Bigfork's 2014 season ends after a tough semifinal battle
After winning nine straight games where they scored over 40 points, five of which were shutouts, the Bigfork High School football team finally met an opponent they couldn’t topple.
The Vikings ended their season Saturday, losing to Huntley Project 27-6 in the class B state semifinals. The Vikings finished 9-2 on the year.
There were two things Bigfork head coach Todd Emslie said turned the game in favor of the Red Devils.
Near the end of the first half Bigfork’s Matthew Farrier intercepted a Red Devils pass, but the Vikes were unable to advance the ball for a first down. Huntley Project used their next possession to score with Dallas Mack passing the ball to Tucker Hould, who ran for a 44-yard touchdown, with just 13 seconds left, giving Huntley Project a 13-0 lead.
The Vikings came out of the locker room determined at the top of the third quarter, and Tyler Piazzola returned the kickoff for 34 yards, placing the Vikings on the Huntley Project 46-yard line. Bigfork pushed forward for one first down, but came up just short of another. Not scoring on that possession hurt the Vikes.
“I think the combination of those two were back breakers,” Emslie said.
Another blow to Bigfork was right before Huntley Project’s second touchdown, when Mack and Jonah Nelson hit Bigfork’s Jonathan Landon hard when he went up for a pass. Landon went down and Bigfork Fire immobilized him in case of neck or collarbone injury and transported him to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Luckily the immobilization was just a precaution, and Landon is fine.
“I’m just happy he’s okay,” Emslie said.
Though Emslie thought a flag should have been called on the play for targeting, the officials didn’t agree.
“There were five refs out there and they didn’t see it that way,” he said.
Huntley Project continued to dominate, scoring two more touchdowns and holding Bigfork to just 131 offensive yards and 109 yards rushing. Bigfork quarterback Josh Sandry managed to rush for 88-yards against the Red Devils, 63 of which were for Bigfork’s one touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter. Vinny Quirk, who led the season rushing for the Vikings with 889 yards, was held to 21 by the Red Devils.
“That was a really good football team,” Emslie said.
Though it wasn’t the way Emslie hoped to end the season, before the boys walked off the field on Saturday he reminded them that they still had a great season.
“Our kids fought hard the whole game, right to the end, they didn’t give up,” Emslie said. “It was a good season. Being a semifinal team is pretty good.”
Huntley Project will face Townsend this Saturday in the state championship on their home turf.
Huntley Project 6 7 7 7 — 27
Bigfork 0 0 0 6 — 6
HP — Kian Brown 7 run (kick failed)
HP — Tucker Hould 44 pass from Dallas Mack (Daylon Richard kick)
HP — Hould 6 run (Richard kick)
B — Josh Sandry 63 run (kick failed)
HP — Michael Jobman 4 run (Richard kick)
Total offense:
Huntley Project 352, Bigfork 131
Numer of plays
Huntley Project 72, Bigfork 43
Passing yards
Huntley Project 53, Bigfork 22
Rushing yards:
Huntley Project 299, Bigfork 109
First Downs: Huntley Project 20, Bigfork 7
Time of possession:
Huntley Project 31:42, Bigfork 16:18
Turnovers: Huntley Project 2, Bigfork 2
Penalties: Huntley Project 8, Bigfork 2
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Huntley Project (Tucker Hould 24-121, Michael Jobman 24-97, Kian Brown 12-61, Dallas Mack 4-16, Donte Wohlfeil 1-4); Bigfork (Josh Sandry 18-88, Vinny Quirk 10-21).
PASSING — Huntley Project (Mack 2-7-53-1); Bigfork (Sandry 4-14-0-22).
RECEIVING — Huntley Project (Hould 1-44, Kaino Dole 1-9); Bigfork (Isaac Martel 3-22, Quirk 1-0).
DEFENSE — Huntley Project (Kaleb Reynolds, 10.5_7-7-1-1.5); Bigfork (Sandry 13.5-4-19-0-2.5, Quirk 13.5-2-23-0-3, Matthew Farrier 7-6-2-0-1-1, Grant Ozegovich 5.5-2-7-0-0.5)
PUNTING — Huntley Project (Mack, 3-100); Bigfork (Sandry 4-152)
KICKOFF RETURNS — Huntley Project (Hould 1-23); Bigfork (Sandry 2-63, Tyler Piazzola 1-34, Martel 1-17, Farrier 1-11)