FOOTBALL SCORES (8-30)
August 30, 2008 By Terry Werner of Northwest Montana A Conference
FOOTBALL SCORES (8-30)
HAVRE 22 WHITEFISH 19;
LIBBY 27 TIMBERLAKE 12
Just out of reach
Posted: Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 - 12:28:25 am MDT
By DAVID LESNICK/The Daily Inter Lake
 | | Havre senior Beau Briese avoids a tackle by Whitefish senior Jesse Strunk during Saturday’s opener in Whitefish. Havre won 22-19. Jennifer DeMonte/Daily Inter Lake |
Havre rallies past Whitefish in season opener WHITEFISH — Big plays kept Whitefish in it, but a little trickery won it for Havre.
Adam Briese scooted 67 yards down the left sideline on a fake reverse with 9:31 to play, giving the Blue Ponies a 22-19 come-from-behind victory Saturday.
“You either hit it big, or you’ll be in trouble,” Havre coach Kevin Sukut said about calling the play. |
This time, the Blue Ponies hit it big.
“It’s a tough play to defend,” Sukut said. “The corner gets caught on an island out there.”
The matinee was the season opener for both Class A football teams. Havre beat Whitefish 21-7 a year ago in this nonconference matchup.
“We had a lot more energy that first half,” Whitefish coach Patrick Dryden said.
“You know it will take you about three games to get in shape. Even with all the substituting we did, we ran out of gas.”
Briese’s touchdown put the Blue Ponies in front 20-19. Quarterback Beau Briese then connected with Kent Pattison for the two-point conversion, giving Havre a three-point edge.
Whitefish had three possessions after that, but punted once and turned it over on downs the other two times.
The loss spoiled a spectacular performance by Whitefish wide receiver Aaron Tkachyk. The senior had touchdown receptions of 25 and 38 yards from quarterback Alex Elespuru. He also returned a kickoff 81 yards for a score.
“We know he has a lot of potential,” Dryden said.
“We see it every day in practice. He will be a playmaker.”
Tkachyk’s 25-yard TD came with 8:23 left in the second quarter. Elespuru was perfect on that pass, and later his PAT kick, giving Whitefish a 7-0 lead in a half dominated by defense.
“We absolutely shut them down except for the one screen pass,” Dryden said of the first half. “The second half was a different story.”
Havre scored on its opening possession of the third quarter, marching 60 yards in seven plays. The drive ended on a 1-yard run by Ethan Hinebauch, tying the game at 7.
Whitefish needed just one play — Tkachyk’s kickoff return — and 13 seconds to retake the lead, 13-7. He began the return straight up the middle of the field, then broke to the sideline for free sailing all the way to the end zone.
Havre, however, answered on its next possession, driving 66 yards in eight plays. Beau Briese connected with Pattison on a 10-yard TD strike with 4:08 left in the third period. John Perrodin’s kick was good, putting Havre in front, 14-13.
Back came Whitefish.
Tkachyk’s second TD reception came on a slant pattern over the middle on a perfect strike from Elespuru. Whitefish started the drive on its 44-yard line and reached the end zone five plays later.
The Bulldogs failed on a two-point conversion try, but led 19-14 with 9:53 remaining.
But Havre was far from finished. Twenty-two seconds later, Adam Briese’s touchdown was the difference-maker.
“Watching film on Monday may be the most important practice of the year for us,” Dryden said. “There is so much to learn from this game.”
Dryden said running backs Jesse Strunk and Daniel Simmons “ran hard against a very good defense. Coming in, we knew it would be tough to do. They are so big.”
Simmons had seven carries for 56 yards, and Strunk had nine rushes for 36 yards. The Bulldogs totaled 107 yards on the ground.
Elespuru hit on 16 of 30 passes for 171 yards. Tkachyk had eight receptions for 112 yards.
Havre finished with 330 yards in total offense.
“We came out of it healthy,” Dryden said. “That was important.
“Now we have to take a step forward next week (versus Butte Central on Friday). Last year, we took a step back (playing Butte Central the second game of the season).”
Havre 0 0 14 8 — 22
Whitefish 0 7 6 6 — 19
Whitefish — Aaron Tkachyk 25 pass from Alex Elespuru (Elespuru kick)
Havre — Ethan Hinebach 1 run (John Perrodin kick)
Whitefish — Tkachyk 81 kickoff return (kick failed)
Havre — Beau Briese 10 pass to Kent Pattison (Perrodin kick)
Whitefish — Tkachyk 38 pass from Elespuru (pass failed)
Havre — Adam Briese 67 run (Beau Briese pass to Pattison)
—————
Hav Wfsh
First downs NA 12
Rushes-yards 19-160 28-107
Passing (com-att-ints) 16-25-2 16-30-0
Passing yards 170 171
—————
Whitefish Individual
Rushing — Daniel Simmons 12-56, Jesse Strunk 9-36, Tanner Benedict 45-11, Alex Elespuru 3-4.
Passing — Elespuru 16-30-2-171.
Receiving — Aaron Tkachyk 8-112, Matt Whitehead 3-23, Derek Crittenden 3-25, David FauntLeRoy 1-9, Benedict 1-2.
Fuller totals 4 TDs as Libby wins opener
Posted: Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 - 12:28:29 am MDT
The Daily Inter Lake LIBBY — Senior all-state quarterback Joel Fuller accounted for all the scoring, leading Libby to a 27-12 nonconference football victory Saturday night over Timberlake, Idaho.
Fuller scored on a 6-yard run, hit Connor Benson on touchdown passes of 25 and 31 yards, and then returned a punt 65 yards for the final TD.
Libby led 27-0 at the half. |
Timberlake scored twice in the fourth period.
“We played great the first half, a little sloppy in the second half,” Libby coach Neil Fuller said.
“We have a lot of kids who Tare real inexperienced. We started several sophomores. They played very well.”
Joel Fuller completed 10 of 25 passes for 215 yards. Benson had five catches for 102 yards.
Libby had 290 yards in total offense to 312 for Timberlake.
Frenchtown plays at Libby on Friday.
Timberlake 0 0 0 12 - 12
Libby 14 13 0 0 - 27
L - Joel Fuller 6 run (Connor Benson kick)
L - Benson 25 pass from Fuller (Benson kick)
L - Benson 31 pass from Fuller (Benson kick)
L - Fuller 65 punt return (kick failed)
T - Derek Puckett 3 run (kick failed)
T - (No name listed) 31 pass from Brian Maldonado (run failed)
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