Bigfork has proven it can light up the scoreboard on the football field this year, but in the second round of the Class B state tournament the Vikings also proved they can grind out a victory.
For the second week in a row, Bigfork won a home playoff game, defeating Townsend 15-12 on Nov. 6. In the first round, the Vikings beat Missoula Loyola Sacred Heart 41-31, avenging a regular season loss.
Despite the different nature of each game’s final result, there was a common theme through both: If you get the ball to Travis Knoll, you’re very hard to beat.
Bigfork’s Knoll, one of the most exciting running backs in the state, rushed for 275 yards and one touchdown on 30 carries in the win over Townsend. Against Loyola, the senior rushed for 224 yards on 27 carries. He scored four touchdowns overall, including a 91-yard kickoff return in the third quarter that took the wind out of the sails for Loyola’s comeback attempt.
During the regular season, Knoll rushed for 1,282 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging nine yards per carry. He also had 465 yards receiving on 15 receptions. He scored 25 touchdowns total in eight games.
The Vikings take their 8-2 record into the Class B semifinals, where they will host another playoff game against Cut Bank on Nov. 13. Cut Bank is 9-1 and ranked No. 3 in the state. The Wolves defeated Plentywood/Westby 41-7 in the first round and then beat Colstrip 38-21 in the second round.
If the Vikings win, they will face the winner of Fairfield and Manhattan/Manhattan Christian in the title game on Nov. 20. Fairfield has made it to the championship game three years in a row, and four out of the last five, losing each time.
Bigfork is the last team standing from Northwest Montana in any of the state football tournaments. Glacier lost to Helena High 48-16 in Helena on Nov. 5. The Wolfpack were the No. 7 seed in the eight-team tournament. Helena is No. 2.
With the victory, Helena advances to play Billings West at home in the semifinals on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. West advanced after defeating Billings Skyview 14-13 in the first round.
The other Class AA semifinal game is between No. 4 Helena Capital and undefeated No. 1 Bozeman. Bozeman beat Butte 63-41 in the first round and Capital blew past Billings Senior 52-14.
Capital has played in the last five title games, winning three in a row from 2006-2008 before losing last year to C.M. Russell 28-14.
In Class A, both Polson and Columbia Falls lost over the weekend. After beating defending champion Frenchtown 27-21 in double overtime in the first round, Polson fell to Butte Central 49-14 on the road. Columbia Falls, which had a bye in the first round, lost to Miles City 34-13 at home.
The Nov. 13 semifinal pairings for Class A are Dillon at Miles City and Billings Central at Butte Central.
Both the Class C Eight-Man and Class C Six-Man tournaments have also reached the semifinal stage. In the eight-man tournament, Power-Dutton/Brady travels to Chinook on Nov. 13 and Wibaux hosts Drummond. In six-man, Big Sandy hosts Savage and Hysham plays in Denton.