Cowboys get by Pirates

The Daily Inter Lake

POLSON - The Miles City Cowboys intercepted a pass with less than two minutes left in the game and secured a 26-20 Class A football playoff victory over the Polson Pirates on Saturday.

The Pirates had climbed back to within six points after quarterback Craig Bagnell connected with brother Kyle Bagnell for a 4-yard touchdown with 2:57 left.

Miles City moves into the semifinals and takes on Frenchtown next Saturday.

Cowboy's quarterback Jordan Bryant had three touchdowns and 207 yards passing and connected with Hayden Kalfell on a 79-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter . The Cowboys scored again in the final minute of the quarter to take a 12-0 lead.

Polson bounced back two minutes later in the second quarter with Craig Bagnell's 1-yard hop into the end zone.

Craig Bagnell completed 60 percent of his passes and finished with 183 yards and a rushing touchdown as well for the Pirates.

Throughout the game, the Cowboys were able to run the ball steadily with Brennan Haughian, who finished with 127 yards of rushing.

Polson came out in the second half down 20-6 and got back on the scoreboard with 37 seconds left in the third off a Tim Rausch 3-yard run. He finished the game with 94 rushing yards.

In the fourth quarter, Miles City busted out another big play, a 45-yard Bryant touchdown pass to J.T. Keith, to take a 26-13 lead with five minutes left in the game.

Polson's Joe Andrews ran the ball 10 times for 39 yards and caught three passes for 54 yards. Kyle Bagnell finished with seven catches for 71 yards. Ryan Kelley caught four passes for 41 yards.

Miles City 12 8 0 6 - 26

Polson 0 6 7 7 - 20

1st quarter

MC - Hayden Kalfell 79 pass from Jordan Bryant (Jimmy Harding kick missed) 7:13

MC - Brennan Haughian 5 run (pass failed) 00:47

2nd quarter

P - Craig Bagnell 1 run (run failed) 10:15

MC - Kyle Stanton 18 pass from Bryant (Haughian run) 3:57

3rd quarter

P - Tim Rausch 3 run (C. Bagnell kick) 00:37

4th quarter

MC - JT Keith 45 pass from Bryant (kick failed) 5:11

P- Kyle Bagnell 4 pass from C. Bagnell (C. Bagnell kick) 2:57

MC P

Rushing 34-178 41-160

Passing (com/att/yds/) 9-14-207 14-23-183

First downs 13 17

Penalties-yards 4-50 4-25

Fumbles-lost 2-2 0-0

Individual

Rushing - Miles City, Brennan Haughian 19-127, Cord Berg 7-25; Polson, Tim Rausch 16-94, Joe Andrews 10-39, C. Bagnell 12-16

Passing (com/att/yds/tds/int)- Miles City, Bryant 9-14-207-3-0; Polson, C. Bagnell 14-23-183-2-1

Receiving - Miles City, Kalfell 3-107, Keith 1-45, Stanton 2-44; Polson, K. Bagnell 7-71, Ryan Kelley 4-41, Andrews 3-54, Brock Picard 1-13