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Football Roundup: Bridwell Sets State Record for TD Passes

Flathead improves to 3-1 for first time since 2006; Glacier evens record at 2-2

By Dillon Tabish
Josh McCracken rushes as Flathead beat Missoula Big Sky 52-13 on Sept. 18, 2015. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

Here’s a recap of Week Four of the high school football season:

Columbia Falls 54, Browning 8

Dakota Bridwell set a new Class A record for touchdown passes with seven as the Wildcats scorched the Indians in Browning on Friday night.

Bridwell broke the Class A mark and tied the all-class record of TD passes in a game, according to the Montana High School Association record book.

He finished the game 17-of-41 for 253 yards and no interceptions.

Tyler Murphy caught three TDs and Braxton Reiten and Wyatt Green each caught a pair as Columbia Falls improved to 2-1 overall.

The Wildcats have a bye week before hitting the road for a tough against Dillon (3-0) on Oct. 2.

Flathead 52, Missoula Big Sky 13

The Braves powered in eight touchdowns — the most since 2006 — and improved to 3-1 for the first time since nine years ago with a big home victory over the Eagles in Legends Stadium.

Flathead’s balanced rushing attack notched 272 yards and six touchdowns. Payton Boyce led the way with two TDs while Josh McCracken had 115 yards and one score. Quarterback Bridger Johnson passed for 230 yards and had one touchdown and two interceptions. He also rushed in a score from three yards. Seth Adolph, Keaton Krantz and Ryan Skramovsky each added TDs for the Braves, which tallied 23 first downs. Justin Gardner hit a 23-yard field goal.

Flathead travels to Bozeman for a tough test against the Hawks (3-1) on Friday night at 7 p.m.

Glacier 53, Great Falls 36

Leif Ericksen passed for a school-record six touchdowns, Thomas Trefney tallied a school-record 218 yards of rushing and the Wolfpack evened their record at 2-2 with a big road win over the Bison.

Ericksen finished 21-of-36 for 359 and two interceptions to go along with his six TDs, which passed the previous school mark of five held by both Brady McChesney (2013) and Taylor Hulslander (2011).

Trefney surpassed his own school record for most rushing yards in a game; the previous best was 201 set against Great Falls C.M. Russell last year. Noah James also rushed for 201 against Butte in 2013.

Noah Lindsey caught six passes for 111 yards and a TD. Caleb Jones had five catches for 110 yards and two TDs. Scout Willcut had five catches for 90 yards and three TDs, tying five other players for the receiving record at Glacier.

Winners of two straight, Glacier hosts Missoula Hellgate (0-4) this week for homecoming.

Bigfork 47, Mission 14

Jon Landon and Matthew Farrier combined for seven touchdowns as the Vikings cruised to a big homecoming victory and evened their record at 2-2.

Landon passed for one TD and rushed for another three. Farrier returned a fumble recovery 32 yards and pounded in another two scores from the red zone.

Bigfork travels to Thompson Falls (2-2) for a Western 7B matchup at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Whitefish 47, Stevensville 0

Chris Park rushed for 110 yards on only three carries as the Bulldogs steamrolled the Yellowjackets and improved to 3-1.

Park scored on a 68-yard run and also blocked a punt and returned it 11 yards for a score. Luke May passed for a TD and rushed for another, and Tyle Cote returned an interception 44 yards for a score and added a 35-yard rushing TD.

Brady Staves and Brian FauntLeRoy added TDs as Whitefish won its second straight game.

The Bulldogs travel to Corvallis to play the Southwestern A foe (0-3) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Dillon 43, Polson 7

The unbeaten Beavers cruised past the Pirates with a balanced attack.

Troy Anderson passed for 219 yards and one TD and rushed for another as Polson fell to 1-2 overall.

Polson hosts Northwestern A foe Frenchtown (2-2) on Friday for homecoming. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.