Class A football playoffs: Hamilton holds off Polson, 24-21

HAMILTON — Polson (5-4) made a furious comeback, but it wasn’t enough to top Hamilton (7-3), the Pirates losing 24-21 in the first round of the Class A football playoffs on Saturday.

Trailing by 17, with just 78 yards of offense at half, Polson made its charge late in the third quarter.

Pirates quarterback Andrew Weltz ran in a touchdown from 15 yards out to cut the lead with 2:30 left in the period. A 6-yard pass to Cedrick Smith and a successful 2-point conversion midway through the fourth pulled the Pirates to within three.

Polson stalled on a drive with three minutes to play and a Hail Mary attempt at the end of the game was tipped and intercepted.

Weltz finished 13 of 25 for 153 yards passing and two interceptions and had 62 rushing yards. Smith had 79 yards receiving on six catches. Polson finished with 248 total yards.

Hamilton’s Josh Bauder threw for 326 yards and Adam Smith ran for 153.

Polson 7 0 6 8 — 21

Hamilton 14 7 3 0 — 24

H — Kris Cleveland 10 pass from Josh Bauder (Karill Apedaile kick), 9:16-1Q

H — Alex Draper 16 pass from Bauder (Apedaile kick), 3:25-1Q

P — Cedrick Smith 94 kickoff return (Brady Hislop kick), 3:06-1Q

H — Adam Smith 1 run (Apedaile kick), 3:08-2Q

H — Apedaile 33 FG, 6:05-3Q

P — Andrew Weltz 15 run (kick failed), 2:30-3Q

P — C. Smith 6 pass from Weltz (Hudson Smith pass from Weltz), 7:24-4Q

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Polson (30-95) – Weltz 22-62, Jacob Clairmont 4-18, Hislop 3-8, C. Smith 1-7. Hamilton (31-138) – A. Smith 24-121, Bauder 6-14, Mathew Turley 1-3.

PASSING: Polson – Weltz 13-25-2 for 153 yards. Hamilton – Bauder 25-39-0 for 326 yards.

RECEIVING: Polson – C. Smith 6-79, Tanner Wilson 4-36, H. Smith 1-17, Dylan McCrumb 1-14, Hislop 1-7. Hamilton – Cleveland 7-89, Teague Blome 6-111, Draper 6-57, Abe Westfall 5-56, A. Smith 1-13.