Playoff picture clear

Big game in C-Falls Friday

Hennell's Northwestern A football Notebook

See all of Montana's Class A standings on B4

With a week remaining in the Class A football regular season, the playoff picture is clear in Northwest Montana.

Well, clear in a way the three teams are known - and the top seed has been set - but there is sure to be a brawl in Columbia Falls Friday night between the Wildcats and Whitefish to determine which of the two schools will host a first-round playoff game.

The Wildcats will be trying to break a two-game losing streak to the Bulldogs, who own an 18-3 record in the matchup since 1987.

The Libby Loggers, who are ranked second in the state by two separate newspapers, clinched the conference's No. 1 seed. They will host a second-round playoff game after their first-round bye. Their opponent will be the winner between Central A's No. 2 seed and Eastern A's No. 3 seed. That first-round game looks likely to pit Belgrade against either Hardin or Sidney.

The Eastern A standings have Billings Central (4-0, 8-0) in first, Hardin (3-1, 5-2) second, and Sidney (2-2, 5-2) and Laurel (2-2, 3-5) battling for third. Hardin plays at Laurel Friday while Sidney and Billings Central play the lower-echelon teams.

Butte Central (4-0, 7-1) leads the Central A standings. Belgrade (3-1, 5-2) is second. Lewistown (2-2, 4-3) and Havre (2-2, 4-4) are battling for third.

The winner of the Columbia Falls-Whitefish game Friday will host Southwestern A's No. 3 seed. The loser will travel to the Southwestern A's No. 2 seed.

Dillon, Frenchtown and Hamilton have wrapped up the three Southwestern A playoff berths, but the order won't be decided until Friday. Dillon (4-0, 6-1) plays at Hamilton (3-1, 6-1). Frenchtown (3-1, 4-3) plays at Anaconda.

How about Libby's senior running back Jeremy Chumley?

The 5-foot-8, 205-pounder needs just 52 yards Friday night against Bigfork to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing. He's looking to dethrone Columbia Falls junior running back Josh Wilson, a two-time rushing king, as the conference rushing leader and has 207 more yards than Wilson with one game left.

What's more amazing? Chumley's got 20 rushing touchdowns and is averaging 7.3 yards per carry. Add in his 17 catches for 325 yards and three touchdowns and Chumley's got 1,273 yards from scrimmage and 23 touchdowns in eight games.

But he's the first to admit that it's not so much him, but his offensive linemen: Center Ryan Stapely, guards Justin Brickey, Justin Graham and Brandin Mills and tackles Matt Schad and Jordan Gragert.

breakout:

Montana Class Afootball standings

Northwestern A

conf. ovr.

Libby 4-0 7-1

C-Falls 3-1 5-2

Whitefish 3-1 3-5

Polson 1-3 3-4

Ronan 1-3 1-7

Bigfork 0-4 0-7

Southwestern A

conf. ovr.

Dillon 4-0 6-1

Frenchtown 3-1 4-3

Hamilton 3-1 6-1

Corvallis 1-3 3-5

Anaconda 1-3 3-5

Stevensville 0-4 2-6

Central A

conf. ovr.

Butte Cntrl. 4-0 7-1

Belgrade 3-1 5-2

Lewistown 2-2 4-3

Havre 2-2 4-4

Browning 1-3 2-6

Livingston 0-4 0-7

Eastern A

conf. ovr.

Blgs. Cntrl. 4-0 8-0

Hardin 3-1 5-2

Sidney 2-2 5-2

Laurel 2-2 3-5

Miles City 1-3 2-6

Glendive 0-4 0-8