Sanders County Ledger - Your Best Source For Sanders County News

Maybe the Flint Creek Titans should be placed in concussion protocol, just to make sure they are all okay. After all, those Granite County boys were looking mighty dazed and disoriented after that Previs Field beat-down, maybe they should be checked out by a professional.

The physical Thompson Falls Blue Hawks knocked off the Titans in Thompson Falls Friday night, turning the highly anticipated battle between Western C 8-Man football powers into a rout early and ending the cool, wet fall night with a huge 64-24 win.

Flint Creek was the No. 4 ranked 8-Man team in Montana and Thompson Falls was unranked in last week's 406mtsports.com power poll. Reflecting the Hawks' big win over the Titans, this week's poll has Thompson Falls jumping into the rankings at No. 6 while Flint Creek has dropped to No. 10.

Now 3-1 in Western Conference action and 4-1 overall, coach Jared Koskela and his Hawks are alone in third place in the league behind 4-0 Clark Fork and 4-1 Mission. Dealt a heavy blow to their playoff chances by the upstart Hawks, the two-time defending State 8-Man champion Titans fall into a tie for fourth at 3-2 with Seeley-Swan.

"It's been a long time since a Thompson Falls football team has been ranked," Koskela said. "We are happy to be there but it doesn't mean that we don't still have a lot of work to do.

"I don't want this to be like 2015 when we beat Cut Bank, Bigfork and Eureka but then lost to Troy," he added. "I want the kids to buy in on the fact that we have to finish every game. Each and every one is important."

Since only the top four teams in the 11-team conference qualify for the playoffs and only four games remain on the regular season schedule every snap of the ball becomes crucial from now on.

Those next important snaps will be happening in Plains Friday night as the Blue Hawks renew acquaintances with the rival Horsemen, who are 2-2 in conference play and overall.

"It's a renewal of the rivalry, it's been awhile since we have played Plains," Koskela said. "I am sure they will be ready for us, this is always a pretty emotional game for both sides."

The Hawks made their winning intent clear from the opening kickoff against Flint Creek. After taking the ball at their own 22-yard line, the Hawks marched 58 yards in nine running plays, scoring the game's first touchdown on a five-yard run by Nate Wilhite and, after Trey Fisher passed to Dakota Irvine for the two-point conversion, the Hawks led 8-0 with 7:50 left in the first quarter.

Apparently undaunted, the Titans took only one play to answer as quarterback Kade Cutler threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Preston Mesteth on Flint Creek's first play from scrimmage and, after Cutler ran in the two-point conversion the game was very temporarily tied at 8-8.

Enjoying one of his most productive games ever, Fisher then sped through the Titan defense for a 40-yard touchdown run to put the Hawks ahead 14-8.

After holding Flint Creek on downs, Fisher then scored again a short time later on a 10-yard run and then added the two-point run for a 22-8 Hawk lead with 2:30 left in the first quarter.

Flint Creek then drove deep into Thompson Falls territory before the Hawk defense forced a fumble and senior Dakota Irvine recovered it to give Thompson Falls the ball at their own 20-yard line.

Several plays later, Fisher broke free again, zooming 43 yards for yet another touchdown to make the score 28-8.

The Hawk defense then halted another Titan drive by again causing a fumble, with this one being recovered by Cody Burk at the Hawks' eight-yard line with 6:29 left in the second quarter.

With only 45 seconds left in the half, Fisher scored his fourth touchdown of the night on an eight yard run, and then added the two-point run to make the score 36-8 Thompson Falls at the half, right as a heavy rainstorm passed through the area.

As the rains abated, the Hawks then kept Flint Creek at bay in the second half, controlling the football and the clock with a time-consuming ground attack, and adding four more touchdowns – on a six-yard run by Fisher, a five-yard run by Fisher, a one-yard run by Trey's younger brother Jordan Fisher, and finally on a three-yard run by freshman Elijah Ratliff.

Trae Thilmony scored on two two-point runs following a couple of those Thompson Falls TDs.

John Hamilton

LED BY BRAD LANTZ, the Blue Hawk defense gang tackles Flint Creek's Kade Cutler. Nate Wilhite (32) looks to make an assist on the play.

Daniel Brabender and Leyton Wagner scored the final two touchdowns for Flint Creek in the second half.

Nominated for western Montana player of the week honors based on his superhuman efforts in this game, Trey Fisher finished with an amazing 209 yards rushing on only 20 carries.

Wilhite chipped in with another 90 yards gained on 18 carries, Brandon Zimmerman had five totes for 44 yards and fullback Justin Miller packed the pigskin four times for 26 more yards.

The Hawks found their winning formula on the ground as they churned out an impressive total of 433 yards rushing for the night. Fisher passed only one time on the night, completing it for a five-yard gain to Thilmony.

Defensively, Thilmony had a team-high eight tackles including one for a loss, Trey Fisher seven with a quarterback sack and Irvine six to lead a balanced Thompson Falls effort on that side of the ball.