Polson, Ronan fall in Northwest A football matchups
BRANDON HANSEN for the Leader | Lake County Leader | UPDATED 1 hour, 35 minutes AGO
Polson’s Bradley Smith makes it to the end zone, scoring Polson’s lone touchdown in their game against the Columbia Falls Wildcats. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Polson’s Eli Evenson and Merick Ramesar attempt to stop a Wildcat on Friday, Oct. 16. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Polson’s Mitchell Kauley and Corben Carlson pick up a Wildcat during their game on Friday, Oct. 16. (Emily Messer/Leader)
It was a difficult Friday night for Lake County's Class A football programs, as both Polson and Ronan suffered Northwest A conference losses on Oct. 16.
Polson struggled to contain Columbia Falls' explosive offense in a 47-6 home loss, while Ronan fell behind early and couldn't recover in a 48-14 defeat against visiting Bigfork.
Columbia Falls 47, Polson 6
Polson had few answers for Columbia Falls quarterback Banyan Johnston and running back Trip Ross, as the Wildcats rolled to a 47-6 victory over the Pirates.
Johnston threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns, completing 12 of 19 passes, while Ross contributed three touchdowns, including a 67-yard interception return.
Columbia Falls improved to 6-1 overall and remained unbeaten in Northwest A play at 4-0, while Polson slipped to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference action.
Polson's lone touchdown came on a 10-yard rushing score from Bradley Smith, providing the Pirates with their only points of the contest.
The Columbia Falls defense limited Polson to 104 total yards and forced three turnovers. The Wildcats accumulated 450 yards of total offense and 20 first downs.
Bigfork 48, Ronan 14
Bigfork scored 21 first-quarter points on its way to a 48-14 Northwest A victory over the Chiefs. The Vikings used a combination of explosive passing plays and a ground attack to get past Ronan, building a 35-0 halftime advantage.
Bigfork quarterback Alex Ochs delivered an efficient performance, completing five of seven passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Cooper Porrovecchio hauled in two touchdown receptions.
The Chiefs showed improvement offensively after halftime, scoring six points in the third quarter and eight more in the fourth. However, the Vikings added 13 second-half points of their own, preventing Ronan from mounting a comeback.
Polson’s Eli Evenson and Merick Ramesar attempt to stop a Wildcat on Friday, Oct. 16. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Polson’s Luke Horner attempts to make his way through the Wildcats' defensive line during their home game on Friday, Oct. 16. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Polson’s Mitchell Kauley and Corben Carlson pick up a Wildcat during their game on Friday, Oct. 16. (Emily Messer/Leader)