Rocky start dooms Braves against Big Sky

MISSOULA — The tough plays came early and the big plays came too late for Flathead Friday, as unbeaten Missoula Big Sky got up 20-0 on the way to a 45-25 Western AA football win at MCPS Stadium.

Eli Kasberg threw four touchdown passes in the first half, the last one putting the Eagles (5-0 overall, 3-0 in the Western AA) up 26-13 at intermission. Then he added two rushing touchdowns in the second half, including a 72-yarder. 

Flathead (3-2, 1-2 in league) got off to the rockiest of starts: The Braves fumbled on their second offensive play, leading to Kasberg hitting Mason Ramos with a 10-yard touchdown pass; and then fumbled again on their next snap. Kasberg cashed that in for a 19-yard strike to Caleb Hood. 

“It was 13-0 in the matter of three minutes,” Flathead coach Mac Roche said. “After that, we did some good things on both sides of the ball.” 

Kellen Manning somehow came up with three Big Sky fumbles, for starters. Bear Baker hit Ben Reichner with scoring passes covering 45 and 20 yards and ran for a touchdown. Leum Saisbury added a 3-yard TD run in the second quarter that pared the Eagles’ lead to 20-10. 

“Kellen Manning having three takeaways — that kid has seven turnovers in three games,” Roche said. “He’s always around the football. 

“Ben Reichner’s first touchdown was on a deep post, and Bear Barker probably threw it 55 yards in the air and laid it in their perfectly.” 

Roche gave Reichner credit for winning a 50-50 ball on his second TD, which cut the gap to 38-19 in the fourth quarter. “He also had some big returns but we had a couple called back because of holding,” Roche said. 

Big Sky had more big plays and less going wrong. 

“They played their best football game yet,” Roche said of the Eagles. “They’re really talented. Kasberg is probably one of the best, if not the best, athletes in the state. He did it running the ball and throwing it, and on defense as well. That Ramos kid played really well as well.” 

Flathead returns home next week to face Helena Capital, which beat Helena in its Crosstown game Friday. Kickoff with the Bruins is at 6 p.m. Thursday at Legends Stadium.  

The hope is for a much better start. 

“Against a good football team, you can’t yourselves in a hole early on,” Roche said. 

Flathead    0    13    0    12    -    25 

Big Sky    13    13    12    7    -    45 

First quarter

MBS — Mason Ramos 10 pass from Eli Kasberg (Kasberg kick) 

MBS — Caleb Hood 19 pass from Kasberg (kick failed) 

Second quarter

MBS — Ramos 33 pass from Kasberg (Kasberg kick) 

F — Ben Reichner 45 pass from Bear Barker (Brett Chivers kick) 

F — Leum Saisbury 3 run (kick failed) 

MBS — Elijah Jones 18 pass from Kasberg (run failed) 

Third quarter

MBS — Jones 5 run (kick failed) 

MBS — Kasberg 1 run (kick failed) 

Fourth quarter

F — Reichner 20 pass from Barker (pass failed) 

MBS — Kasberg 72 run (Remington Howard kick) 

F — Barker 3 run (run failed) 

Individual statistics were not available.