Eureka title bound once again
Eureka assistant coach Ryan Holder and linebacker Chance Muller (66) celebrate after a 39-35 win over Red Lodge in the State Class B semifinal at Lincoln County High School in Eureka on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Eureka defensive back Grady Seal (2) lowers his shoulder into Red Lodge wide receiver Braden Tomlin (11) after a reception in the third quarter in the State Class B semifinal at Lincoln County High School in Eureka on Saturday. Eureka won, 39-35. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
EUREKA — For the third time in four years, the Eureka Lions are headed back to the Class B state title game.
The Lions held off the Red Lodge Rams 39-35 in a semifinal game at Lincoln County High School in Eureka on Saturday.
The Lions lost running back Chet McCully for the second half but not before he drove in a touchdown early in the second quarter for a 14-7 lead.
Quarterback Hank Dunn rushed for two touchdowns and connected with Austin Sartori for three more. His longest play of the game was a 65-yard bomb to Sartori in the second.
Sartori caught five passes for 171 yards.
Dunn threw for 281 yards and rushed for 154.
Eureka outgained Red Lodge 569 to 282 yards of total offense.
The Lions won back to back titles in 2016 and 2017, so this is familiar territory for them.
It will be the first time this playoff season that Eureka will go on the road. Manhattan is hosting the title game, set for Saturday, Nov. 23. Time is to be determined.
Manhattan beat defending champion Fairfield 25-19 on Saturday to advance to the title game.
Red Lodge 7 7 21 0 — 35
Eureka 7 20 12 0 — 39
First Quarter
E — Hank Dunn 39 run (Danny Dunn kick)
RL — Jay Jetmore 90 kickoff return (Jay Graham kick)
Second Quarter
E — Chet McCully 3 run (D. Dunn kick)
E — Austin Sartori 65 pass from H. Dunn (D. Dunn kick)
RL — Jetmore 49 pass from Rizon Berndt (Graham kick)
E — H. Dunn 2 run (D. Dunn kick failed) (blocked)
Third Quarter
RL — Braden Tomlin 36 pass from Berndt (Graham kick)
E — Sartori 34 pass from H. Dunn (PAT pass Dunn to AJ Pacella failed)
RL — Tomlin 5 run (Graham kick)
E — Sartori 42 pass from H. Dunn (PAT pass Cory Chaney to H. Dunn failed)
RL — Austin Heimer 7 run (Graham kick)
Team Stats
RL E
First downs
Rushes-yds 21-87 50-288
Passing-yds 195 281
Att-comp-int 13-19-0 13-19-0
Total offense 282 569
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1
Penalties-yds 7-65 5-45
Punts-avg 3-42.3 1-23.0
Individual Stats
PASSING — Red Lodge: Rizon Berndt 13-19-2-0-195. Eureka: 13-19-3-0-281.
RUSHING — Red Lodge: Finnegan Davis 11-45, Jay Jetmore 2-30, Austin Heimer 5-19. Eureka: Hank Dunn 23-154, Chet McCully 12-50, Austin Sartori 5-48, Jake Kindel 10-36.
RECEIVING — Red Lodge: Braden Tomlin 5-98, Jay Jetmore 2-55, Finnegan Davis 3-28. Eureka: Austin Sartori 5-171, AJ Pacella 4-82, Jake Kindel 2-10, Colter Casazza 1-10, Corbin Hurst 1-8.