Bulldogs surge past Vikings in thrilling fourth quarter comeback
KELSEY EVANS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 1 week 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 running back Tayden West (33) is tackled by Whitefish defensive back Cooper Akey (12) in the second half at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish kicker Tait Orme (15) boots a field goal in the first half against Bigfork 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 quarterback Luke Dalen (10) gets hit as he throws a pass in the first half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish wide receiver Vlad Shestak (5) catches a pass in the second half against Bigfork 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
Whitefish trailed Bigfork by 10 in the fourth quarter when a momentous run from Bulldog Cole Moses flipped the switch.
“There was a moment in the fourth quarter, we had a big stop on defense, that really changed the momentum of the game,” said Whitefish Coach Brett Bollweg.
Surging with that momentum on the road in Bigfork, Moses charged 98 yards and finished with a 1-yard touchdown with 6:36 on the clock.
“You could just feel the energy shift,” Bollweg said. “They dug down deep. Proud of their effort and desire to do what needed to be done.”
With 2:30 to play, Bulldog quarterback Luke Dalen made it happen with a 2-yard keeper. The touchdown brought the Bulldogs up 22-21, and they ran out the clock.
Moses was a leader on the ground, rushing for 98 yards on 19 carries. Dalen had 69 yards on the ground and was 13 of 23 passing for 118 yards.
“I'm just so proud of my team,” Moses told the Daily Inter Lake after the game. “Despite being down and having things go wrong, we believed in each other. No one stepped down — we just kept going.”
Bigfork nabbed the first score of the game with a 5-yard rushing touchdown from Treker Hickey. The Bulldogs responded, as Dalen connected with Vlad Shestak for an 18-yard touchdown pass.
In the second quarter, kicker Tait Orme notched a 34-yard field goal. Bigfork kept the momentum, notching a 5-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left before half.
The Bigfork rushing attack continued as Viking Tayden West punched in a 1-yard touchdown at the end of third quarter to bring the score in the Viking’s favor, 21-10.
Bigfork was more physical, but the Bulldogs weren’t willing to settle. The comeback was a team effort, Bollweg said.
“Braylon Dunn stepped up in an awesome way, on defense in a role he doesn’t typically find himself in,” Bollweg said. “He made some huge plays, in particular, that fourth-down play. Just a good picture of a guy stepping into a role in a sacrificial way. We needed something different, and we got it from him.”
With the victory, the Bulldogs move to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in league. Whitefish will be the No. 2 seed for the first round of playoffs that begin Friday. The Bulldogs will face Butte Central at home at 7 p.m.
The last time the teams faced off was four years ago but, “we’re no strangers,” Bollweg said.
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 running back Tayden West (33) is tackled by Whitefish defensive back Cooper Akey (12) in the second half at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Whitefish kicker Tait Orme (15) boots a field goal in the first half against Bigfork 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 quarterback Luke Dalen (10) gets hit as he throws a pass in the first half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Friday, Oct. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Whitefish wide receiver Vlad Shestak (5) catches a pass in the second half against Bigfork 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
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