Crookston Pirate Football gets shut out by Polk County West

The Crookston Pirate Football team kept the game scoreless after the first quarter, but the Polk County West Thunder surged forward from there on, as they pushed ahead to a 40-0 victory in Climax on Friday night.

1st Quarter –
The first quarter went by in 15 minutes with both teams getting the ball once. Crookston won the toss and chose to receive the ball, but they went three-and-out. After a punt, the Thunder kept the ball for the next 8 minutes, running the ball inside and outside as they moved into the red zone. However, when it mattered most, the Pirate defense stepped up to make a stop on 4th down from the 10 yard line, turning over the Thunder on downs. The Pirates got the ball back, but the Thunder defense stood tall once again, holding Crookston to another three-and-out. The Thunder got the ball back, but lost 14 yards on a Tate Hamre sack to end the quarter.

2nd Quarter –
Polk County West started the second quarter with a 2nd and 24, but they erased all of that and so much more when backup QB Grady Horken, filling in for an injured Nick Satterlund, took off for a 46-yard touchdown to put the Thunder up 6-0. After forcing yet another three-and-out, the defenses for both teams began to step up their play, as punts were exchanged. On the next Crookston possession, Hamre threw a pass aiming for Mauricio Arriaga, but it was intercepted by Ty Torrence. This gave an opportunity at the end of the half for the Thunder to strike again, and that’s exactly what happened, as Horken fired a pass down the middle, when Skylar Berg caught a pass above Jose Arriaga’s head with 6 seconds left, putting the Thunder up 12-0 at the half.

3rd Quarter –
The Thunder got the ball to start the 3rd quarter, and they scored on the very first play, as Jaycer Davis caught a 56-yard TD from Horken to put the Thunder up 18-0. The defense then stepped up for them as well, as a Tate Hamre pass was intercepted by Ty Davis, who took the ball 57 yards to the house, putting the Thunder up 26-0 after the two-point conversion. Crooskton got the ball back, but got turned over on downs, and the Thunder got the ball back. After a 44-yard rush by Keane Melsa, Horken punched it in from 1 yard out for his 2nd rushing TD and 4th total TD, putting the Thunder up 32-0 at the end of three quarters.

4th Quarter –
Both teams slowed down the pace in the 4th quarter, as the reserves started to come in for each side. However, that was not before Reez Eckerdt took a handoff 68 yards to the house, putting the Thunder up 40-0, instituting the running clock. Crookston was held to just 71 total yards on the evening, and the Thunder rushed for 233 total yards en route to a 40-0 victory, giving the Thunder their first win of the season.

Crookston drops to 0-3 on the year and will host Cass-Lake Bena on Friday for homecoming. Polk County West gets to 1-2 on the season.

SCORING-
1st Quarter –
No scoring

2nd Quarter –
11:50 – PCW – Grady Horken 46 yard rush TD (extra point MISS) 6-0
0:06 – PCW – Skylar Berg 21 yard receiving TD from Grady Horken (extra point MISS) 12-0

3rd Quarter –
11:44 – PCW – Jaycer Davis 56 yard receiving TD from Grady Horken (extra point miss) 18-0
8:19 – PCW – Ty Davis 57 yard INT return TD (2 point good, Horken to Berg) 26-0
1:11 – PCW – Grady Horken 1 yard rush TD (2 point no good) 32-0

4th Quarter –
10:04 – Reese Eckherdt 68 yard rush TD (2 point good, Horken to Eckherdt) 40-0

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Tate Hamre

Reez Eckherdt

Jaron Knutson

Grady Horken

Pirate tackle

Tate Hamre

Reez Eckherdt

Jaron Knutson

Grady Horken

Pirate tackle

1/1