As far as the first-round playoff football pairings are concerned in Class B, Eureka coach Trevor Utter is pleased.

The District 7B champions kick off postseason action today at home against Malta/Whitewater/Saco at 1 p.m.

The Lions are unbeaten at home, and in league play (4-0), this fall, have won five straight games and are 7-1 overall.

Malta finished second in 2B with a 3-1 mark. Overall, it is 4-4.

“I think it’s one of the better matchups we could have asked for,” Utter said. “Malta is a good team and we match-up well against them.”

Bigfork (7-1), the 7B runner-up, is on the road today for a first-round clash at 1B champ Fairfield (8-0) while Ronan (5-4), the 6B runner-up, plays at 4B champion Columbus (5-3).

Malta and Eureka shared one common foe on their schedule — Bigfork.

Malta lost at Bigfork 49-21 on Sept. 30 while Eureka throttled Bigfork in Eureka on Oct. 14, 25-6.

“I don’t put a lot of stock in that,” Utter said of comparing scores. “They were missing a couple of guys when Bigfork beat them and that makes a big difference. I’m not expecting this to be an easy game.”

Utter, in his fifth season as head coach of the Lions, says the Mustangs have two solid running backs and a standout receiver.

“They are balanced,” he said. “Their quarterback is also a tough kid, fast enough to make plays with his feet.”

Eureka is appearing in the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years. The Lions did not qualify for the postseason last year.

The Lions hosted Choteau in a playoff home contest three years ago, but came up short.

The last playoff victory for the Lions was in 2008.

The winner of this game will host today’s Shelby at Huntley Project winner on Nov. 5.

“Our home field is a big deal for us,” Utter said. “We always have a good crowd.”

The Lions, like Malta, have displayed balance on offense.

Eureka’s Cannan Smith, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound senior running back, has rushed for 741 yards on 100 attempts and 12 touchdowns.

Quarterback Garrett Graves, a 6-2, 185, junior, is next with 316 yards on 63 carries and seven scores. Graves has passed for 960 yards and nine touchdowns and has been intercepted twice. He has completed 52 of 103 passes.

The Lions have three big-play receivers in James Dunn, 15 receptions for 287 yards, Bryant Little, 11 receptions for 225 yards, and Austyn Sherwood, 13 catches for 199 yards.

“Our offensive line (tackles Owen Davis and Isaac Sturdevant, guards Joe Fehr and Stetson Miller, and center Colby Hammack) does a heckuva job,” Utter said. “We can run the ball really well. It’s been our advantage in every game we have played this year.”

Bigfork is opening the playoffs for a second straight year on the road. The Vikings slipped by Roundup in 2015, 37-36.

Fairfield is the defending state champion.

Bigfork has outscored the opposition 313-128. The Vikings are averaging 39.1 points per game.

Matt Farrier, a 5-9, 170, senior, has rushed for 922 yards on 148 attempts. He’s averaging 6.2 yards per attempt and has rushed for 17 touchdowns.

Randy Stultz, a 5-9, 165, sophomore, has 608 rushing yards on 81 carries.

Junior quarterback Augie Emslie, 5-11, 176, has passed for 1,176 yards and 18 touchdowns. He’s completed 61 of 105 passes (58.1 percent) and has been intercepted six times.

Anders Epperly, a 5-8, 166, sophomore, leads an explosive receiving corps with 32 receptions for 601 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s averaging 18.8-yards per catch.

Logan Taylor, 6-1, 185, junior, has 15 receptions for 298 yards and six touchdowns. He’s averaging 19.9 yards.

Farrier, 237 yards on eight catches, is averaging 29.6 yards.

Class B Football Playoffs

Saturday

First Round

All Games 1 p.m.

Malta/Whitewater/Saco at Eureka

Bigfork at Fairfield

Ronan at Columbus

Baker/Plevna at Missoula Loyola

Colstrip at Glasgow/Hinsdale/Nashua

Roundup at Manhattan/Manhattan Christian

Shelby at Huntley Project

Whitehall/Harrison at Cut Bank