Emotional football playoff victory for Bigfork

BIGFORK — Playing with heavy hearts five days after former teammate Matt Edwards was killed in a car wreck, the third-ranked Bigfork Vikings rallied for an emotional 28-7 win over No. 9 Townsend in the first round of the Class B football playoffs Saturday.

The Vikings honored Edwards, who graduated from Bigfork High School last spring, with helmet decals that read “ME” and his No. 55 jersey hung near the bleachers throughout a slugfest that was closer than the final score.

“I think we got a lot of extra motivation from that,” Bigfork tailback/linebacker Boyd Rieke said.

“Rest in peace Matt Edwards.”

Steady rain grounded both teams’ passing games and contributed to eight turnovers, four by each team, but Bigfork made the big plays in the big moments.

Townsend (6-2) led 7-6 at halftime and attempted an onside kick to open the second half but Bigfork (9-0) recovered and marched 53 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown. Fullback Vinny Quirk broke a tackle and stumbled to the 1-yard line on a 22-yard carry. Rieke was stopped for a loss on the ensuing play but Quirk followed with a touchdown run behind the right tackle. A two-point conversion pass from Adam Jordt to Cameron Nissen gave Bigfork a 14-7 lead.

Townsend drove into Bigfork territory late in the fourth quarter when it was stopped by Nissen, who sacked Townsend quarterback Jace Lewis on 4th-and-1 for a turnover on downs. Bigfork capitalized one play later when Rieke cut to his right, shed a tackler and scampered 78 yards along the sideline for a touchdown with 4:28 remaining.

“We wanted it,” Rieke said. “They wanted it bad, but we wanted it more. That’s what it came down to. Just pure guts and the will to win.”

Bigfork cornerback Jonathan Landon iced the game with a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown that gave the Vikings a 28-7 lead with 2:34 left.

“They’ve been inspired the past few weeks and they’ve been playing great defense, and they did it again today against a really tough team,” Bigfork coach Todd Emslie said. “Those Townsend kids are quick, fast, strong. They’re all wrestlers and they know about leverage. They’ve got a great football team.”

Rieke finished with 126 rushing yards on 19 carries and Quirk added 47 yards on eight carries, but it was Bigfork’s defense that keyed the victory. The Vikings didn’t surrender any points in the second half, intercepted Lewis twice and had a huge fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter.

“Our defense stepped up really well,” said Quirk, who also plays linebacker. “I’m so proud of them, they had a lot of heart out there.”

Lewis directed Townsend’s offense from the shotgun and did most of his damage with his legs. While he only completed 6 of 24 pass attempts for 69 yards, he ran for 207 yards on 27 carries.

“He was one hell of a quarterback,” Rieke said.

“He’s probably one of the best ones we’ve faced this year. It was a real challenge containing him, but I think we wrapped him up and did a pretty good job. Our defensive ends were amazing. The whole line, the whole defense stepped up when we needed it most and I think that was the difference.”

Bigfork’s first touchdown came on its opening drive when quarterback Josh Sandry plunged into the end zone from one yard out on a sneak. Townsend answered in the second quarter on an 8-yard touchdown run by Lewis.

Now Bigfork is hoping history repeats itself. The last time the Vikings hosted Townsend in the playoffs was in 2010 and the Bigfork went on to win the state title.

Bigfork hosts Baker in the quarterfinals. Baker advanced by beating Columbus 42-12.

Townsend 0 7 0 0 — 7

Bigfork 6 0 8 14 — 28

First quarter

B - Josh Sandry 1 run (run failed), 8:30

Second quarter

T - Jace Lewis 8 run (Austin Bessette kick), 0:30

Third quarter

B - Vinny Quirk w run (Cameron Nissen pass from Adam Jordt), 7:59

Fourth quarter

B - Boyd Rieke 78 run (Nissen pass from Jordt), 4:28

B - Jonathan Landon 34 interception return (kick failed), 2:34