Errors cost Braves

Flathead falls to 0-3 with 20-17 loss to Big Sky

The Daily Inter Lake

MISSOULA - Mistakes.

Mistakes of all varieties cost the Flathead Brave football team on Saturday night.

The Braves fell 20-17 to host Missoula Big Sky (2-1).

"We had some chances. We just had some key mistakes," said Flathead coach Russell McCarvel.

"Too many penalties and mistakes."

Offensively, the numbers looked decent - 185 yards rushing and 196 passing.

"We moved the ball OK - at times. We moved it well at times. But we had too many critical mistakes that kind of stopped us from putting it in the end zone," McCarvel said.

Flathead had chances early - it was inside Big Sky's 10-yard line in the first quarter, but settled for a 33-yard Mike Windham field goal.

Big Sky scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, and Flathead got a 5-yard scoring run from Brock Osweiler.

That put the score at 13-10 Big Sky at the half.

Defensively, McCarvel liked a lot of what he saw.

"The defense played good enough to win," he said.

The coach admitted he was disappointed in the 65-yard touchdown the Braves gave up to start the second half. That play put the Eagles on top, 20-10.

"But other than that, they played pretty good," he said.

Flathead managed to close to 20-17 with 3:26 left in the game, but "we just didn't make enough plays after that offensively," the coach said.

The Braves did have a good night running the football - 32 carries for 185 yards as a team.

Osweiler led with 15 carries for 103 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. Running back Bryce Stacy ran 17 times for 82 yards.

"Bryce Stacy played a good game," McCarvel said. "Both running and catching the ball, he did well."

In addition to the 82 yards rushing, Stacy caught seven passes for 96 yards.

"That's a pretty good day," the coach said.

Osweiler was 15-for-24 for 196 yards with three interceptions.

The Braves (0-3) return home to Legends Stadium for homecoming next weekend against Butte (0-3).

Flathead 3 7 7 0 - 17

Big Sky 0 13 7 0 - 20

First quarter

F - Michael Windham 33 FG 3:56

Second quarter

BS - Trevor Kamura 1 run (Drew Owens kick) 7:32

F - Brock Osweiler 5 run (Windham kick) 6:01

BS - Mike LaValley 36 pass Joe Petritz (kick blocked) 3:12

Third quarter

BS - Jordan Tripp 65 run (Owens kick) 11:48

F - Osweiler 17 run (Windham kick) 3:26

Individual leaders

RUSHING - Flathead (32-185): Brock Osweiler 15-103, Bryce Stacy 17-82. Big Sky (33-147): Jordan Tripp 7-96, Joe Petritz 7-1, Trevor Kamura 18-48, Glen Maricelli 1-2.

PASSING - Flathead: Osweiler 15-24-3-196. Big Sky: Petritz 10-16-1-144.

RECEIVING - Flathead: Stacy 7-96, Travis Andrus 2-14, Cody Bouley 2-23, Nolan Grosswiler 2-37, Bryant Eickert 2-26. Big Sky: Drew Owens 5-49, Mike LaValley 3-65, Kevin McHugh 2-30.