All of the valley’s football teams saw action this weekend with the Class A teams finishing up their non-conference games. Four teams picked up wins on Friday or Saturday.
Victor knocked off last year’s runner up in the state championship, Arlee, 40-6. The Pirates set the tone of their game against Arlee in their first possession of the game. Senior Colt Neville broke tackles and rushed 64 yards for the first Pirate touchdown. Jack Powell made the two-point conversion and the Pirate cannon was booming. Neville also made the next two touchdowns, one for two yards and another for 16 yards. Jesse Pearson had a 31-yard touchdown run, and then threw a pass to Logan McKinley who plowed through the Warrior line to the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown reception. Pearson threw one more pass in the game, again to McKinley, for a 34-yard touchdown pass. Victor improved to 3-0 and will travel to Charlo on Friday.
Florence scored their first win of the season with a 35-8 victory over St. Ignatius. The Falcon’s first touchdown was a 10-yard pass from Braxton McCullough to Derek Richard. Caden Venters kicked the extra point. In the second quarter, it was Venters who was on the receiving end of a McCullough pass from 55 yards out. And he kicked the PAT too. Venters caught another TD pass in the fourth quarter. This time it was from 52 yards out. Ethan Stensrud was on the receiving end of a McCullough scoring pass, this time from 17 yards out for the final Falcon touchdown. Bridger Dragoo had a 19-yard scoring run in the third quarter. McCullough connected with Carson Katen for the two-point conversion.
Stevensville defeated Frenchtown, 31-20, for their second win of the season. Liam LeCoure put the Yellowjackets on the board with a touchdown in the first quarter. Chris Brownlee kicked the extra point. Brownlee added a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter. The rest of the ‘Jacket points came from Jordan Thomas. He picked off a Frenchtown pass and raced 74 yards for six points. Brownlee kicked the PAT. Then, in the fourth quarter, Thomas had scoring runs of 41 yards and 33 yards. Brownlee was perfect on his PATs.
Corvallis ran into a tough Polson team and lost, 47-14. Liang Liedle hit Garrick Richardson from 67 yards out for a Blue Devil touchdown in the first quarter. Cayden Ayers kicked the PAT. Corvallis didn’t score again until the fourth quarter when Ridge Albright broke loose from 12 yards out to hit the end zone. Ayers kicked the PAT.
Hamilton was host to the Columbia Falls Wildcats. The game was close throughout but Hamilton could not get past the tough Wildcat defense and lost, 35-21. Hamilton only trailed by a touchdown at the half but was held scoreless in the third quarter. Mark Joyner made an interception for the first Bronc score. Bridger Bauder kicked the PAT. Cam Rothie was on the receiving end of a 20-yard pass from Bauder for the second score of the first half by the Broncs. The kick was blocked. The Broncs picked up a safety in the fourth quarter and then Bauder had a five-yard run to score the final touchdown for Hamilton.
Darby lost to Twin Bridges, 22-0. The Tigers could not get their offense untracked but with the help of Kye McCollaum on defense, held the Falcons scoreless in the second half.