Bigfork rips Deer Lodge

by The Daily Inter Lake
| October 19, 2018 1:27 AM

DEER LODGE — Randy Stultz ran for two touchdowns and returned an interception for another as fourth-ranked Bigfork (7-1 overall, 5-1 conference) took down Deer Lodge 41-14 in Western B Division football on Friday.

Quarterback Anders Epperly threw three touchdown passes to help the Vikings pull away after leading 19-14 in the second quarter. Epperly finished the game with 243 yards passing.

Deer Lodge (2-6, 2-4) outgained Bigfork 507 yards to 389, but the Vikings defense stepped up at critical times. The Wardens went just 5-for-19 on third down and 4-for-11 on fourth-down conversion attempts.

Bigfork also collected two interceptions, including Stultz’s pick for a touchdown in the second quarter that gave the Vikings a lead they would not relinquish.

The Vikings will have a first-round Class B playoff game next week.

Bigfork 7 20 8 6 — 41

Deer Lodge 8 6 0 0 — 14

DL – Nicholson 82 pass from Applegate (Nicholson pass from Applegate)

B – Randy Stultz 11 run (Jacob Herd kick)

B – Stultz interception return for TD (Herd kick blocked)

B – Stultz 1 run (pass failed)

DL – Nicholson 25 pass from Applegate (pass failed)

B – Herd 36 pass from Anders Epperly (Epperly pass from Reichenbach)

B – Reichenbach 5 pass from Epperly (Reichenbach pass from Luke Schmit)

B – Schmit 39 pass from Epperly

Columbia Falls 62, Polson 8

POLSON — The third-ranked Wildcats (7-1, 5-0) stomped winless Polson (0-9, 0-5) to finish undefeated in Northwest A Conference play.

Columbia Falls advances to the Class A playoffs and will receive a first- round bye.

No scoring or game statistics were available.

Libby 28, Whitefish 24

LIBBY – Libby (5-4, 4-1) earned a second-place finish in the Northwest A Conference by narrowly defeating Whitefish (5-4, 3-2) in the regular-season finale.

The Loggers receive a Class A playoff berth.

No scoring or game statistics were available.

Browning 58, Ronan 36

RONAN – Browning (3-6, 2-3) finished the season by thumping Ronan (1-7, 1-4) in Northwest A Conference play.

No scoring or game statistics were available.