Braves stomp Billings Senior; 2-0 for first time since 2018

JON ALLEN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month AGO

Flathead running back Leum Saisbury (2) extends a stiff-arm on a 55-yard run in the third quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead quarterback Bear Barker (6) completes a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dillon Wink in the first quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead defensive lineman Hudson Capser (54) celebrates after a tackle in the third quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead wide receiver Robbie Wells (13) catches a 40-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead defensive back Ben Reichner (11) celebrates after an interception in the third quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead defensive back Carter Leonard (0) celebrates after a tackle on a kick return in the first quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead defenders including Noxyn Williams (45) and Kohen Rilley (55) put a stop to a run by Billings Senior running back Brody Ouzts (18) in the second quarter at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead wide receiver Oliver Rosenberg (5) catches a pass over the middle in the first quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead wide receiver Dillon Wink (18) picks up yardage after a reception in the second quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead defensive lineman Kohen Rilley (55) wraps up Billings Senior running back Brody Ouzts (18) after a run at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead running back Leum Saisbury (2) breaks loose on a 55-yard run in the third quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead quarterback Bear Barker (6) completes a pass to wide receiver Dillon Wink (18) in the second quarter against Billings Senior at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

The Flathead Braves controlled the game from start to finish Friday and are 2-0 for the first time since 2018.

Leum Saisbury ran for 184 yards on 13 carries and Flathead shut out Billings Senior 41-0 in high school football at Legends Stadium.

Saisbury found paydirt twice for the Braves, who jumped out in front 28-0 after one quarter.

"I knew (Senior) was going to sit in a cover 3 and we could take advantage of some seam balls. Bear threw it and put it on the spot," Braves coach Mac Roche said. "He just did a really good job of taking what they gave him and executing the offense. All that did was make it so we could run the football too and when you have a running back like Leum Saisbury it's pretty fun to run the football."

Quarterback Bear Barker settled into his Legends Stadium debut nicely, throwing for 269 yards and three scores.

"This atmosphere, for my first time playing here, it's unreal," Barker said. "The student section is insane; the fans are insane. I love it here so much.

"I was calm the whole time (in the first quarter), I have faith in my linemen. I know what we got on this team."

The Braves racked up 539 yards in total offense in the win.

Barker started the scoring on the Braves’ opening drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Wink. He followed that with a 40-yard pass to Robbie Wells on the next possession to make it 14-0 midway through the quarter.

Wink found another touchdown on Flathead's third drive — a 28-yarder — to extend the lead to 21-0.

"(Bear) is a great guy, we hang out all the time," Wink said. "I'm super glad we picked him up from Whitefish, just an excellent quarterback."

The Braves’ defense forced a turnover soon after as Wink hopped on the ball in a pile to set Flathead up with a short field.

Saisbury capitalized with his first score, this one from 10 yards t, and it was 28-0 at 1:54 of the first quarter.

After a scoreless second quarter that ended with Senior stopping a Barker scramble at the goal line, Saisbury took control in the third. He took the first play of the drive 55 yards and followed it with his second touchdown on a 25-yard scamper.

Ean Matlock capped off the scoring with an 8-yard carry in the fourth.

As for the defense, the Braves had their first shutout since the 2022 season opener — a 27-0 win over Billings Skyview.

"We came out here with a standard in mind, we want a perfect game. We didn't want them to score," Braves lineman Hudson Capser said. "We accomplished that and everybody did their job. Coach always says do your 1/11th, do your one-man job and that is what everyone did."

Flathead can move to 3-0 with a win over Missoula Hellgate next week in the Garden City. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

B. Senior 0 0 0 0 - 0

Flathead 28 0 7 6 - 41

F — Dillon Wink 24 pass from Bear Barker (Brett Chivers kick), 8:45 1Q

F — Robbie Wells 40 pass from Barker (Chivers kick), 5:37 1Q

F — Wink 28 pass from Barker (Chivers kick), 3:03 1Q

F — Leum Saisbury 10 run (Chivers kick), 1:54 1Q

F — Saisbury 25 run, (Chivers kick), 8:33 3Q

F — Ean Matlock 8 run (kick failed), 8:48 4Q

Individual Stats

RUSHING: Billings Senior (40-160) — Preston Frederick 17-56, Kenyon Hamlet-Chance 8-39, Mason Lynch 3-30, Jacobi Thompson 1-16, Aiden Grier 2-0, Brody Ouzts 8-minus 6, Aiden Truscott 1-minus 9. Flathead (26-259) — Leum Saisbury 13-184, Ean Matlock 7-42, Brett Chivers 2-17, Bear Barker 2-10, Silus Marquart 2-1.

PASSINGL Billings Senior — Hamlet-Chance 4-9-1 for 44 yards, Aiden Truscott 2-2-0 for 17 yards. Flathead — Barker 17-24-1 for 269 yards, Marquart 1-1-0 for 16 yards.

RECEIVING: Billings Senior — Brooks Dillon 3-41, Preston Frederick 2-12, Aiden Grief 1-8. Flathead — Oliver Rosenberg 3-70, Robbie Wells 3-64, Dillon Wink 3-52, Liam Rech 3-36, Leum Saisbury 2-18, Kellen Mouat 1-18, Max Shostak 1-16, Kellan Manning 1-6, Ben Reichner 1-5.

Flathead defensive lineman Kohen Rilley (55) wraps up Billings Senior running back Brody Ouzts (18) after a run at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider