Home contest for Flathead vs. Hellgate
When the season began, the Flathead football team aspired to build on last year’s 4-7 playoff campaign despite the loss of 33 seniors.
Instead the 0-9 Braves find themselves winless in the final week of the regular season, but this year’s seniors still have a chance to go out winners in today’s season finale against Missoula Hellgate (1-8) at Legends Stadium.
Like Flathead, Hellgate has also struggled all season with its only win coming in a 6-0 game against the Great Falls Bison. Flathead’s closest game was also against Great Falls High, a 47-33 loss.
“The kids have been focused all week on getting a win,” Flathead coach Russell McCarvel said. “We’ve had a great week of practice and we want to send our seniors out on a high note.”
While Flathead has struggled to keep points off the board, Hellgate has struggled to score. The Braves are allowing a Class AA-worst 48.3 points per game, while Hellgate ranks last in Class AA with 6.9 points per game and has only reached double digits three times.
Hellgate’s strength is on the defensive side of the ball, where it is allowing 321.6 yards per game, good for fifth in Class AA.
“Hellgate has an excellent defense,” McCarvel said. “They’re big up front, they play hard to the run and they do a great job of stopping the run. We’re going to need to be able to throw the ball a little against them.”
Offensively, Hellgate has had more success running the ball. Quarterback Luke Bewley has completed just 31.2 percent of his passes for 544 yards, but he’s one of four Knights with at least 200 rushing yards.
“The games they’ve done well in are games they’ve been able to run the ball,” McCarvel said.
Flathead also prefers to move the ball on the ground. Quarterback Matt Tokarz is averaging 75.1 rushing yards while running back Austin Root averages 67.8 yards.
Recent snow flurries have left the Legends Stadium field a muddy, sloppy mess, which McCarvel said could effect the affect the outcome.
“It’s going to be tough sledding,” he said. “It may mean that a special teams play or two might make the difference. I think it will have an effect. Obviously taking care of the football will be at a premium.”
Today’s game kicks off at 7 p.m.