Loggers fall to Pirates, 44-20, look ahead to home cooking
<p>Libby's Josh Bowers absorbs a hit from Zach Schmidt of Polson on Friday.</p>
The Libby Logger (0-2, 1-6) football team stumbled out of the gates at Polson (2-1, 4-2) and dropped their second game in a row, 44-20.
The Pirates began the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run by quarterback Andrew Weltz. Later in the quarter, following a 32-yard field goal by Brady Hislop, Weltz connected on a 35-yard strike to receiver Tanner Wilson to make it 16-0.
Hislop would score a one-yard touchdown plunge of his own in the second quarter, and Dylan McCrumb’s 12-yard interception return for a touchdown made it a 30-0 game at half.
The Loggers were again without seniors Nic Robertson and DJ Maefau. The pair missed last week’s game against Frenchtown following disciplinary issues. Robertson missed the game due to illness, but Maefau remains held out.
Libby rallied in the second half, starting with a Jared Winslow two-yard touchdown run.
Weltz countered with a 52-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. He finished with 107 yards rushing on 11 carries and 114 yards passing on 6 of 9 throwing.
Following another Polson touchdown run, Libby ended the game on a 14-point streak. Winslow scored the first touchdown on the ground from nine yards out. He capped the scoring with a 10-yard pass to Josh Bowers.
“We’re hurtin’,” Libby Head Coach Neil Fuller said. “These last few weeks have been a tough pill to swallow. Our backs are up against the wall. When playing shorthanded like we are, we have to play next to perfect football.”
Winslow finished 20 of 40 passing for 250 yards.
“We created some turnovers, blocked a punt, interception return (for a touchdown) and that kind of changed the game right there,” Polson Head Coach Scott Wilson said.
After two straight road games, the Loggers return home for their final two regular season contests.
“I can’t fault the kids,” Fuller said. “They have great attitudes and played hard. Tarasik Krisanov had a great game on the defensive line. We just need to get off to a fast start next week and get the kids some confidence early in the game.”
Libby hosts Columbia Falls (2-0, 6-0) at 7 p.m. Friday.