Covering Bigfork’s magical run through the Class B state football playoffs last year, and particularly the memorable championship game, was as much fun as I’ve had in my sports reporting career. That includes several years of Grizzly football and basketball games in Missoula and numerous high school contests around the state that all hold certain places in my memory. And I will say, traveling to Bozeman to cover Columbia Falls’ Class A boys basketball championship run last year is high on the list too.
But Bigfork’s title is in a class of its own. The drama unfolded almost like a fairy tale and it all happened right here in the valley, on the Vikings’ home field in front of a community willing to brave truly brutal winter conditions. I guess all of this is a way of saying I’m pretty excited that Bigfork, even after losing heroes from the 2010 team like Travis Knoll, is right back where it left off last autumn: at home in front of a crowd that wholeheartedly believes in their boys’ championship hopes.
Bigfork, 7-1, hosts Florence-Carlton on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the first round of the Class B playoffs. If you’re around and don’t have anything else scheduled, I’d certainly recommend going. I can’t expect the Vikings to live up to last year’s drama but I can hope for the same results. Either way, I would expect some good football.
Also this weekend, Eureka, which finished second to Bigfork in 7B, plays on the road against Missoula Loyola Sacred Heart at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in the first round. In Class A, Northwestern A’s second seed Libby hosts Hamilton in the first round of the state tournament at 1 p.m. on Saturday while Whitefish travels to Stevensville for a first-round game Friday night at 7 p.m.
Northwestern A league champ Polson has a bye and awaits the winner of Livingston and Miles City. The Pirates will play on Nov. 5.
Click the links (.pdf) for full state football brackets. Class AA wraps up its regular season this weekend, with the state tourney beginning next weekend.