, Hunt 6-46, Jesse Burrough 4-35, Howke 2-12), Polson 9-198 (Brock Henriksen 4-117, Tommy Sherry 2-41, Cason Graham 2-38,Cody Haggard 1-8).