Class B football semis: Red Devils stop Vikings

BIGFORK — Just like Bigfork coach Todd Emslie predicted, this game was truly trench warfare.

Second-ranked Huntley Project (12-0) used its big offensive line to rush for 299 yards on 65 carries and three touchdowns on a frozen-slick field en route to a 27-6 Class B football semifinal playoff victory on Saturday afternoon over fifth-ranked Bigfork (9-2).

Huntley Project took a 6-0 lead on Kian Brown’s 7-yard run in the opening quarter when he bulled over a Bigfork Vikings defender to get into the end zone.

Tucker Hould, 121 yards on 24 carries, had a 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Huntley Project capped the scoring with a 4-yard burst by Michael Jobman with 19.9 seconds remaining.

“Their (offensive) and (defensive) lines are very good,” Emslie said of the Red Devils.

“They are a dynamite high school football team.”

But it was a pass play that gave Huntley Project momentum and a commanding 13-0 lead just before the half ended.

Quarterback Dallas Mack hit Hould on a difficult over the shoulder catch for a 44-yard touchdown with 13.8 seconds left in the first half. Daylon Richard, who missed his first PAT kick, was good on this one.

“There were a couple of things that stand out,” Emslie said of game-changing plays.

“No. 1, giving up that touchdown right before the half.”

That was big.

The other one involved Bigfork at the start of the second half. The Vikings had a good return on the kickoff, down to the Huntley Project 46-yard line.

Bigfork managed to move the chains for a new set of downs, but failed to convert on fourth and four at the Huntley Project 24.

“We didn’t get points out of it,” Emslie said of that drive.

Bigfork rushed for just 109 yards with 63 of those coming on a touchdown scramble by quarterback Josh Sandry, who picked his way through the entire Red Devil defense, in the fourth quarter.

“Our kids never quit, kept fighting, they fought hard,” Emslie said.

“We didn’t get some breaks and make things happen for ourselves. But it all comes back to the fact Huntley Project is a very good football team.”

Bigfork had just two first downs in the first half, one by penalty, and punted four times.

The Vikings finished with seven first downs for the game to 20 for the Red Devils.

Huntley Project, which won back to back state titles in 2008-2009, will host Townsend on Saturday in the championship game. Townsend whipped Conrad 46-14 in the other semifinal game.

NOTE: Bigfork receiver Jonathan Landon was injured in the second quarter during a third-down pass play that started at the Bigfork 2-yard line with 2:32 remaining. He caught a pass from Sandry for a first down, but could not hang on after being sandwiched by two Huntley Project defenders. Landon was removed from the field on a stretcher and taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. “They did some X-rays and everything is OK,” Emslie said. “He will be sore for a few days, but he will be all right.” Emslie said Landon injured his neck on the play. “When I was out there, he couldn’t squeeze my hand.”

Brown left the game with 8:39 left in the first half with an ankle injury. He did not return.

Huntley Project 6 7 7 7 — 27

Bigfork 0 0 0 6 — 6

HP — Kian Brown 7 run (kick failed)

HP — Tucker Hould 44 pass from Dallas Mack (Daylon Richard kick)

HP — Hould 6 run (Richard kick)

B — Josh Sandry 63 run (kick failed)

HP — Michael Jobman 4 run (Richard kick)

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HP B

First downs 20 7

Total yards 352 131

Rushes-yards 65-299 29-109

Passing yards 53 22

Comp-Att-Int 2-7-2 4-14-2

Penalties 8-70 2-20

Sacks-yards lost 3-17 1-13

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Punts 3-33.3 4-38

Time of possesion 31:42 16:18

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Huntley Project (Tucker Hould 24-121, Michael Jobman 24-97, Kian Brown 12-61, Dallas Mack 4-16, Donte Wohlfeil 1-4); Bigfork (Josh Sandry 18-88, Vinny Quirk 10-21).

PASSING — Huntley Project (Mack 2-7-53-1); Bigfork (Sandry 4-14-0-22).

RECEIVING — Huntley Project (Hould 1-44, Kaino Dole 1-9); Bigfork (Isaac Martel 3-22, Quirk 1-0).

Townsend 46, Conrad 14

Conrad 0 6 0 8 — 14

Townsend 7 13 14 12 — 46

First quarter

T - Bryce Green 41 run (PAT good), 4:41

Second quarter

T - Kenny Wilbur 50 pass from Jace Lewis (PAT failed), 10:21

C - Javan Carroll 28 pass from Shane Larson (PAT failed), 3:15

T- Green 2 run (PAT failed), 1:11

Third quarter

T - Lewis 13 run (PAT good), 10:05

T - Lewis 42 interception return (PAT good), 8:33

Fourth quarter

T - Lewis 4 run (PAT failed), 11:30

C - Larson 2 run (2-pt conversion good), 9:19

T - Wilbur 18 pass from Lewis (PAT failed), 6:37

———

T C

Rushes-yards 25-265 29-94

Comp-Att-Int 8-18-0 13-27-2

Passing yards 153 150

Total offense 418 243

Turnovers 1 4

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Individual Statistics

Rushing — Townsend, Green 7-100, Lewis 16-132, Bair 3-12, Mattson 3-14, Bessette 2-9, Stuczynski 1-(-2). Conrad, Larson 19-59, Underdahl 3-13, Vandenacre 7-22.

Passing — Townsend, Lewis 8-18-0-153. Conrad, Larson 14-27-2-209.

Receiving — Townsend, Sweat 4-80, Wilbur 2-56, Bessette 2-56, Green 1-12, LeLacheur 1-8. Conrad, Padilla 3-39, Diedrich 4-65, Jay 3-35, Mycke 1-(-2), Judisch 2-12