Football: Flathead hangs on to defeat Hellgate

MISSOULA — Flathead maybe winless at home, but the Braves are proving to be true road warriors on the Class AA football season.

The Braves improved to 3-1 away from Legends Stadium Friday night by slipping past winless Missoula Hellgate 21-20.

Hellgate (0-8) scored with 1:49 to play to get within one, but the extra point failed.

Flathead (3-5) scored on two big plays. Will Clark returned an interception 61 yards for a touchdown and Jess Beaman brought a punt back 65 yards for another score.

Flathead’s Easton Johnson scored on a 14-yard run.

Flathead is back at Missoula Sentinel next Friday and ends the season with Glacier on Oct. 25.

Flathead 14 14 0 7 — 21

Hellgate 0 14 0 6 — 20

First quarter

F – Will Clark 61 interception return (Connor Mayberry kick), 6:32

F – Easton Johnson 13 run (Mayberry kick), 0:43

Second quarter

H – Zac Bauer 5 run (Tobin Haefele kick), 4:04

H – Hunter Mahlum 34 pass from Brayden Frohlich (Haefele kick), 1:29

Fourth quarter

F – Jess Beaman 85 punt return (Mayberry kick), 4:08

H – Mahlum 17 pass from Frohlich (kick no good), 1:49

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Flathead (29-72): Easton Johnson 14-50, Anthony Holm 11-12, Jess Beaman 3-6, Aaron Siderius 1-4. Hellgate (33-144): Zac Bauer 17-118, Zac Martin 9-27, Andy Nemec 2-5, Kole Swartz 2-1, Dain Cowan 3-(-7).

PASSING – Flathead: Johnson 2-15-1, 48 yards. Hellgate: Frohlich 17-38-2, 215 yards.

RECEIVING – Flathead: Dillon Thomas 2-48. Hellgate: Hunter Mahlum 8-115, Colton Halley 5-75, Swartz 2-20, Bauer 1-4, Paul Wilson 1-1.

Team Statistics

Total yards: Hellgate 359, Flathead 120.

First downs: Hellgate 17, Flathead 5

3rd down conv: Hellgate 5-16, Flathead 1-12

Turnovers: 2 each

Penalties: Hellgate 6-40, Flathead 6-60