Billings Central tops C-Falls; Eureka, Bigfork lose in Class B
LOCKWOOD - Billings Central quarterback Marcus Wittman threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the top-ranked Rams past Columbia Falls 35-8 in a State A football first-round playoff Saturday.
Wittman’s scoring passes covered 57 and 5 yards; his 8-yard scoring run gave the Rams (6-0) a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Central then committed turnovers - two fumbles and an interception by Taylor Bryan - on its next three possessions, but the Wildcats (5-4) could not take advantage.
The lead grew to 28-0 at halftime on a 77-yard interception return by Thomas Hubbard and a 58-yard scoring run by Brock Ping.
The Wildcats changed quarterbacks midway through the third quarter, going with freshman Cody Schweikert. He completed 7 of 12 passes for 117 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown strike to Cade Morgan in the fourth quarter. Schweikert was intercepted once, while Mason Peters threw two picks.
Morgan had eight catches for 152 yards; Isaiah Roth rushed for 53 yards on 10 carries for the Wildcats. The Rams outgained Columbia Falls 342-248.
Billings Central will play host to Miles City, a 26-21 winner in Dillon Saturday, in next weekend’s semifinals.
Col. Falls 0 0 0 8 - 8
BC Rams 14 14 0 7 - 35
BC - Junior Brackenridge 57 pass from Marcus Wittman (Camden Casper kick)
BC - Wittman 8 run (Casper kick)
BC - Thomas Hubbard 77 interception return (Casper kick)
BC - Brock Ping 58 run (Casper kick)
BC - Nate Sasich 5 pass from Wittman (Casper kick)
CF - Cade Morgan 36 pass from Cody Schweikert (Schweikert run)
Class B
Glasgow 28, Eureka 6
EUREKA - Glasgow quarterback Loden Idler threw for two touchdowns and tore off a 76-yard scoring run to help the Scotties past Eureka, knocking the two-time State B champions from the playoffs.
Eureka (6-3) had a promising drive end on downs deep in Glasgow territory and the deficit 8-0. That led to Idler’s long scoring run to make it 14-0.
Gunnar Smith, who rushed for 76 yards, had a 3-yard scoring run as the Lions cut the gap to 14-6 with 2:24 left in the first half. But then Idler hit Colton Fast for 45 yards and a TD with just 8 seconds left, putting Glasgow (8-2) up 22-6 at intermission.
Jason Lee added a 1-yard touchdown run, capping an 18-play, 84-yard drive, early in the fourth quarter for the Scotties. Glasgow will host Columbus in the quarterfinals next week.
Caleb Utter threw for 45 yards and ran for 45 for Eureka.
Glasgow 8 14 0 6 - 28
Eureka 0 6 0 0 - 6
G - Tel Aune 19 pass from Loden Idler (Idler run)
G - Idler 76 run (pass failed)
E - Gunnar Smith 3 run (pass failed)
G - Colton Fast 45 pass from Idler (Jesse Lee run)
G - Lee 1 run (run failed)
Malta 30, Bigfork 14
MALTA - Running back Cash Salsbery rushed for 211 yards and two touchdowns, pushing the Malta Mustangs past Bigfork in a State B first-round game Saturday.
Cormac Benn ran 23 times for 118 yards and both Bigfork touchdowns. His first helped Bigfork (6-4) forge an 8-8 tie at halftime.
Malta (6-1) scored touchdowns three minutes apart in the third quarter - a 5-yard run by Salsbery and a 34-yard scoring pass from Kooper Oxarart - to go up 22-8 at the 3:35 mark.
Oxarart added a rushing touchdown early in the fourth to make it 30-8.
Salsbery had 33 carries; Rex Williams ran for 85 yards on 15 totes as the Mustangs piled up 310 rushing yards. Malta next travels to Manhattan for a quarterfinal game.
Patrick Wallen threw for 74 yards for the Vikings, with 34 of that coming on one pass to Isaac Bjorge. Bjorge was credited with 3 tackles and a sack on defense from his end spot.
Bigfork 0 8 0 6 - 14
Malta 8 0 14 8 - 30
M - Cash Salsbery 5 run (Rex Williamson run)
B - Cormac Benn 3 run (Isaac Bjorge pass from Patrick Wallen)
M - Salsbery 5 run (Salsbery run)
M - Connor Tuss 34 pass from Kooper Oxarart (run failed)
M - Oxarart 5 run (Williamson run)
B - Benn 4 run (pass failed)