Bengals push past Braves in 2nd half

HELENA — The second half was again unkind to the Flathead Braves, who fell 31-20 to Helena High Friday in Western AA football at Vigilante Stadium.

Up 14-7 at halftime on touchdown runs from Leum Saisbury and Eli Coopman, the Braves (1-2, 0-2 in league) saw Helena score 21 straight points in the second half. 

Eventually Coopman and Tim Zundel hooked up on a 45-yard slant pass with 6:12 left in the game, cutting Helena’s lead to 28-20. The Bengals (2-2, 1-1 in league) controlled the ball from there until Drew Esponda snuck over a 24-yard field goal with 1:25 left. 

“Obviously not happy with our end result, but man we’re so close,” first-year Flathead coach Mac Roche said. “We’re getting there. So close. 

“We had a great first half. Still had some things we should have capitalized on, but I was happy with where we were at. Second half, first play they just threw a swing pass to their stud running back (Peyton Lorenz), and he housed it.” 

The 69-yard touchdown evened the score at 14-all, and Brady Garza’s 5-yard TD run put the Bengals up 21-14 seven minutes later. 

Flathead then drove inside Helena territory, but a Coopman pass was tipped and intercepted by Helena’s Austin Rowe — his second pick of the night. The Bengals cashed that in for a 10-yard touchdown pass from Reece Silvonen to his brother Gracen for a 28-14 lead. 

The Braves struck back quickly: Zundel scored 90 seconds later. 

“It was an RPO and (Zundel) broke two tackles,” Roche said. “Eli threaded the needle on that one.”  

Flathead, which led 17-7 at halftime of last week’s bizarre, lightning-delayed loss to Missoula Hellgate, got no closer.  

Saisbury had 119 yards rushing, including his 2-yard TD that opened the scoring, and picked off a pass. Matthew Lewis also had an interception for the Braves. 

Coopman threw for 179 yards and ran for 55 for Flathead. His 3-yard TD run created that 14-7 lead. 

The Braves’ next action is Friday against 4-0 Missoula Big Sky. It is Flathead’s Homecoming game. 

Flathead    7    7    0    6    -    20 

Helena    0    7    14    10    -    31

F — Leum Saisbury 2 run (Brett Chivers kick), 3:00-1Q 

H — Seth Kiser 16 pass from Reece Silvonen (Drew Esponda kick), 11:55-2Q 

F — Eli Coopman 3 run (Chivers kick), 2:46-2Q 

H — Peyton Lorenz 69 pass from Silvonen (Esponda kick), 11:43-3Q 

H — Brayden Garza 5 run (Esponda kick), 4:53-3Q 

H — Gracen Silvonen 10 pass from R. Silvonen (Esponda kick), 7:44-4Q 

F — Tim Zundel 45 pass from Coopman (kick failed), 6:12-4Q 

H — Esponda 24 FG, 1:25-4Q. 

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Flathead (34-182)— Saisbury 13-119, Coopman 18-55, Oliver Rosenberg 2-5, Chivers 1-3. Helena (36-195) — Peyton Lorenz 17-123, Garza 14-74, Riley Schulte 1-8, CJ Danford 2-3, G. Silvonen 1-2. 

PASSING: Flathead — Coopman 15-24-2 for 179 yards. Helena — R. Silvonen 15-25-2 for 219 yards; Danforth 1-1-0 for 25 yards. 

RECEIVING: Flathead — Zundel 8-92, Rosenberg 3-35, Boston Case 3-33, Saisbury 2-19. Helena — Lorenz 4-99, G. Silvonen 5-69, Kiser 4-52, Chase Foster 1-11, Eli Nehring 1-10, Garza 1-3.