Bigfork home for 2nd week, faces Townsend
Four down and six are left, including Bigfork.
The 10th-ranked Vikings will host No. 4 Townsend in quarterfinal play of the Class B football playoffs today. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Six ranked teams are still alive in the playoffs, while four fell last week in the opening round. Out are top-ranked Malta (8-1), No. 5 Baker (8-2), No. 8 Huntley Project (5-4) and No. 9 Missoula Loyola (6-3).
Bigfork eliminated rival Loyola last Saturday 41-31.
Fairfield (6-2), ranked No. 7, upset Malta (8-1) 20-0 to advance.
The other ranked teams also playing today are No. 2 Manhattan (9-0), No. 3 Cut Bank (8-1) and No. 6 Columbus (7-2).
Bigfork (7-2) is 5-0 at home this season and is riding a three-game winning streak after a 26-7 loss at Fairfield on Oct. 8.
Bigfork's longest win streak of the season is four games, which came after a season-opening 61-34 loss to Loyola in Missoula.
The Vikings, led by running back Travis Knoll and quarterback Christian Ker, have scored 40 or more points in three straight games and six times total this fall.
Bigfork has scored 333 points total, which is second best in Class B, and has allowed 210. Baker leads with 363 points.
Townsend is 5-0 in road games and 3-1 at home. The Bulldogs have won two straight after a 15-14 loss to Manhattan on Oct. 15. Last week they beat Huntley Project in Worden 20-12 to advance in playoff action. They also beat Huntley Project the week before 7-0 in the regular-season finale.
The Bulldogs opened the season on a six-game win streak, which included a 32-14 victory over Loyola in Missoula.
Townsend has scored 40 or more points in two games.
"I'm pretty concerned with their offense," Bigfork coach Todd Emslie said of the Bulldogs.
"Townsend has two really good running backs. They are pretty tricky, good runners. I would say their runners are similar to ours - Travis (Knoll) and Cody (Dopps). I wouldn't want to face Travis and Cody every weekend."
For the season, the Bulldogs have allowed just 82 points, which is second best in Class B. Manhattan has allowed the fewest at 54.
The Bulldogs have posted one shutout, limited Whitehall to a field goal, and held Red Lodge and Boulder to one touchdown apiece.
"Their defense is stout, tough," Emslie said.
Emslie said the Vikings enter this playoff round in good health.
"Two weeks ago we had a kid break his hand," Emslie said.
"We had him casted-up (last week). He (James Vale, a lineman) played with it."
Emslie also said the Vikings are playing with a lot of confidence.
"We're playing pretty well right now. Last week was a really big win against Loyola. The rest of them (playoff contest) are tough games."
And playing at home is a big plus.
"It's just nice to be home," Emslie said.
"The crowd we had last week was unreal. We're hoping to have another crowd like that (today). The kids love playing at home."
Class B Quarterfinals
Today
All Games 1 p.m.
Townsend at Bigfork
Cut Bank at Colstrip
Columbus at Manhattan
Fairfield at Superior