Polson wins home opener
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POLSON – Playing their first home game of the season, the Polson Pirates improved to 3-1 overall with a 57-26 win over the Whitefish Bulldogs, while the Lady Pirates are still looking for their first win of the season falling 52-38 to the Lady Bulldogs.
Polson girls’ basketball coach Juan Perez is still learning something in each game during his first season as the Lady Pirates’ head coach.
On Friday evening, he learned his team has a fight in them that keeps them battling to the end.
“The girls worked hard to the end,” Perez said. “They are continuing to make improvements while learning a new system.”
The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to an early 9-0 first-quarter lead, before the Lady Pirates could get things going offensively. The Lady Pirates used a 13-3 scoring run, fueled by Jaycee Frydelund netting three 3-pointers, to close out the first quarter with a one-point 13-12 lead over the Lady Bulldogs.
Whitefish rallied from a 15-12 deficit in the second quarter to lead 26-20 at the half.
“Frydelund was aggressive offensively and hit some big three’s in the first half,” Perez said.
Whitefish built on its lead in the third quarter thanks to a dominant defense and struggling Lady Pirates offense who managed to score only three points in the third quarter. The Lady Bulldogs led 38-23 at the end of the third quarter.
Although a 15-point outburst in the final quarter displayed signs of progress for the young Lady Pirates team, the Lady Bulldogs were able to hold on to seal the 54-38 victory.
Frydelund scored a team high 17 points of which 15 points came from 3-pointers.
In the boys’ game, the Bulldogs raced out to a very short lived 8-2 lead in the first quarter. By the time the quarter had ended, the Pirates were able to get their offense going, overcoming the Bulldogs lead 13-8.
A third of the way into the second quarter, the Pirates went on a 13-2 scoring run to take a 28-13 lead into the half.
A raucous student section greeted the Pirates after the half time break and the players seemed to feed off their home crowd’s enthusiasm and energy.
The Pirates’ offense went on to score 20 third quarter points while the defense held the Bulldogs to just eight points.
With the game well in hand, the bench played out the fourth quarter.
Shade Main scored a game-high 21 points and Connor Lanier added 13 points for the Pirates in the 57-26 conference victory.
Both the Pirates and Lady Pirates return to action Thursday against Frenchtown and Friday against Browning before taking next week off for the holidays.
Whitefish 52, Polson 38
Whitefish 12 14 12 14 — 52
Polson 13 7 3 15 — 38
Whitefish: Kit Anderson 9, Kaiah Moore 6, Ashton Ramsey 8, Payton Kastella 11, Marlee Bender 20.
Polson: Kaelyn Smith 1, Quinn Motichka 4, Alex Pierre 8, Olivia Perez 8, Jaycee Frydenlund 17.
Polson 57, Whitefish 26
Whitefish 8 5 8 5 — 26
Polson 13 15 20 9 — 57
Whitefish: Alex Kueylian 3, Sam Menicke 2, Ryan Kemm 5, Lee Walburn 13, Dillon Botner 3.
Polson: Parker Toth 1, Asa Askan 6, Robin Erickson 2, Ryker Wenderoth 2, Bo Kelley 6, Connor Lanier 13, Shade Main 21, Trevor Schultz 4, Sam Schultz 2.
