Knoll, Bigfork top Loyola
BIGFORK - Travis Knoll wasn't expecting it and neither was Bigfork coach Todd Emslie.
"I was a little bit (surprised)," Knoll said of Missoula Loyola not going with an onside kick following a touchdown that brought the Rams within nine points of Bigfork.
"I expected them to kick it short."
So Emslie had Knoll line up on the 10-yard line in case Loyola went with a pooch kick instead of an onside attempt.
"Travis is back as a safety (measure)," Emslie said.
"I have my 10 best, my handy kids, up front to snag the onside kick. I told them if they do kick it deep to get back and do some blocking. There was some good blocking on that run."
Loyola kicked it deep and that was a big mistake. The speedy Knoll took the kickoff at the 9-yard line and headed straight for the Bigfork sideline. Then he simply outran everyone to the end zone. Dillon Charlebois added the extra point and Bigfork extended its advantage to 35-19 with 8:49 to play.
"I just broke to the outside," Knoll said.
"It was a foot race."
A Loyola player missed a last-gasp tackle and then watched helplessly as Knoll sped away.
"A kid dove for me and grabbed my ankle, but I managed to stay up," Knoll said.
It was the second time Knoll returned a kickoff for a touchdown this season.
Knoll also ripped off touchdown runs of 2, 36 and 52 yards as 10th-ranked Bigfork (7-2) rolled to a 41-31 first-round Class B playoff victory over No. 9 Loyola (6-3).
Knoll finished the day with 224 yards rushing on 27 attempts.
"With Travis, nothing suprises me any more," Emslie said.
"Just a super kid, very modest, but he's a football player. He's fast."
Bigfork never trailed in the second meeting between the two schools this season. Loyola won the first matchup - the season opener - 61-34.
Knoll had TD runs of 24, 52 and 72 yards in that contest, which was held in Missoula.
"We fought hard," Knoll said of Saturday's triumph.
"We made a couple of mistakes in the second half, but each time we rebounded."
Loyola, on the other hand, never gave up. They scored two more touchdowns after Knoll's big kickoff return.
"We never felt safe but we were always confident," Knoll said.
"We know they are one of those teams that are able to come back."
Loyola coach Dan Weber said falling behind early made it difficult for his team to establish any type of rhythm on offense. Loyola had just two series in the first quarter and failed to produce a first down.
"That was a real big part of that," he said.
"That gave them momentum.
"We were struggling from then on playing catch-up ball to get back in this thing," he added.
"Then we missed a PAT and start going for two."
Weber called Knoll's kickoff return a "back-breaker."
"Hats off to Bigfork," he added. "They played well today."
Christin Ker gave Bigfork an early lead with a 1-yard quarterback sneak. It came on Bigfork's second possession.
Ker marched the Vikings 79 yards in 13 plays.
Bigfork also took a big gamble on that march, facing a fourth and one on its 30-yard line. Ker gained two yards on a keeper for the first down.
"That's a testament to our offensive line," Emslie said of his decision to go for it.
"I have so much faith and trust in them. They can move people."
Bigfork marched 58 yards in eight plays on its next possession to take a 14-0 lead. Knoll scored from 2-yards out.
Chris Landon's one-handed catch in the end zone of a Ker pass with 4:30 left in the half gave Bigfork a 21-7 advantage at intermission. The touchdown reception covered 30 yards.
"I felt like the kids would not be denied," Emslie said.
"Loyola put it on us the first game of the year. I feel like we played to win this game."
Bigfork now advances to the quarterfinal round. The Vikings will host Townsend (8-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. Townsend defeated Huntley Project on Saturday 20-12.
"It was real nice to see the crowd, that was huge," Emslie said.
"I sure hope we can duplicate that next Saturday."
Emslie said this was Bigfork's first playoff victory since 2003 when it defeated Butte Central in the first round.
Regarding the last time Bigfork defeated Loyola, "I don't have that information," said Emslie.
Ward said it was "probably in the '80s."
Loyola 0 7 6 18 - 31
Bigfork 7 14 7 13 - 41
First Quarter
Bigfork - Christian Ker 1 run (Dillon Charlebois kick), 4:18
Second Quarter
Bigfork - Travis Knoll 2 run (Charlebois kick), 11:39
Loyola - Bo Hughes 2 run (Austin Dauenhauer kick), 6:10
Bigfork - Chris Landon 30 pass from Ker (Charlebois kick), 4:30
Third Quarter
Bigfork - Knoll 36 run (Charlebois kick), 9:45
Loyola - Hughes 1 run (kick failed), 5:40
Fourth Quarter
Loyola - Morgan Griffin 50 run (run failed), 9:06
Bigfork - Knoll 91 kickoff return (Charlebois kick), 8:49
Loyola - Griffin 61 run (run failed), 5:58
Bigfork - Knoll 52 run (kick failed), 1:39
Loyola - Josh Janssen 60 pass from Hughes (pass failed), 1:13
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L B
First downs 13 25
Rushing yards 269 311
Passing yards 102 97
Passing 9-24-1 6-12-2
Fumbles 0-0 1-1
Penalties 6-58 4-30
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Individual Statistics
RUSHING - Loyola: Bo Hughes 14-61, Morgan Griffin 14-191; Bigfork: Travis Knoll 27-224, Cody Dopps 12-50, Christian Ker 13-39.
PASSING (att-com-int-yds) - Loyola: Hughes 9-23-1-143, Maelan Arciello 0-1-0-0; Bigfork: Ker 6-12-2-97.
RECEIVING - Loyola: Travis Haller 3-39, Arciello 2-38, Josh Janssen 1-49; Bigfork: Chris Landon 1-30, Knoll 2-25, Ian Lorang 2-24, Connor Coleman 1-18.
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Townsend 20, Project 12
At Huntley
Townsend 13 0 0 7 - 20
Project 0 0 6 6 - 12
Townsend (8-1) - Colin Hoeffner 2 run (Troy Green kick) 6:34 1st, Zane McArthur 10 run (pass failed) :12.9 1st, Hoeffner 1 run (Green kick) 8:55 4th.
Huntley Project (5-4) - T.J. Harris 62 pass from Zach Wohlfeil (kick failed) 8:34 3rd, Wohlfeil 1 run (PAT failed) 4:43 4th.
Individual Statistics
Rushing - Townsend: McArthur 19-202, Hoeffner 21-91, Dane Zipperian 12-2. Project: Austin Pond 13-65, Ty Oblender 3-11, Harris 6-22, Wohlfeil 10-(-20).
Passing - Townsend: Zipperian 1-4-1 - 34. Project: Wohlfeil 6-10-1 - 93, Brandley Peabody 0-1-0 - 0.
Receiving -Townsend: Hoeffner 1-34. Project: Harris 4-71, Peabody 1-6, Austin Caster 1-16.