Bigfork stuns No. 9 Plains in OT

The Daily Inter Lake

BIGFORK - They didn't tear the goalposts down, but they did celebrate in style.

Travis Knoll scored on a 7-yard run in overtime to lift winless Bigfork over No. 9-ranked Plains 35-29 on Friday in District 7B football action.

It was the first win after three losses this season for Bigfork, and the team's first victory in four years.

Bigfork competed in Class A until this season.

"It was a real neat scene," Bigfork coach Todd Emslie said.

"Really cool. Everyone was excited."

Emslie said when Knoll scored, "the stands emptied. It was unbelievable."

Knoll forced overtime when he scored with 5:54 left in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard run.

Derek Minemyer connected on both extra point kicks in the fourth quarter as Bigfork rallied back. Minemyer put Bigfork on the scoreboard first with a 37-yard field goal in the opening quarter.

Plains, 2-1, led 17-3 at the half.

"I just told them that they had it in them," Emslie said of his halftime speech.

"I challenged them to step up and play, and they did. The hitting got louder in the second half, Plains got a little tired."

Plains had the first possession in overtime, but turned it over on downs.

Knoll scored on Bigfork's second play in OT.

"Just a great game," Emslie said.

Plains 0 17 12 0 0 - 29

Bigfork 3 0 12 14 6 - 35

Bigfork - Derek Minemyer 37 field goal

Plains - Reiley Winebrenner 44 run (Carson Lilja kick)

Plains - Winebrenner 27 run (Lilja kick)

Plains - Lilja 38 field goal

Bigfork - Cody Dopps 14 run (kick failed)

Bigfork - Christian Ker 4 run (kick failed)

Plains - Winebrenner 70 run (kick blocked)

Plains - Dylan Fryxell 1 run (kick failed)

Bigfork - Dopps 20 run (Minemyer kick)

Bigfork - Travis Knoll 4 run (Minemyer kick)

Bigfork - Knoll 7 run

P B

First downs 18 19

Rushes-yards 41-226 52-237

Passing yards 111 138

Passing 7-17-2 7-11-1

Fumbles-lost 4-3 0-0

Penalites 5-57 3-22

Individual Stats

RUSHING - Plains, Winebrenner 24-205; Bigfork, Dopps 15-120, Knoll 17-71.

PASSING - Plains, Winebrenner 7-17-2-111; Bigfork, Ker 7-11-1-138.

RECEIVING - Plains, Brian Green 4-75; Bigfork, Connor Coleman 2-48, Knoll 3-41.

Dillon 24, Columbia Falls 19

COLUMBIA FALLS - Dillon used a defensive stand in its red zone to hold off Columbia Falls in a Class A nonconference battle.

Columbia Falls, 2-2, turned it over on downs at the Dillon 11-yard line.

Kaleb Johnson scored all three TDs for Columbia Falls on passes of 6, 40 and 59 yards from quarterback Mitchell Wassmam.

Dillon quarterback JT Linder had a pair of TD passes to Mackenzie McGrath, 41 and 20 yards.

Columbia Falls opens Northwestern A play on Friday at Ronan.

Dillon 6 6 6 6 - 24

Columbia Falls 7 6 6 0 - 19

Dillon - Mackenzie McGrath 41 pass from JT Linder (kick failed)

Columbia Falls - Kaleb Johnson 6 pass from Mitchell Wassam (Wassam kick)

Dillon - Sam Parke 1 run (pass failed)

Columbia Falls - Johnson 40 pass from Wassam (kick blocked)

Dillon - Peter Walde 1 run (pass failed)

Columbia Falls - Johnson 59 pass from Wassam (run failed)

Dillon - McGrath 20 pass from Linder (run failed)

D CF

First downs 9 12

Rushes-yards 32-73 43-177

Passing yards 252 147

Passing 22-34-2 7-20-3

Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-0

Penalties 3-25 7-51

Time of possession 20:46 27:14

Individual Stats

RUSHING - Dillon, Parke 6-38, Evan Helle 7-30; Columbia Falls, John Woody 21-86; Nathan Thompson 12-60.

PASSING - Dillon, Linder 22-34-2-252; Columbia Falls, Wassam 7-19-3-147.

RECEIVING - Dillon, Toby Shepherd 7-83; McGrath 5-80; Columbia Falls, Johnson 4-103, Thompson 3-44.