Class B football playoffs: Choteau downs Eureka

EUREKA — Choteau (7-3) returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown and pulled away from Eureka (6-4) to win 30-6 in the first round of the Class B football playoffs on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions kept it close in the first half, trailing just 16-6 after two quarters. A 2-yard run by Austin Perez put Eureka on the board, sandwiched between a pair of running touchdowns by the Bulldogs’ Liam Breen.

Choteau’s Christopher Moore returned the opening kickoff of the third quarter for a touchdown, giving a 16-point lead to the Bulldogs’ defense that had stymied Eureka all game.

Derek Durocher added a late touchdown run for Choteau.

Cole Jankovsky ran for 43 yards and had 13 tackles and Trent Vaughn ran for 42 yards with 17 tackles to lead the Lions. Perez was 8 for 27 for 84 yards passing.

Choteau advances to play at Boulder in the state quarterfinals.

Choteau 16 0 6 8 — 30

Eureka 6 0 0 0 — 6

C — Liam Breen 2 run (Breen run)

E — Austin Perez 2 run (run failed)

C — Breen 26 run (Derek Durocher pass from Colin Auckenbach)

C — Christopher Moore 80 kick return (run failed)

C — Durocher 1 run (Breen run)