AA football: Soggy 2nd half dooms Braves at Helena
HELENA — The second half kickoff brought with it change in the weather.
It also changed the Flathead Braves’ night.
Leading 14-13 at halftime, the Braves offense spun its wheels in a windy, rainy second half storm and Flathead fell 25-14 at Helena Friday night.
“We had to change our game plan a bit but I’m sure they did as well,“ Flathead coach Kyle Samson said of the conditions. “I think our kids handled it just fine. We just made too many mistakes on the road to win.”
Both teams struggled to hold on to the ball in the second half. The first two punt attempts of the third quarter — one for each team — failed to be kicked because of bad snaps, but it was the Braves’ four second half turnovers that proved most costly.
After not turning the ball over in their opening week win at Great Falls C.M. Russell, the Braves gave the ball away five times in total Friday and forced only two from the Bengals. Junior quarterback Bridger Johnson threw three interceptions and faced heavy pressure from the Helena defense all night.
“They were blitzing us all night and brought a bunch of pressure,” Samson said. “That’s got to be on me. We’ve got to change things up as far as our protection schemes.”
After falling behind 10-0, Flathead’s offense started clicking when senior Josh McCracken started toting the football. McCracken ran for 116 yards on 16 carries in the first half alone and finished the game with 130 yards.
McCracken dented the scoreboard for the Braves midway through the second quarter, scoring from three yards out one play after converting on fourth and inches.
“(McCracken) ran really hard,” Samson said. “They were stacking the box against us but he did a nice job breaking tackles.”
After a Helena punt, McCracken went back to work on the ground to set up a 60-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Keaton Krantz in the final minute of the first half. The completion was one of only five in the game for the Braves.
With both teams stalled in the third quarter, Helena faked a punt in Flathead territory and punter Tyler Matteucci connected for 27 yards to set up the Bengals. Three plays later, Jackson Thennis scored from a yard out to put Helena in front.
The Braves went backwards on their next possession and Helena was able to take over at the Flathead 10 yard line following a short punt. Thennis, the Bengals quarterback, ran it in on the very next play to round out the scoring.
“It was a dang good football game,” Samson said.
“Give credit to (Helena), they’re a very good football team. We’re a good football team. They just made more plays.”
Krantz caught three passes for 108 yards as Johnson finished 5 for 23 for 127 yards through the air.
Helena out-gained Flathead 348-216, getting 197 all-purpose yards from Thennis.
Flathead added a new wrinkle offensively, bringing in Seth Adolph as a wildcat quarterback during a couple of second quarter series. Adolph ran the ball four times for 15 yards.
“It was a big part of our game plan tonight and I thought we executed it really well,” Samson said of the wildcat look.
“It will definitely be another weapon we have in our arsenal this year.”
Helena improved to 2-0 against Kalispell teams this year after dropping Glacier 23-17 a week ago.
Flathead plays its first home game Friday, hosting Great Falls at 7 p.m. at Legends Stadium.
Flathead 0 14 0 0 — 14
Helena 10 3 12 0 — 25
First quarter
HEL – Willem Morris 22 field goal, 2:55
HEL – Ryan Arntson 10 pass from Jackson Thennis (Morris kick), :21
Second quarter
FLA – Josh McCracken 3 run (Justin Gardiner kick), 4:49
FLA – Keaton Krantz 60 pass from Bridger Johnson (Gardiner kick), :54
HEL -- Morris 27 FG, :00
Third quarter
HEL – Thennis 1 run (kick failed), 1:21
HEL – Thennis 10 run (pass failed), :03
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FLA HEL
First downs 12 15
Rushes-yards 37-89 34-141
Passing yards 127 207
Comp-Att-Int 5-23-3 13-25-1
Punts-avg 5-25.6 4-40
Fumbles-lost 4-2 3-1
Penalties-yards 6-50 3-35
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – FLA: Bridger Johnson 7-minus 41, Josh McCracken 25-130, Seth Adolph 4-15, Josh Gruber 1-minus 15. HEL: Nick Van Horssen 15-77, Ryan Arntson 4-19, Jackson Thennis 10-17, Keair Adgerson 2-29, Tyler Matteucci 1-minus 12, Chance Bickel 1-12, Team 1-minus 1.
PASSING – FLA: Johnson 5-23-3-127. HEL: Thennis 12-24-1-180, Matteucci 1-1-0-27.
RECEIVING – FLA: Keaton Krantz 3-108, James Flannigan 1-10, Adolph 1-9. HEL: Dylan Young 1-7, Derek Jenneskens 4-60, Arntson 6-97, Kendall Johnson 1-27, Derrick Olsen 1-16.