Prep baseball: Pirates face rough seas to repeat

The Polson Pirates have a target on their back.

The inaugural state baseball champions return for the 2024 season excited to defend their title and they believe they have what it takes to repeat.

“There is a lot of excitement coming off of the state title and we are looking forward to the year,” head coach Brad Fisher said.

The Pirates defeated Whitefish 10-4 in the state championship game in 2023.

Polson returns a pair of all-conference players from that team in sophomore Cody Haggard and all-state senior Espn Miller, Brad’s son.

“We lost three significant players from last year, but this year the kids are up to the challenge,” Fisher said. 

Fisher notes that his team features good depth in the field and on the mound.

The Pirates currently sit at 2-1 on the young season after dropping an 18-10 extra innings thriller to Columbia Falls on Tuesday evening. Polson tied the game up in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra frames before the Wildcats busted the game open with eight runs in the top of the ninth.

As for the other half of the 2023 state championship Whitefish enters 2024 looking to replace eight all-conference players who graduated, including four all-state selections.

Leading the Bulldogs in 2024 are a pair of seniors — Brady Howke and Michael Miller.

Whitefish’s season opened with a pair of losses to Polson and Belgrade. A Tuesday trip to Troy was postponed until May. 

Another contender for 2024 is the Columbia Falls Wildcats, who return a solid core from last season that includes five all-conference players.

Seniors Cody Schweikert and Kellan Kroger earned first team honors last season and have solidified themselves as leaders for this year's squad.

“To have the guys back that we do, we are very lucky,” said first-year head coach Chad Green, who noted that defense is key to his team's success in 2024. “We can't give teams runs, but if we dial it in, the sky's the limit.”

One run was the difference between making the state tournament and watching from home last season for the WIldcats, as Eureka edged them out for the second spot in the Northwest conference.

New rules provide the third-place team with an extra opportunity in 2024, as they can challenge the second place team from another division for a spot at the state tournament.

Columbia Falls sits at 2-0. 

Up north, Eureka returns a pair of all-state selections in seniors Tristen Butts and AJ Truman. Second-team all-conference sophomore Rogan Lytle also returns.

The Lions look to return to state where they dropped their first two games in 2023, an opening round 6-4 loss to Polson followed by a 6-2 loss to Butte.

“We are just trying to build off of last year,” head coach Ryan Holder said. “It's a little different format than all the other sports, with no classes. You see the different levels, the bigger schools have more depth in pitching.

“At smaller schools, everyone is a pitcher.”

Eureka started the season on a high, taking a three inning 17-0 victory over Thompson Falls-Noxon Tuesday.

Bigfork comes into the 2024 baseball season as one of the new teams entering across the state. Led by head coach Dave Romano the Vikings feature a young roster with seven freshmen and no seniors.

Romano said that this year isn't going to be about the individuals on the roster but rather the team as a whole.

“All 13 players have strengths and weaknesses,” Romano said. “Everyone brings something to the table.”

The unpredictable spring weather caused issues for Bigfork, forcing the team to hold practice indoors. Romano hopes to get practicing outside this week. The team’s first taste of outdoor play this year came in their 4-3 opening victory against fellow newcomers Ronan.

The Vikings hope to break in their home field against Whitefish on Thursday.