With a change of leadership, the Victor Pirates turned their season around with a 52-25 win over Troy on Thursday night. Victor superintendent Lance Pearson had been the head coach of the Pirates for a few years but stepped away this fall. He was replaced by Kurt McElroy. However, after three games, Pearson has stepped back in as the head coach with McElroy moving to an assistant position.
Pearson said they simplified the offense and went back to a running game against Troy. The change worked. Victor quickly got on the board when Tristan Chavez pushed through from four yards out. The Pirates spread the scoring around throughout the game. Skylar Weberson caught a 42-yard pass from JD Kay. Bob Hotchkiss had a seven-yard run for six. He finished with 220 rushing yards. Robert Crosbie had a 31-yard run in the second quarter. In the second half, Hotchkiss had a nine-yard run, Kay raced 13 yards for another touchdown and freshman Carson Varner finished the Pirate scoring with a six-yard run. Pearson also said the defense did a great job. Jacob Boucher had 12 tackles and two sacks.
The Hamilton Broncs maintained their undefeated status with a 48-12 rout of the Polson Pirates. The Broncs put up 28 points in the first quarter alone and by the end of the half, the clock was running because of the 35-point rule.
Hamilton scored first when Michael Golden pushed through the Polson defense from one yard out. The Tyler Barnes kick was good and the Broncs were on the board. Polson came right back with a 65-yard pass from Parker Toth to Boston Goode. The PAT was not good.
Then Hamilton’s Carson Rostad went to work. He completed a 25-yard pass to Tucker Jones for six points. His next target was Jones again, this time from six yards out. Rostad went to the air again for a three-yard pass to Camron Rothie. Rostad hit Rothie again in the third quarter for a three-yard touchdown completion. That duo finished out the Hamilton scoring with a 14-yard pass from Rostad to Rothie. Polson scored once more on a 17-yard pass from Goode to Wenderoth.
Corvallis lost a close game to Whitefish. A couple of missed opportunities and a few mistakes by the Blue Devils made the difference. Whitefish won, 27-20. This was the Blue Devils’ first loss.
Columbia Falls came to Stevensville on Friday and went home the winner of the game, 55-14. Ben Tack had a six-yard run for Stevensville in the fourth quarter. Mirko Ferretti kicked the PAT. Garrison Bradt threw a 20-yard pass to Kellen Bradt for the second ‘Jacket touchdown and Ferretti again kicked the PAT.
Darby lost to Clark Fork, 82-50, in an offensive explosion. Darby’s Nelson Smith found Dylan Parks four times for scoring passes of 44 yards, 51 yards, 50 yards and 60 yards. Parks also had a one-yard push through for a score as did Drake Horvath. Smith also targeted Brandon Winter from 24 yards out for a score.
Florence defeated Shepherd, 30-14, in a game played at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman.