Polson eyeing football playoffs again
You can almost count on one thing year-in and year-out - Polson will be there when the playoffs begin.
The Pirates have advanced to postseason play eight out of the last nine years under head football coach Scott Wilson. He begins his 10th campaign tonight at 7 p.m. at defending Class A state champion Frenchtown.
"I think we have a shot at making the playoffs again," Wilson said.
"The key to the conference this year is everybody lost some really key players to their programs and how they are able to replace those kids. I think we will have a real balanced conference overall, a lot of close games."
Northwestern A will advance three teams to the postseason. Qualifying a year ago along with the Pirates were Columbia Falls and Ronan.
Polson returns three starters on both sides of the ball - junior quarterback Vince DiGiallonardo, senior center Riley Grogan and senior wide receiver Kyle Bagnell on offense; end Josiah Clairmont and DiGiallonardo and Bagnell at safeties on defense.
This is perhaps Wilson's thinnest team on returning starters, but the cupboard is far from bare.
"We have some kids (who can step in)," he said.
"Even though we don't have a whole lot of kids returning, we have kids who were backups for us."
Wilson says senior offensive and defensive lineman Noah Hoffman and junior running back and linebacker Jake Skelton are two players to watch for.
"I have the best turnout I've ever had - 77 kids," Wilson said.
"I don't know (what the reason is). We have a big freshman class coming in and good balance in terms of numbers with all our classes."
Polson's turnout a year ago was down - 56 - while most years Wilson averages in the 60s.
Wilson says the team focus for the preseason schedule - at Frenchtown, who has the longest win streak in Class A at eight games, Corvallis, Hamilton and at Anaconda - will be to get the nonstarters "as much experience as we can. Hopefully they will have a positive experience to build on."
Size-wise, Wilson says the Pirates will be "OK. We're never overly big."
Wilson has been happy with the team's attitude.
"The inexperience we're trying to overcome right now," he added.
"Hopefully we can do that."
Columbia Falls
Bill Coleman hopes the playoff streak continues for the Wildcats.
Columbia Falls has been a postseason participant for three straight years and the Wildcats have their sights set on making it four in a row.
Coleman begins his second season as head coach tonight at home versus Stevensville. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
"I like to think we had enough balance last year that we were able to dictate tempo a little bit," he said.
"It won't change much (this year) in terms of our skills. We have one of the best groups - all together with the quarterback, running backs and wide receivers - that I've had in 25 years of coaching. This is an outstanding group."
Columbia Falls lost a trio of all-state performers in quarterback Mitchell Wassam and linemen Kelly Houle and Mike Macijunas.
Returning, however, are offensive starters senior wide receiver Kaleb Johnson, senior running back Nate Thompson, senior tight end Cale Vukonich (missed last six games with an injury), senior offensive tackle Bryce Arneson and junior offensive guard Jacob Babcock.
Back on defense for the Wildcats are Johnson at safety, Thompson at corner back, Vukonich at outside linebacker, Arneson, who plays both end and noseguard, and senior middle backer, Chris King.
"Defensively, last year we were solid," Coleman said.
"That's one of the areas, or points of emphasis, we focused on this year. We want to be a little more flexible in what we're doing. We want to dictate tempo on defense to an extent and bring some pressure."
Key players to watch for this fall are Austin Barth, a junior quarterback, Cole Jones, a senior inside backer, Devyn Rocker, a senior wide receiver/defensive back, and senior wide receiver/defensive back Kodiak Gimble.
"He had limited reps last year, playing behind an all-stater," Coleman said of Barth.
"He's 6-5, real strong. He has athletic qualities you don't often see in high school athletes. He can throw it 70 yards."
Jones was in the rotation last year at a variety of positions.
Coleman says Rocker is a great route runner and an experienced corner.
"He was in the mix last year with playing time," Coleman said.
"He's a kid on offense who has a grasp of what we're doing."
Gimble is playing football for the first year, but has displayed great instincts and skills in preseason drills.
"A tremendous athlete," Coleman said.
"He's picking football up in a hurry. I think he will make a splash."
Coleman said injuries have not been an issue thus far. Matter of fact, the only disappointing thing of note after two weeks of practice was the turnout.
"Numbers wise, a little disappointed," he said.
"We have about 50. It's just one of those years."
On the preseason schedule - Stevensville, Hamilton, Browning and Dillon - "I think it's a good mix," he said.
Libby
For the first time in three years, Libby isn't experiencing growing pains.
The Loggers return 10 starters on offense - senior quarterback Kelly May, senior wide receiver Kody Berget, senior tight end Alex Cislo, senior lineman James Nash, junior lineman Sawyer Zimmerman; junior lineman Joey Emery; senior wide receiver Tyler Troy; senior fullback Justin Thrailkill, junior lineman Karson McCollum, and senior lineman Dean Willey - and nearly as many on defense - Nash at end, Zimmerman line, Cislo line, Thrailkill linebacker, senior linebacker Adam Alsbury, Coker at linebacker; Berget at free safety, Troy at cornerback and junior cornerback Phil Nelson.
"We were real young the last couple of years, so we started a number of kids," coach Neil Fuller said.
