Class A football playoffs: Pirates derail Locomotives
POLSON — Polson forced four fumbles and found its rhythm through the air, toppling Laurel 9-7 on Saturday in the Class A football quarterfinals.
The Pirates stifled the Locomotives on defense, holding Laurel to 171 total yards and allowing just four runs longer than 10 yards. Laurel made it into Polson territory just three times.
The defense came up big time and again, none bigger than in the fourth quarter, when a bad snap on a punt gave the Locomotives a short field. Laurel drived to the Polson 1-yard line but the Pirates forced a fumble, ending the threat and preserving the win.
“We gave up some plays but on every one of their drives we seemed to make a big play to stop them,” Polson coach Scott Wilson said. “I thought our kids effort on defense was outstanding.”
The Pirates were equally opportunistic on offense, opening up the passing game against an aggressive Laurel defense, with a heavy dose of play action. Senior wide receiver Will Davey took over the game for Polson, making nine catches for 176 yards, including a spectacular catch on a fade route in the end zone, when he leapt over two defenders to rip away the Pirates’ lone touchdown.
“I told (Coach Wilson) just to chuck it,” Davey said. “I noticed they kept trying to (switch to) double coverage, which makes them get all out of whack ... They couldn’t respond to it.”
Beau Mills led the Pirates on the ground, taking over for starter Colten Lenz, who missed the game with an illness. Mills didn’t miss a beat, rushing 30 times for 67 yards.
On the final drive, following a Laurel touchdown that narrowed the lead to two, Mills carried the ball 11 times, as Davey caught two drive-extending catches, to run out the final four minutes.
“He’s our horse,” Wilson said. “Our offensive line started winning that battle. It’s just a great effort, I’m proud of those kids. A lot of heart.
“I’ll tell you that last drive there was huge. We were a little thin up front on the defensive line, we needed an offensive drive. They put it together and finished the game for us.”
The win puts Polson (9-0) into the state semifinals for the first time since 1986.
The Pirates will host defending state champ Dillon (7-1) next week.
The Beavers, the top seed from the Southwest, beat Hardin 56-12 on Saturday.
Laurel 0 0 0 7 — 7
Polson 2 0 7 0 — 9
First quarter
P – Safety, Brett Thompson (L) kicks bad snap out of end zone, 7:49
Third quarter
P – Will Davey 17 pass from Andrew Weltz (Brady Hilsop kick), 7:37
Fourth quarter
L – Thompson 1 run (Kameron Fisher kick), 7:20
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Laurel (41-151) Bryce Herman 14-60, Kameron Fisher 10-42, Thompson 12-36, Michael Buster 3-7, Matthew Martinez 2-6. Polson (39-70) Beau Mills 30-67, Davey 6-13, Drew Kvam 2-(-)8, Ian Ricketts 1-(-)2.
PASSING – Laurel, Thompson 2-4-0-20. Polson, Weltz 11-17-1-185.
RECEIVING – Laurel, Jake Anderson 1-12, Jon Verlanic 1-8. Polson, Davey 9-176, Dylan Kelley 1-9, Hislop 1-0.
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Saturday’s Other Quarterfinal Games
Hardin 6 6 0 0 — 12
Dillon 14 28 7 7 — 56
First Quarter
D-Ben Folsom five-yard run (Taylor Cashmore kick), 8:44
D-Folsom 1-yard run (Cashmore kick), 5:10
H-Levi Butkay 31-yard run (pass failed), :58
Second Quarter
D-MJ Simkins 27-pass from Folsom (Cashmore kick), 11:31
D-John Luke Koslosky 22-pass from Folsom (Cashmore kick), 11:18
D-Cooper Lamie 11-run (Cashmore kick), 7:13
H-Carl Johnson 2-run (run failed), 5:01
D-Troy Scott 28-pass from Folsom (Cashmore kick), 3:27
Third Quarter
D-Folsom 71-run (Cashmore kick), 9:38
Fourth Quarter
D-JD Ferris 1-run (Cashmore kick), 4:11
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Individual StatISTICS
RUSHING — Hardin, Levi Butkay 12-60, Carl Johnson 14-51, Fletcher Metcalf 1-9, Shawn Purcell 6-(-10), Machiah Not Afraid 1-1, Steven Keeten 1-0; Dillon, Ben Folsom 9-111, Colton Riebe 10-62, Cooper Lamey 8-42, JD Ferris 3-16, John Luke Koslosky 2-3.
PASSING — Hardin, Shawn Purcell 8-19-2-135; Dillon, Folson 11-19-0 199.
RECEIVING — Hardin, Butkay 4-97, Metcalf 1-21, Keeten 1-6, Jon Lemon 1-19, Tucker Schriener 1-2; Dillon, Troy Scott 4-57, MJ Simkins 3-59, Austin Carver 2-52, Koslosky 1-22, Boyd Jenne 1-9,
Billings Central 41, Frenchtown 8
Frenchtown 0 8 0 0 — 8
Billings Central 35 6 0 0 — 41
First Quarter
BC -- Holden Ryan 80 pass from Jacob Stanton (Luke Daly kick), 8:36
BC -- Austin Barthel 6 run (Daly kick), 7:54
BC -- Connor Cerkovnik 70 run (Daly kick), 4:37
BC -- Avery Baldry 22 fumble return (Daly kick), 3:53
BC -- Dylan Hanser 20 pass from Stanton (Daly kick), 3:39
Second Quarter
FTN -- Kyle Cyr 5 pass from John Chapman (David Anderson pass from Chapman), 8:31
BC -- Torry Huppert 63 pass from Stanton (kick failed), 7:41
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Frenchtown: Daniel Lebsock 38-137, David Anderson 13-57, Logan Fisher 11-57, Jack Nerison 12-49, Matt Price 7-17, John Weber 2-7, John Chapman 3-(minus-25). Central: Connor Cerkovnik 11-112, Austin Barthel 3-27, Jacob Stanton 2-10, Colton Welhaven 1-2.
PASSING -- Frenchtown: John Chapman 5-7-0-26, Matt Price 0-1-1-0. Central: Jacob Stanton 3-11-0-163.
RECEIVING -- Frenchtown: Kyle Cyr 2-11, David Anderson 2-5, Daniel Lebsock 1-11. Central: Holden Ryan 1-80, Torry Huppert 1-63, Dylan Hanser 1-20.
Livingston 48, Anaconda 13
Anaconda 0 13 0 0 — 13
Livingston 0 16 16 16 — 48
Anaconda (7-4) -- Eric Boyd 53 run (Joey Orrino kick), Dylan Flack 3 run (two-point conversion failed).
Livingston (8-1) -- Brandon Toney 47 run (Shanon Williams run), Austin Carroll 2 run (Williams run), Carroll 4 run (Williams run), Toney 20 run (Carroll run), Toney 67 run (Williams run), Toney 8 run (Williams run).
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTIC
RUSHING — Livingston: Brandon Toney 19-231,