Everything went as hoped for, except the final score.

The first varsity football game for the home-standing Alberton Panthers on Friday night drew a good crowd from the small town along I-90 between Superior and Missoula after the Montana High School Association granted it independent status as a varsity 6-player football team.

The sky above was smoke free and the concession stand had a long line throughout the evening.

Joy was in the air. Noxon wound up winning by a lopsided 57-2 count but showed there was no quit in the Panthers team as things got progressively worse.

Then, in the waning moments of the first quarter, the air was sucked off the field of play as the Panther’s best player was injured and would not return.

That left Alberton with only seven players padded up for the game, with visiting Noxon leading 16-2. The injury to junior quarterback Colton Baughman left the Panthers with only seven players suited up for the game. Baughman appeared to have suffered a strained neck in a hard collision with a Noxon player he was tackling.

A few moments earlier, Alberton had put two points on the scoreboard when an errant snap of the ball sailed over the head of the Noxon player for whom it was intended and the Panthers were awarded a safety, good for two points and possession of the ball when by rule the team on which the safety is called must then kick it back to the team who was awarded the two points.

At that point the score was 16-2 in favor of Noxon, but it could have been worse.

In the early moments of the first quarter, senior Antonio Lodi had scored on a run from 26 yards out for the Red Devils, but a holding penalty on Noxon erased the touchdown, albeit temporarily. One play later, another Noxon senior, Sam Christensen ran for the game’s first score. A successful extra point kick, a rarity in 6-player football that is worth two points instead of one, gave the visitors an 8-0 lead.

Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, a bad snap by Alberton gave Noxon the ball on their 29 yard line, and on the next play the Red Devils doubled their lead when Lodi scampered into the end zone from 29 yards.

Following the Baughman injury and just before the end of the opening quarter, Noxon quarterback Shamus Wheeldon, another Red Devil senior, capped a drive with a touchdown run from nine yards out. With another successful kick, Noxon was in the lead 24-2 as time expired in the first 10 minutes of play.

Noxon opened the second quarter with a quick drive that resulted in a six yard touchdown run by sophomore Payton Chambers, boosting the score to 32-2.

The Red Devils scored again before the half, but missed the extra point kick as the half came to an end with Noxon in front 38-2.

A Noxon interception on the opening drive of the second half resulted in a 15 yard touchdown run, making it 44-2. Shortly after that score, a second Alberton player was injured and had to leave the game, giving the home team the minimum six players on the field. By that point the Mercy Rule, which keeps the clock moving when one team has a 30 points or greater lead, was in effect.

Noxon added another score in the third quarter, boosting its lead to 51-2.

The Red Devils defense, which surrendered no points during the game, the safety was via an offense error, completed the shutout in the fourth quarter. In the meantime, the Red Devils tacked on six more points to create the final 57-2 score.

The Panthers travel to Hot Springs this Friday evening for a 7 p.m. game against the Western 6-Player Conference co-favorite (along with Noxon) Savage Heat.

Noxon hosts Twin Bridges the same night at the same time.