Spartans edge Braves in score-fest

MISSOULA - Mike VanArendonk threw for 237 yards, ran for 156 yards and was in on four touchdowns in a losing effort for the Flathead Braves on Thursday night.

The Braves (0-4) fell 49-42 to Missoula Sentinel (3-1) at Missoula County Stadium.

Flathead led 28-21 at half, but Sentinel bounced back with 14 points in each of the third and fourth quarters.

George Sherwood caught 10 passes for 157 yards.

Sentinel's Ben Roberts was as good as advertised. He caught nine passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns.

Sentinel beat Flathead last year 40-16.

Flathead is back in action Sept. 24 versus Glacier at Legends Stadium.

Flathead 13 15 7 7 - 42

Sentinel 7 14 14 14 - 49

First Quarter

F - George Sherwood 15 pass from Mike VanArendonk (kick failed), 10:33.

F - Sherwood 49 pass from VanArendonk (Steve Olbert kick),5:39

S - Riley King 18 run (Collin LaPorte kick),1:33

Second Quarter

S - Tanner Rheinschmidt 30 run (LaPorte kick),10:30

F - VanArendonk 1 run (VanArendonk run), 6:10

S - Ben Roberts 43 pass from King (LaPorte kick), 4:06

F - Drew Crosby 13 pass from VanArendonk (Olbert kick), :17

Third Quarter

S - Roberts 33 pass from King (LaPorte kick), 9:29

F - Sherwood 16 pass from VanArendonk (Olbert kick), 6:03

S - PJ Anderson 29 pass from King (LaPorte kick),3:49

Fourth Quarter

F - Travis Ozegovich 16 run (Olbert kick), 11:55

S - Roberts 62 pass from King (LaPorte kick), 10:25

S - King 4 run (LaPorte kick),8:47

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING - Flathead (48-252): VanArendonk 23-156, Ozegovich 18-73, Cody Stinger 6-22, John Collins 1-1; Sentinel (22-138) King 12-72, Rheinschmidt 6-40, Roberts 2-14, LaPorte 2-12.

PASSING - Flathead, VanArendonk 21-31-2-4 for 237 yards; Sentinel, King 23-40-0-4 for 353 yards.

RECEIVING - Flathead, Sherwood 10-157, Braxton Nimmick 5-35, Ozegovich 2-15, Crosby 1-13, Ian Gillespie 2-13, Jeff Markavage 1-4; Sentinel, Roberts 9-212, Alec Bray 3-31, Michael Boland 3-30, Anderson 1-29, Howard Juneau 4-27, LaPorte 2-15, Rheinschmidt 1-9.