Ronan closes the season winning 8 out of its last 11 games

Ronan’s small size was a factor on Monday as it has been all season, but the Chiefs didn’t let that keep them from sticking within three points of Polson heading into the half.


“People say you can’t coach size, and we’re all of five-foot-nothing out there,” Ronan coach Steve Woll said. “Tonight we had some turnovers and some missed opportunities and it kind of imploded a little bit. But I thought the game was a lot closer than the score. I’m proud of our kids.”

In the second half Mohr provided the spark and the No. 2 seed Pirates outscored the Chiefs 2-to-1 from there.

“That was the key I think, our size. They’re just not big enough,” Pluff said. “They’re a good, scrappy, quick team and we don’t match up real well with them when we try to go man.”

“They just have so many offensive weapons,” Woll said. “I thought that was the tell-tale.”

The Chiefs were looking to play spoiler as the No. 5 seed and finish the season in third place after starting out 1-10.

“The kids started believing, started believing in the system, started believing in each other,” Woll said of the team’s impressive turnaround.

Polson 16 12 12 14 — 54
Ronan 13 12 5 8 — 38
POLSON — Kyle Bagnell 3 0-0 6, Sheldon Fisher 1 0-0 3, Cody Fischer 1 0-0 2, Tim Rausch 4 1-2 9, Louis Mohr 13 0-2 28, Tyler Krell 2 0-1 4, Derrick Rathe 1 0-0 2, Vince DiGiallonardo 0 0-0 0, Ian Laimbeer 0 0-0 0, Zach Camel 0 0-0 0, Will Davey 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 1-5 54.

RONAN — Jerod Tanner 6 0-2 12, Marcus Hungerford 3 4-7 11, Lucas Black 1 1-1 3, Justin Dustybull 1 0-1 2, Kevin Wroblewski 3 0-0 7, Colten Cheff 0 2-4 2, Brady Oakland 0 1-2 1, Gordon North Piegan III 0 0-0 0, Robert Gauthier 0 0-0 0, John Buckendahl 0 0-0 0, Jordan Franklin 0 0-0 0, Chris Clary 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 8-17 38.
3-point goals — Polson 3 (Mohr 2, Fisher), Ronan 2 (Wroblewski, Hungerford); Rebounds — Polson 46 (Rausch 10, Mohr 8, Bagnell 7), Ronan 26 (Hungerford 9, Black 4, Tanner 4); Turnovers — Polson 16, Ronan 13; Steals — Polson 9 (Tanner 2, Hungerford 2, Black 2), Ronan 8 (Rausch 3, Mohr 2, Fisher 2); Team fouls — Polson 20, Ronan 14; Fouled out —