Whitefish rallies past Bigfork for No. 2 seed
LUKE SCHMIT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months AGO
Whitefish quarterback Luke Dalen (10) scores the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork tight end Austin Savik (32) catches a touchdown pass in the second quarter against Whitefish at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork running back Tayden West (33) is tackled by Whitefish defensive back Vlad Shestak (5) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish running back Cole Moses (23) breaks into the open for a big run in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish celebrates after a 22-21 comeback win over Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork running back Treker Hickey (31) picks up yardage on a run in the first half against Whitefish at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish quarterback Luke Dalen (10) drops back to pass in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork quarterback Cole Schmit (1) picks up yardage on a run in the second half against Whitefish at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish defensive back Bear Barker (6) intercepts a pass in the first half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork defenders stop a run by Whitefish quarterback Luke Dalen (10) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
BIGFORK — Whitefish clawed back from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Bigfork 22-21 Friday night.
Trailing 21-10 midway through the final period, the Bulldogs found new life behind senior running back Cole Moses, who bulldozed his way for 98 rushing yards and a 1-yard touchdown that trimmed the deficit to 21-16 with 6:36 remaining.
After a defensive stand, quarterback Luke Dalen capped off a game-winning drive with a 2-yard keeper that put Whitefish (6-2 overall, 4-1 in the Northwest A) ahead for good with 2:28 to play.
“I'm just so proud of my team,” Moses said. “Despite being down and having things go wrong, we believed in each other. No one stepped down — we just kept going.”
The Bulldogs’ offense found rhythm after a rocky start, with Dalen finishing 13 of 23 for 118 yards and one touchdown passing. He added 69 yards on the ground. His 18-yard first-quarter touchdown strike to Vlad Shestak answered Bigfork’s early score from Treker Hickey, who had 134 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Whitefish kicker Tait Orme added a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter, but Bigfork (5-3, 3-2 in league) surged ahead 14-10 just before halftime when Cole Schmit connected with Austin Savik for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Schmit finished 13 of 23 for 75 yards and one touchdown; he added 56 yards rushing.
Tayden West punched in a 1-yard touchdown towards the end of the third quarter to give the Vikings their 21-10 lead. West finished with 48 yards on the ground.
From that moment, Whitefish controlled the tempo. Moses and Dalen took matters into their own hands and delivered an electric fourth-quarter comeback.
Bigfork’s last chance at the win ended when the Bulldogs recovered the ensuing squibbed kickoff. Whitefish picked up one first down and ran out the clock.
“His one feels pretty good, I am super pleased how we made small adjustments, they came out and were really physical, hats off to them, they did what they wanted offensively,” Whitefish coach Brett Bollweg said. “Fortunately, we made some adjustments, and we capitalized on that to put us in a position to win.”
Whitefish clinched the two seed and will host Butte Central next Saturday in the Class A playoffs. Bigfork receives the three seed and travels to Hamilton.
Whitefish 7 3 0 12 - 22
Bigfork 7 7 7 0 - 21
B — Treker Hickey 5 run (Quinn Kerr kick), 8:23-1Q
W — Vlad Shestak 18 pass from Luke Dalen (Tait Orme kick), 4:26-1Q
W — Orme 34 FG, 4:20-2Q
B — Austin Savik 5 pass from Cole Schmit (Kerr kick), 0:35-2Q
B — Tayden West 1 run (Kerr Kick), 3:46-3Q
W — Cole Moses 1 run (Dalen 2-PT failed), 6:36-4Q
W — Dalen 2 run (Dalen 2-PT failed), 2:28-4Q
Bigfork tight end Austin Savik (32) catches a touchdown pass in the second quarter against Whitefish at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Whitefish running back Cole Moses (23) breaks into the open for a big run in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork running back Tayden West (33) is tackled by Whitefish defensive back Vlad Shestak (5) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Whitefish celebrates after a 22-21 comeback win over Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork running back Treker Hickey (31) picks up yardage on a run in the first half against Whitefish at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Whitefish quarterback Luke Dalen (10) drops back to pass in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork quarterback Cole Schmit (1) picks up yardage on a run in the second half against Whitefish at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Whitefish defensive back Bear Barker (6) intercepts a pass in the first half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork defenders stop a run by Whitefish quarterback Luke Dalen (10) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
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