RUGBY: Black & Blue thump Helena Hooligans, 47-0

The Kalispell Black & Blue continued their dominant start to the 15s season, beating Helena 47-0 at Evergreen Junior High on Saturday to take a bit of revenge against the Hooligans.

Helena, which beat the Black & Blue in the state semifinals last season, couldn’t get anything going against a tough Kalispell defense.

Payton Boyce, the eventual man of the match, scored the first try of the game five minutes into the match to get the Black & Blue on the board.

Jacob Ridgway scored a few minutes later to increase the lead to 12-0 and Matt Gash-Gilder increased the lead to 19-0 at the 33 minute mark by breaking free from 50 meters out on a set play from Boyce.

Tilor Mercier scored a try again before half to put the Black & Blue up 26-0 at halftime.

Kalispell scored again quickly after the halftime break and sealed it with a pair of trys from senior Colten Boyle later in the half.

“What he brings to the game: his defense, his toughness; it’s the stuff that never gets praised,” Kalispell assistant coach Bob Keisel said of Boyle’s play in the game.

The Black & Blue, tied for first place in the state at 2-0 in 15s play this season, have flourished this year. Kalispell has won its two home games by a combined score of 72-7 thanks to the defense set up by coach Bob St. Onge.

At the Riekena 7s tournament in Missoula last weekend, Kalispell went 2-2-1.