To say it was a big win would be putting it too lightly.

Coach Jared Koskela and his Thompson Falls Blue Hawks celebrated senior night at TFHS with a convincing, feel-good 30-6 win over the visiting Deer Lodge Wardens in Western B football action at Previs Field in Thompson Falls Friday.

Now 1-2 in Western B conference play and 2-4 overall, the Hawks face an important game with Loyola in Missoula Friday. If Thompson Falls defeats the Rams on their own field in Zootown it will propel the Hawks into the playoffs, no matter what happens the final week of the regular season. Koskela likes the win and your in scenario.

“That would be nice but we are going to have to play well if we want to do it,” he said. “Loyola started slow this season but have been picking it up lately,” he added pointing to Loyola’s two tough recent losses – 36-30 to Eureka and 24-7 to Glasgow. The Glasgow game was played on a neutral field in Great Falls Friday and the Scotties were ranked No. 3 in the state in the latest Class B power poll.

The Hawks could be entering the fray in Missoula on a high note after the encouraging win over Deer Lodge, in a game where Thompson Falls seemed to rediscover its passing game.

Using a career game from senior Jason Myers, who exploded for four touchdowns on senior night, the Hawks built a big early lead on the Wardens and never looked back in posting the win. Quarterback Brylon VanElswyk and Myers hooked up on three touchdown passes, of 18 and 27 yards in the first quarter, and another from nine yards out in the second quarter, to build a 22-0 lead by halftime.

VanElswyk set up the third Myers TD by hitting Hank Stone for a 27-yard gain. Stone and Mason Park added two-point conversion runs for the other Falls’ points in the first half.

Myers capped his magical night by gathering in the second half kickoff and streaking 75 yards for his fourth and final TD of the game and VanElswyk added the two-point run for Thompson Falls’ final scoring in the game.

VanElswyk enjoyed his best game yet throwing the ball, connecting on several fine passes with Myers, Stone and Michael Koskela. VanElswyk completed seven of 10 passes for 127 yards and the three touchdowns, Myers caught five of those throws for 85 yards, Stone one for 27 and Koskela one for 15.

Koskela also gained 22 yards on two rushes, Van Elswyk wound up with 16 yards rushing, Alex Newman nine and Park eight.

Michael Koskela led the Hawk defense with 20 total tackles including four unassisted with a quarterback sack, Park piled up 18 tackles, Jesse Buchanan 14, Carson Kenney 12, Stone nine and Jacobe Wood seven.

Buchanan led the Hawk pass rush with three quarterback sacks and Wood and Dean Williams added one each.

Riley Reum paced the Hawk offense with four pancake blocks, Williams had two and Michael Koskela one.

One thing coach Koskela says the Hawks will be working on this week is taking care of the ball as Thompson Falls fumbled four times against Deer Lodge, losing three of those ball-handling miscues.

“We will be working on that this week, we have got to win the ball possession battle if we hope to defeat Loyola,” he said. “And we also need to work on getting low, bringing our pad level down so we can be more effective at the point of attack.”