Lytle, Lions too much for Red Lodge Rams

RED LODGE — The Eureka Lions’ next stop: Manhattan.

Quarterback Rogan Lytle ran for 165 yards and all four Eureka touchdowns, and the Lions posted a convincing 28-13 victory over Red Lodge in the Class B football quarterfinals Saturday. 

Eureka, 8-2, will travel to play the 10-0 Manhattan Tigers in a semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. The Tigers beat Malta 12-7 in another quarterfinal. It’s the Lions’ first trip to the semis since 2021. 

Josh Lambertsen added 106 rushing yards on 20 carries and Lytle threw for 62 on 3 of 6 passing for Eureka, which ran for 284 as a team. Just as impressive was a defense that allowed the Rams (8-2) 235 yards of offense and just 95 on the ground. 

Kougar Klappel, a University of Montana commit who ran for 299 yards last week against Townsend, had 16 yards on nine carries Saturday. 

“Their best running was probably their scrambling quarterback (Brock Johnston) at times,” Eureka coach Kenny Kindel said. “We were able to hold No. 3 (Kappel) down for most of the game.” 

Red Lodge had less luck with Lytle, who scored touchdowns in each quarter covering 2, 8, 9 and 1 yards. His 9-yarder came after Eureka, up 15-7, pooched the second-half kickoff and recovered. 

“We had been scouting them on their kick return, and we kicked a blooper kick and recovered,” Kindel said. 

Lytle’s TD made it 22-7 and the Lions were on their way. They didn’t attempt a pass after halftime. 

“He was fantastic,” Kindel said of Lytle. “We relied on him to just keep the offense going, but he also had a very good game on defense.

“And I would say our offensive and defensive lines had their best games of the year, as a whole,” Kindel added. “And that allowed him to do what he did.” 

Lytle was credited with seven tackles; Ayden Helgert had a team-high 10 and Lambertsen had eight. Wes Banks had eight tackles as well, including two sacks.

Red Lodge got two scoring passes from Johnston to Brody Turnbull covering 14 and 17 yards. Johnston was 13 of 23 passing for 140 yards. He was intercepted once, by Tyce Van Orden. 

Eureka    8    7    7    6    -    28 

Red Lodge    0    7    6    0    -    13 

E — Rogan Lytle 2 run (Lytle run), 3:26-1Q 

RL — Brody Turnbull 14 pass from Brock Johnston (Teagan Stewart kick), 11:39-2Q 

E — Lytle 7 run, (Grant Brown kick), 3:03-2Q 

E — Lytle 9 run (Brown kick) , 9:30-3Q 

RL — Turnbull 17 pass from Johnston (kick failed), 4:15-3Q 

E — Lytle 1 run (run failed), 8:31-4Q 

NOTE: This story has been update with statistics from Eureka.