Bruins blow by Braves in AA football
<p>The sun sets on Legends Stadium at the close of the first half Friday night during Flathead’s Class AA football game with second-ranked Helena Capital. </p>
<p>Flathead wide receiver Alex Croymans is taken down by two Helena Capital defenders in the first half of Friday night’s Class AA football game at Legends Stadium.</p>
Second-ranked Helena Capital seized momentum with a go-ahead touchdown late in the first half, then tacked on five unanswered scores after the break to rout Flathead 56-14 in a Class AA football game Friday at Legends Stadium.
Only one of Capital’s second-half drives didn’t result in a touchdown, and that was because time ran out with the Bruins at Flathead’s 16-yard line.
“Their speed kind of caught up to us and I think their depth up front was a big factor,” Flathead coach Russell McCarvel said. “We had great momentum at the end of the first half and had that close play in the end zone. Maybe if we could’ve knocked it down or intercepted it things would’ve been different.”
Flathead cornerback Blaine Newman appeared to intercept Capital quarterback Keeley Larson in the end zone with 22.1 seconds remaining in the half, but receiver Brad Tiefenthaler reached over Newman’s shoulders and snatched the ball for a touchdown to give the Bruins a 21-14 lead.
Flathead offensive and defensive lineman Axel Bladholm said he didn’t think that play changed the game’s momentum, but Capital’s offense was unstoppable in the second half, piling up 302 rushing yards and 411 total yards.
“We came out, we were still going. If anything it picked up our intensity a little bit,” Bladholm said. “We wanted to get it back.”
Flathead’s offense failed to move the ball into Capital territory in the third quarter and both of its fourth-quarter drives ended with turnovers on downs.
Capital (3-0) finished with 714 yards of offense. It averaged 10 yards per carry en route to 520 rushing yards and Larson completed 12 of 17 pass attempts for 184 yards. Bliss Collins was the Bruins’ leading rusher with 109 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Fullback Tristan Shea ran for 97 yards on 10 carries.
“Capital is a really good team,” McCarvel said. “They put up 595 yards last week against the defending state champion (Butte).”
Flathead (1-2) moved the ball well in the first half. Its second drive went 76 yards for a touchdown, with quarterback Easton Johnson finding Dillon Thomas on an 18-yard corner route to put the Braves ahead 7-0.
Capital answered with a 94-yard touchdown drive before forcing a three-and-out, but Flathead linebacker Will Clark gave the Braves a spark with a fumble recovery at the Capital 48-yard line. A defensive pass interference penalty gave Flathead a first down at the Capital 30 and three straight runs by Anthony Holm moved the ball to the 19. The drive fizzled when Alex Croymans missed a 30-yard field goal attempt on 4th-and-short.
Collins polished off an 80-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run that gave Capital a 14-7 lead. On Flathead’s ensuing drive, Bruins cornerback Clayton Scholl intercepted Johnson at the Capital 2-yard line, but Flathead defensive back Nathan Tokarz intercepted Larson one play later and ran 22 yards for a touchdown.
“Obviously I was happy with the first half,” McCarvel said. “We made a lot of great plays. Nathan Tokarz made a big play for us returning that interception for a touchdown.”
Holm led Flathead with 66 rushing yards on 14 carries. Johnson finished with 57 yards on 11 carries and completed 14 of 27 pass attempts for 134 yards. The Braves totaled 284 yards.
Flathead returns to the gridiron Friday with a game in Missoula against Big Sky (0-3).
Helena Capital 0 21 21 14 — 56
Flathead 7 7 0 0 — 14
First Quarter
Fla - Dillon Thomas 18 pass from Easton Johnson (Alex Croymans kick), 2:14
Second Quarter
Cap - Tristan Shea 27 run (Kyle Nickol kick), 11:50
Cap - Bliss Collins 15 run (Nickol kick), 5:01
Fla - Nathan Tokarz 22 interception return (Croymans), 1:39
Cap - Brad Tiefenthaler 18 pass from Keeley Larson (Nickol kick), 0:22
Third Quarter
Cap - Jesse Coker 15 pass from Larson (Nickol kick), 9:28
Cap - Kyle Harrington 62 pass from Larson (Nickol kick), 7:47
Cap - Ethan Askam 1 run (Nickol kick), 3:12
Fourth Quarter
Cap - Collins 15 run (Nickol kick), 11:20
Cap - James Jewett 6 run (Nickol kick), 7:01
———
Capital Flathead
First downs 32 14
Total yards 714 284
Rushes-yards 52-520 36-150
Passing yards 194 134
Comp-Att-Int 14-20-1 14-27-1
Penalties-yards 7-60 2-17
Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0
———
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Capital: Bliss Collins 11-109, Tristan Shea 10-97, Mason Moe 6-82, Ethan Askam 6-54, Joshua Moore 4-39, Tyler Markle 2-36, Nick Wrigg 3-32, Keeley Larson 2-31, James Jewett 4-27, Brandon Rehm 3-7, Hunter Beto 1-6. Flathead: Anthony Holm 14-66, Easton Johnson 11-57, Brad Larkins 5-14, Aaron Siderius 3-11, Blaine Newman 1-3, Colten Dopps 2-(-1).
PASSING — Capital: Keeley Larson 12-17-184-1, Brandon Rehm 1-2-12-0, Nick Wrigg 1-1-(-2)-0. Flathead: Easton Johnson 14-27-134-1.
RECEIVING — Capital: Kyle Harrington 3-76, Tristan Shea 3-43, Brad Tiefenthaler 2-16, Ethan Askam 1-15, Jesse Coker 1-15, Bliss Collins 2-13, Ty Lynch 1-12, Hunter Beto 2-9. Flathead: Dillon Thomas 4-74, Cody Eacker 1-21, Alex Croymans 3-15, Walker Malmin 2-13, Blaine Newman 4-11.