Braves hold on to edge Sentinel

MISSOULA — Flathead’s Jaden MacNeil blocked a 39-yard field goal by Missoula Sentinel’s Spencer Peppenger with time running down to allow the Braves to hang on for a wild 34-31 Class AA football victory at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Friday night.

Flathead led for the first time — 28-21 — with 1:58 remaining in the third quarter on a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback MacNeil to wide receiver Logan Siblerud. That touchdown drive followed another blocked field goal by Flathead’s Chance Sheldon-Allen, which put the ball at the Braves’ 28-yard line. Eight plays later, Flathead scored.

Blake Counts, who ripped off a 71-yard touchdown run earlier in the quarter, had four carries during that tying touchdown march. His 14-yard burst put the ball at the Sentinel 5-yard line.

Flathead took a 34-31 lead with 3:56 to play on a 3-yard touchdown run by MacNeil. Flathead’s extra point kick was blocked.

Counts set that touchdown up with a 47-yard run. He had 261 yards rushing and touchdown runs of 9 and 4 yards in the first half.

Both teams came into the contest with 2-1 marks. Flathead and Sentinel were trying to bounce back after suffering their first losses of the season last week.

Up next for Flathead is the crosstown clash with Glacier on Friday at Legends Stadium while Sentinel travels to face Butte.

“I think it was a total team effort,” Flathead coach Kyle Samson said.

“I’m proud of our kids. We showed a lot of resiliency coming off a loss last week and down 14-0 early in this game. The kids never quit, played super hard for four quarters. It was a good team win — offense, defense and special teams.”

Flathead 7 7 14 6 — 34

Missoula Sentinel 14 7 0 10 — 31

MS — Jace Dewalt 87 pass from Rylan Ortt (Spencer Peppenger kick)

MS — Soren Syvrud 8 pass from Ortt (Peppenger kick)

F — Blake Counts 9 run (Eric Gardner kick)

F — Counts 4 run (Gardner kick)

MS — Jack Colyer 7 pass from Ortt (Peppenger kick)

F — Counts 71 run (Gardner kick)

F — Logan Siblerud 5 pass from Jaden MacNeil (Gardner kick)

MS — Elias Dewaters 13 pass from Ortt, (Peppenger kick)

MS — Peppenger 24 field goal

F — MacNeil 3 run (kick blocked)

Fl MS

First downs 19 19

Rushes-yards 42-309 30-185

Passing yards 99 232

Interceptions 0 1

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Passing — Flathead, Jaden MacNeil 8-12-99-1-1; Sentinel, Rylan Ortt 18-31-232-4-0

Rushing — Flathead, Blake Counts 28-261, MacNeil 12-61; Sentinel, Ortt 18-147.

Receiving — Flathead, Anthony Jones 6-83; Sentinel, Jack Colyer 5-58, Jace Dewalt 4-108, Elias Dewaters 4-35.