A Football: Bigfork falls to Hamilton

HAMILTON — Hamilton quarterback Cooper Weston ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, and the Broncs outscored Bigfork 46-20 in a Class A first-round playoff game Friday night.

Weston was 17 of 25 passing for 222 yards, including a 32-yard TD to Kaeden Gum that put the Broncs (8-1) up 26-7 with 5:07 left in the first half.  

Jude Widmer ran 14 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns for Hamilton, which advanced to a quarterfinal game at defending champion Billings Central next Friday night. 

A safety and three turnovers were too much for the Vikings (5-4) to overcome. On their first snap — from their 6-yard line after a Hamilton punt — the ball got past the quarterback who was knocked out of the back of the end zone the instant he tracked it down. 

Hamilton drove for a touchdown after the ensuing free kick, getting an 11-yard scoring run from Brandon Saltzman.  

Up 8-0, the Broncs forced a Bigfork punt and got a 29-yard return from Jackson Lubke, then a 43-yard touchdown burst from Widmer on the next play.  

Bigfork got on the board with 17 seconds left in the first quarter in a 26-yard run by Tayden West — but the Vikings’ ensuing kickoff was returned 92 yards for a TD by Lubke.  

That made it 20-7. 

Schmit was 5 of 11 passing for 139 yards and led a quick TD drive in the third quarter: He hit Tamret Savik for 45 yards and then found Austin Savik for 30 yards to cut the gap to 32-14.  

Just as after West’s TD, Hamilton answered, Weston running in his second TD to push the lead back to 39-14 early in the fourth quarter. 

Treker Hickey, who ran 13 times for 72 yards, had a 4-yard scoring run late in the game for the Vikings. 

Austin Savik had five catches for 72 yards; Tamret Savik had four for 73. Alex Ochs shared snaps with Schmit and was 6 of 9 passing for 44 yards. Both QBs threw an interception. The Vikings had a promising drive to open the third quarter end in a red-zone fumble. 

Gum had five catches for 101 yards for Hamilton, which outgained Bigfork 412-346. 

Bigfork    0    7    7    6    -    20 

Hamilton    20    6    6    14    -    46 

H — Safety, Bigfork quarterback tackled in end zone, 8:16-1Q

H — Brandon Saltzman 11 run (kick failed), 4:49-1Q 

H — Jude Widmer 43 run (kick failed), 2:25-1Q 

B — Tayden West 26 run (Quinn Kerr kick) :17-1Q 

H — Jackson Lubke 92 kickoff return (kick failed), :05-1Q 

H — Kaeden Gum 32 pass from Cooper Weston (run failed), 5:07-2Q 

H — Weston 9 run (kick failed), 3:51-3Q 

B — Austin Savik 30 pass from Cole Schmit (Kerr kick), 3:17-3Q 

H — Weston 1 run (Otto Gantz kick), 10:52-4Q 

H — Jude Widmer 3 run (Gantz kick), 6:38-4Q 

B — Treker Hickey 4 run (pass failed), 1:29-4Q 

Montana Scores

Class AA Playoffs

Bozeman 38, Missoula Hellgate 7

Great Falls 21, Helena 14

Great Falls CMR 42, Butte 6

Missoula Sentinel 41, Billings Senior 7

Class A Playoffs

East Helena 54, Glendive 22

Hamilton 46, Bigfork 20

Lewistown 35, Sidney 13

Whitefish 52, Butte Central 6

Class B Playoffs

Florence 49, Conrad 0