Local youths shine in Punt, Pass, Kick sectionals
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MISSOULA — Youngsters from Lake County once again excelled at the Western Montana Sectional competition of the NFL Punt Pass & Kick program, held Oct. 6 in Missoula.
Five local youths garnered first-place finishes out of 84 boys and girls, ages 6-15, who traveled from as far away as Butte, Hamilton and Dillon to compete.
The free competition pits boys and girls against their peers in their age group. Each participants’ score is combined from their longest punk, pass and kick.
Micalann McCrea, 14, of Ronan garnered her third gold medal at the Missoula sectional with a combined score of 259 feet, 11 inches. McCrea went on to take first place in the Seattle Seahawk regional competition in 2010 and 2012. Regionals take place each year the day before a Seahawk game, and then winners are announced during halftime of gameday.
Other first-place sectional finishers include Eric Dolence of Ronan (10-11 year old boys, 260-8), Zeke Misa, Ronan (12-13 boys, 288-8), Izabel Evans, St. Ignatius (6-7 girls, 76-2) and Chloe Davis, Ronan (8-9 girls, 120-11).
Charlo residents Kadynce Couture (6-7 girls, 74-2) and Adriana Tatukivei (8-9 girls, 110-7) placed second in their respective age groups, and Marissa Mock, Ronan, placed third for 12 and 13-year-old girls (167-3).
All winners of the sectional competition are now eligible to compete in the Seattle Seahawk regional competition, but must await the results of approximately 13 other sectionals conducted this month throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Only the top four sectional winners advance to the Seattle event, which is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 2 prior to the Seahawk game vs. New Orleans Saints.
Western Montana has traditionally qualified most of its age group champions for the Seattle event. Also, at least one of the Montana sectional winners has gone on to claim the Seattle Seahawks Team Championship for an age group each year since the current program was re-established in 1995.
