Trenches win homecoming for FHS
Braves move up to No. 4 with Bozeman loss
Some big things were overshadowed in the Flathead High School football team's 41-13 homecoming victory Friday night over Great Falls.
Understandably overshadowed, it was the sixth-ranked Braves' first homecoming victory in five years. On top of that, there were five big-play touchdowns - including two defensive touchdowns by Sam Tedrow and Coltin Weber.
But what happened behind the scenes was just as impressive. Ironically, Great Falls had more than twice as many first downs, 17-8, and equaled the Braves in total yards with 287. Why are those stats important? Because the Braves relied on their running attack for the first time this season, and it was successful.
Flathead ran the ball 21 times, compared to 38 carries for Great Falls, and passed the ball 19 times. A testament to both the FHS offensive and defensive lines, the Braves outgained the Bison on the ground, 140-100.
"No. 1, we emphasized it in
practice," FHS coach Grady Bennett said. "We script our first bunch of plays and we scripted several more
running plays in that first bunch. A lot of that is to see if we can find things to exploit against the defense. But we also emphasized to the kids physical play on the line and to establish the run. If we are going to be a team that contends for the state title, we have to run the ball because that is a quarterback's best friend."
And the boys up front responded with senior center Chris Boyce (5-foot-8, 241 pounds), guards Matt Study (6-4, 245) and Brent Smith (6-5, 286) and senior tackles Bob Hickey (6-6, 260) and Josh Marsh (6-5, 296).
"Obviously, that is where games are ultimately won," Bennett said. "
Bennett made a switch up front last week after playing against Great Falls C.M. Russell without Smith. The Braves inserted Marsh, a big kid who Bennett thought wasn't going to be with the team this year, to tackle and moved Study down to guard.
"Now we've got the size to move the ball and the line of scrimmage," Bennett said. "This group can start to jell and become really solid. One of the keys to the offensive line is learning each other and working together."
On the defensive front, it was tackles Dan Ogden and Travis Knoll with ends Brad Huff and Josh Harris leading the way with the depth of tackles Levi Holt and Nate Davis filling in with end Ryan Ewing.
"Our defensive line has become the strength of our team," Bennett said. "Last year, they were the strength of our team and carried us all year. This year, we thought it was going to be a young group that we thought would have to grow. We didn't realize that they would play with this well this early in the season.
"Along with Coltin Weber at inside linebacker, the other linebackers are coming along and getting better. Those guys have been doing a great job. They've definitely emerged as the strength of our team."
With the victory, the Braves moved up from No. 6 in the state ranking to No. 4. They will travel to play Missoula Big Sky Friday night. The Braves are 3-0 at home and 0-1 on the road.
"Playing on the road is not a concern," Bennett said.
Around the state
All Class AA games last weekend, except a Billings crosstown rivalry, were blowouts. Fourth-ranked Bozeman was upset by No. 7 Great Falls C.M. Russell, 35-21. And in a quasi-upset, unranked Helena beat No. 8 Missoula Big Sky, 41-13.
No. 1 Capital, off
No. 2 Butte 41, Hellgate 7
It was the first non-one-possessing victory of the year for the unbeaten Bulldogs - and they were outgained, 286-236. Hellgate outgained Butte on the ground and through the air.
Nick Haynes returned a punt 50 yards for a TD, Casey Dennehy rushed nine times for 51 yards and Willie Sullivan was 5-for-12 for 85 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
No. 3 West 21, Skyview 14
Despite making just five first downs and being outgained by almost 200 yards on offense in wet conditions, West escaped the upset with a 67-yard TD pass from Gary Fox Jr. to Deryk VanZee with 10:12 left in the game.
Skyview's wing-T offense produced 307 rushing yards with fullback Chris Molen running for 126 and quarterback Josh Morris getting 118. But the Falcons lost three fumbles and Morris threw an interception.
Fox Jr. was an atrocious 3-for-12 for 113 yards with one interception. Running back Nathan Ray rushed for 72 yards and a TD on 10 carries and West scored on defense three minutes into the game.
No. 7 CMR 35, No. 4 Bozeman 21
Class AA's top rusher CMR running back Christian Prosperie struck again with 215 rushing yards and four TDs on 27 carries.
CMR cruised out to a 28-14 halftime lead and led 35-14 with three minutes left in the game before a long Bozeman TD pass.
Bozeman QB John Stinson was 15-for-27 for 263 yards with two TDs and one interception.
Prosperie scored on runs of 3, 35, 13 and 46 yards.
No. 5 Senior 42, Sentinel 7
Mo Burrough had 91 yards and four TDs on 23 carries and Josh Colvin added 140 yadrs on 20 carries.
Senior ran the ball a staggering 62 times for 272 yards.
The teams combined for 12 fumbles, of which five were lost, and four interceptions.
Helena 41, No. 8 Big Sky 13
Eron Krpan rushed for 132 yards on 19 carries and quarterback Ryan Fetherston added 48 rushing yards and a TD with nine of 16 passing for 164 yards and a TD.
Receiver Josh Stuberg returned the opening kickoff 84 yards for a score, had a 51-yard TD run and a 45-yard TD reception. He added 76 yards rushing on 10 carries and had four catches for 75 yards.
Big Sky QB Steve Tuttle was 13-for-25 for 104 yards and one TD with no interceptions. Running back Beau Donaldson had 82 yards on 21 carries.
Class AA
Standings
Butte 5 - 0
Capital 4 - 0
West 4 - 1
Flathead 3 - 1
Bozeman 3 - 2
Helena 3 - 2
Senior 2 - 2
Big Sky 2 - 3
CMR 2 - 2
Skyview 1 - 4
Hellgate 1 - 4
Great Falls 0 - 4
Sentinel 0 - 5
Last week
Senior 42, Sentinel 7
West 21, Skyview 14
CMR 35, Bozeman 21
Flathead 41, Great Falls 13
Helena 41, Big Sky 13
Butte 41, Hellgate 7
This week
CMR at Senior
Skyview at Hellgate
Bozeman at West
Sentinel at Great Falls
Helena at Capital
Flathead at Big Sky
Butte, open