Polson is preseason favorite to lead area football squads

The five teams that make up the Northwestern A Football Conference have made adjustments and are beginning to feel the anticipation that comes with the treasured Friday night lights.

Polson came out on top last season with a perfect conference record to last two games deep into the playoffs. Frenchtown also played into the Montana State playoff quarterfinals, with only one conference loss to Polson. Columbia falls finished the regular season with a .500 record, while Whitefish and Libby battled at the bottom of the league.

Most teams will have similar returning starting lineups to the 2012 season, meaning the 2013 teams will be positioned to finish in similar standings. It will be up to off-season work, rather than new blood, to make the difference and create upsets within the conference, according to several coaches interviewed by The Western News.

Libby finished the 2012 season 0-4 in conference play, and lost most of its defensive backfield to graduation. Its strengths in the upcoming season will be a tenacious running game by seniors Nick Robertson and DJ Maefau, as well as the majority of starters returning for a strong line on both sides of the ball.

“We’ll have one of the best lines I’ve had since I started coaching, but we are going to need some younger kids to step up,” said Libby Head Coach Neil Fuller.

The Loggers could potentially become a battle-tested team after their first two conference games against respected Polson and Frenchtown. Surviving all four of their non-conference games early will help, presenting a chance at an early upset that could carry some momentum through November.

Whitefish finished 1-3 in conference last season, but with impressive numbers that project another young team growing into its role as a regular contender in the league.

Starting quarterback Luke May will return after throwing 2,000 yards, first in the conference, as a freshman last season.

“Its a competitive conference. Fundamentally, Polson and Columbia Falls play really good football. If we can find that level, we should be right there with them,” said Whitefish coach Chad Ross.

Columbia Falls finished last season 2-2 in conference. The Wildcat coaching staff also has placed faith in its youth in previous years. Culmination of that faith may come this year to showcase senior key players such as quarterback Jared Trinastich, finished second behind Whitefish’s May, and senior running back Zach Darling, who may see more of the ball as Columbia Falls may stray from a passing game that crowned the Wildcats with most interceptions last season.

Columbia Falls’ final conference game against Polson at home could present two offensively sound teams battling for the top seed in postseason play.

Frenchtown Head Coach Kyle Rausch said he doesn’t anticipate any letdowns from losing a senior core of the Frenchtown team that included last year’s Northwestern A offensive MVP, Daniel Ledsock.

The Polson Pirates and head coach Scott Wilson return as the undisputed kings of the Northwestern A, crushing six of their 10 opponents by a margin of 30 points or more in the overall 2012 season.

Wilson has traditionally run a fundamentally sound, aggressive running game on the field. On the other side of the ball, Polson’s defense allowed just 69 rushing yards and fewest points scored per game last season.

The Pirates have lost several key players as seniors last year but will have made up the difference in the offseason to compose a strong squad that has made it to the playoffs each of the last seven years.