"The kids are so much stronger (this year). A lot of that comes from their weight room ethic.
"Defensively, we will be a lot stronger, more aggressive than we've been in the last couple years," he added.
"We have some untested positions, but even those kids are more physical than we've been."
Injuries robbed the Loggers of some talented players a year ago.
Junior Josiah Coker, running back/receiver, started as a freshman but blew his knee out in the season opener.
Tate Wilson, a junior receiver/defensive back, would have been a two-way starter, but suffered a knee injury the first week of practice.
"He's back healthy, he will be a huge player for us this year," Fuller said of Wilson.
On a positive note, Micah Germany, a junior who finished last year at QB, provides good depth at that position. Justin Wicka, a senior, saw extensive action in the secondary.
Robin Kyes, defensive end/tight end, is expected to be a big contributor this season, as are sophomore linemen Kraig Nelson and Gunnar Moe.
Senior tailback Corey Champman also suffered a preseason knee injury last year, but is healthy this year.
"Offensively, we're excited," Fuller said.
"In order for us to get back to where we've been in the past, we need to run the ball. That's something we've been committed to in the first two weeks of practice. With our offensive line, this is the most athletic group we've had across the board since I've been here."
Fuller, who begins his eighth season, had Libby in the playoffs his first five years. The Loggers have missed the postseason the last two.
"I'm really excited about seeing our kids get going," Fuller said.
"A number of them have put a lot of time in.
"Two years ago we lost three league games by a total of 13 points. Last year we lost to Columbia Falls and Whitefish by one. The kids are hungry.
"Last year was a painful year for all of us. The kids are excited. The coaching staff is optimistic."
Whitefish
The coaching transition will be a smooth one.
Chad Ross, who has been involved with Bulldog football for the past 12 years, takes over as head coach.
"For a first-year coach, I just don't know if it's any different," he said.
"The kids are energetic, excited."
Whitefish returns three starters on offense - junior tackle Maxl Smith, senior quarterback Mac Roche, senior guard Nathan Wiedenmeyer - and three on defense - Smith at linebacker, Wiedenmeyer at linebacker and senior linebacker Jeremy Neilson.
Roche, a two-year starter, Neilson and Smith are team captains.
"They have done a good job of ushering the younger kids in," Ross said.
"They understand the success of their season will depend on how the younger kids perform."
Some players to watch for are junior lineman Jake Forrest, junior wide receiver/safety Chris Forrest, receiver/safety, senior receiver/free safety, and Connor Ellis, junior wide out/defensive end Gage Vasquez.
The Forrests both saw action last year as did Vasquez.
Ross call Ellis the team's defensive quarterback.
"He's the brains of the defense," Ross said.
"He knows where everyone should be. He does a good job of making sure players are in the right places."
Ross says a pair of sophomores - Wolf Zeinke and Jake May - will start on the line.
"Offensively, we lost three horses in the backfield (to graduation)," Ross said.
"Eric May, the offensive coordinator, will build an offense around Mac. He will throw the ball a lot. We will have mainly a single back offense."
Defensively ...
"We're just so young," Ross said.
"We have a lot of guys going both ways. Last year we had seven. I think this year we will probably have five."
Whitefish is down on numbers.
"Our junior and sophomore (classes) are good," Ross said.
"We only have five seniors on the team."
Whitefish has 34 players on the varsity roster. The good news is 24 freshman are out this year.
Whitefish opens the season Saturday, 2 p.m. at Havre. The other nonconference contests are with Browning, Stevensville and Anaconda. Ross says those games are critical in setting the tempo for the season
"Getting them to believe in themselves, gaining some confidence," he said.
"It's more of a team effort right now," he added.
"Like any Class A school, we're not real deep."
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Columbia Falls
Aug. 27 - Stevensville
Sept. 3 - at Hamilton
Sept. 9 - Browning
Sept. 17 - at Dillon
Sept. 24 - Libby
Oct,. 1 - at Polson
Oct. 8 - Open
Oct., 15 - at Whitefish
Oct. 22 - Ronan
Libby
Aug 28 - Timberlake
Sept. 3 - Frenchtown
Sept. 10 - at Corvallis
Sept. 17 - at Hamilton
Sept. 24 - at Columbia Falls
Oct. 1 - at Whitefish
Oct. 8 - Ronan
Oct. 15 - at Bonners Ferry
Oct. 22 - Polson
Polson
Aug. 27 - at Frenchtown
Sept. 3 - Corvallis
Sept. 10 - Hamilton
Sept. 17 - at Anaconda
Sept. 24 - Open
Oct. 1 - Columbia Falls
Oct. 8 - Whitefish
Oct. 15 - at Ronan
Oct. 22 - at Libby
Whitefish
Aug. 28 - at Havre
Sept. 3 - Browning
Sept. 10 - at Anaconda
Sept. 17 - Stevensville
Sept. 24 - at Ronan
Oct. 1 - Libby
Oct. 8 - at Polson
Oct. 15 - Columbia Falls
Oct. 22 - Raymond, Alberta
Coaches, please remember to call in your scores at 758-4426.