The Polson Pirates’ reward for beating perennial power Billings Central by three touchdowns last Saturday is playing the team that beat Central by two touchdowns in October.

“The No. 1 team in the state,” Polson coach Kaden Glinsmann said of the Laurel Locomotives. “Defending champions. We’ve got our hands full.”

Polson, 10-0, will throw the ball early and often in Laurel, where the State A semifinal game kicks off at 1 p.m. Laurel (9-0) has a more balanced offense, with Beau Dantic getting a lot of carries.

“They spread to run,” Glinsmann said. “I think they are balanced, but what sets them apart is their running back (Dantic). Speed-wise, he’s going to be at the top of the list in any classification. He moves better in space than anybody we’ve seen, so far.

“Billings Central has had the best rushing attack, but when you look at one running back, he’s a guy that is good in space.”

Quarterback Kyson Moran is Laurel’s second-leading rusher, behind Dantic’s 763 yards. Moran has thrown 18 touchdowns passes, six each to Konnor Gregerson and Dalton Boehler.

Polson’s Jarrett Wilson, meanwhile, ran his season touchdown pass total to 47 with six in last week’s 49-28 win over Central. On top of his nearly 2,900 passing yards he’s rushed for another 630.

The junior directs an offense and seems to know where the open man — Colton Graham, Xavier Fisher, Robert Perez, Alex Muzquiz, Landon Becker — is at all times.

The rub is that Laurel has faced throwing teams and beared up. The Locomotives have won 16 straight dating back to a 28-14 loss to Central in 2020; they then beat the Rams 34-0 in last season’s championship.

“They know how to defend 2-by-2 and 3-by-1 receiving sets,” Glinsmann said. “They’re very well-coached, top to bottom.”

The plan, as always, is to let Wilson “cook,” and keep the pressure on in Laurel.

“We’re peaking at the right time,” Glinsmann said. “We have five senior receivers that want to keep playing football, and a junior quarterback that’s trying to oblige.

“We’re going to try to score on every possession, and on defense and special teams we’re going to try to steal possessions.”