Football: Whitefish, C-Falls, Polson win; T-Falls tips Eureka

WHITEFISH — Luke Dalen threw for one touchdown and ran for two more, while Austin Alton returned a blocked field goal for a 65-yard score and Whitefish defeated Bigfork 43-7 Friday evening at Memorial Stadium.

The game was the final regular season matchup at the field for the Bulldogs, who will move into a new football stadium across the street next fall. They'll take an 8-1 record, 4-1 in the Northwest A, into a home playoff game next Friday against Dillon. 

Dalen started the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and added a 61-yard scamper in the second.  

Alton's return came in between Dalen's rushing scores and put Whitefish ahead 13-0. 

Dalen found Vlad Shestak for a 4-yard pass later in the second quarter. Shestak added a 9-yard rushing score in the second half. 

Bigfork's lone touchdown came late in the first half as Alex Ochs his Cooper Porrovecchio for a 70-yard pitch-and-catch. Ochs completed 14 of 32 passes for 236 yards for the Vikings (2-6 overall, 2-3 in league). 

Vance Schwaiger capped off the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run for the Bulldogs. Schwaiger led the Bulldogs with 88 yards on 13 carries. Dalen ran four times for 63 yardsa and was 9 of 16 passing for 118 yards. 

Bigfork    0    7    0    0    -    7 

Whitefish    13    17    13    0    -    43 

W — Luke Dalen 4 run (kick failed) 

W — Austin Alton 65 blocked kick return (Owen Aldridge kick) 

W — Dalen 61 run (Aldridge kick) 

W — Vlad Shestak 4 pass from Dalen (Aldridge kick) 

B — Cooper Porrovecchio 70 pass from Alex Ochs (kick good) 

W — Aldridge 26 kick 

W — Shestak 9 run (Aldridge kick) 

W — Vance Schwaiger 11 run (kick failed) 

Columbia Falls 42, Libby 0 

LIBBY — Banyan Johnston threw for 212 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score to lead Columbia Falls to a convincing Northwest A win. 

Johnston had scoring passes of 19 and 31 yards to Jory Hill, who had five catches for 118 yards. Hayden Strandberg hauled in a 26-yard strike from Johnston to cap a 21-point second quarter for the Wildcats (7-1 overall, 5-0 in league).  

Ross ran 11 times for 114 yards, including a 51-yard scoring burst that put C-Falls up 34-0. He later hauled in a short scoring pass from Johnston, who completed 12 of 26 passes. Ross was also 6-for-6 on PAT kicks.  

Libby was held to 78 yards, 30 on the ground, and four first downs. The Loggers (2-6, 1-4 in league) also lost two fumbles. James Woody was 6 of 16 passing for 48 yards. 

The Wildcats have a bye into the second round of the Class A playoffs; they'll face the winner of Friday's Hardin-Lewistown game.

Columbia Falls    0    21    21    0    -    42 

Libby    0    0    0    0    -    0 

CF — Jory Hill 19 pass from Banyan Johnston (Trip Ross kick) 

CF — Johnston 3 run (Ross kick) 

CF — Hayden Strandberg 26 pass from Johnston (Ross kick) 

CF — Hill 31 pass from Johnston (Ross kick) 

CF — Ross 51 run (Ross kick) 

CF — Ross 3 pass from Johnston (Ross kick) 

Polson 44, Ronan 6 

RONAN — Kelby Dumont ran for 220 yards and three touchdowns, Brayson Dumont ran for another score and Polson thumped Northwest A neighbor Ronan.  

The Pirates (4-4 overall, 3-2 in Northwest A games) rolled up 432 rushing yards and 507 yards total against the Chiefs. Polson opened up the scoring with a 20-yard scoring pass from Bradley Smith to Eli Evenson, and then the ground game got going. 

Luke Horner also got into the scoring column with a 9-yard sweep; he ran six times for 83 yards and caught three passes for 53. Smith was 5 of 9 passing for 75 yards and ran for another 48 yards.  

The Pirates' next action is a Friday playoff game at defending State A champion Frenchtown. 

Ronan (1-8, 0-5 in league) got a touchdown pass from Tucker Spencer to Austin Schall. 

Polson    7    7    14    16    -    44 

Ronan    0    0    6    0    -    6     

P — Eli Evenson 20 pass from Bradley Smith (Roman Sawyer kick)
P — Kelby Dumont 29 run (Sawyer kick) 

P — Luke Horner 9 run (Sawyer kick) 

R — Austin Schall 42 pass from Tucker Felton (run failed) 

P — K. Dumont 4 run (Sawyer kick) 

P — K. Dumont 11 run (Sawyer kick) 

P — Safety, Ronan bad punt snap 

P — Brayson Dumont 7 run (Sawyer kick) 

Thompson Falls 21, Eureka 18 

THOMPSON FALLS — Carson Kenney rushed for 180 yards and a touchdown, Michael Koskela ran for two scores and the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks beat Eureka in Western B play. 

Koskela ran five times for 47 yards, including a 34-yard run in the first quarter that put Thompson Falls ahead 7-6 — the first of five lead changes. Kenney's 2-yard run with 9:50 left in the game put the Blue Hawks in front for good.

The Lions (4-5, 2-3 in league) got two rushing touchdowns from Ayden Helgert, and Tyce Van Orden hauled in a scoring pass.  

Down three, the Lions drove deep into Blue Hawk territory only to fumble with 1:55 left.  Thompson Falls recovered at its 12-yard line and, with Kenney tearing off a 58-yard run down to Eureka's 23, was able to run out the clock. 

Brylon Van Elswyk completed 6 of 11 passes for 73 yards for Thompson Falls, which improved to 8-1 overall and 4-1 in Western B games. The Blue Hawks' loss came 47-7 to Florence. 

The Lions head to defending State B champion Manhattan for a playoff game this coming Friday. Thompson Falls earned a home playoff game against Boulder. 

Eureka    12    6    0    0    -    18     

Thompson Falls 7    7    0    7    -    21 

E —  Ayden Helgert 3 run (kick failed) 

TF — Michael Koskela 34 run (L. Baird kick) 

E — Tyce Van Orden 22 pass from Hunter Grieve (kick failed) 

TF — Koskela 7 run (Baird kick) 

E — Helgert 6 run (pass failed) 

TF — Carson Kenney 2 run (Baird kick)