Coming into the game, many thought it would be a lot closer then the final score would determine. Billings West after losing to the Bozeman Hawks a week ago responded and came out with a bang. Billings West would make two big special teams plays early and that is what would be the difference maker. A 60 yard punt return by Owens coupled with a penalty setup West on the Braves 15. One play later West was up 7-0. Flathead would go three and out on the next drive and the punt would be blocked. West would take over at the 16 yard line of the Braves. The next play a 16 yard run by Carr and the Braves were down 14-0. Flathead would drive again but would have to punt. The ensuing West drive went 8 plays 69 yards and a 1 yard touchdown run from Carr. West was up 21-0 in a blink of an eye.
Flathead would eventually get into a groove with a four yard touchdown run by Counts and a 20 yard touchdown pass from MacNiel to Siblerud. West would put another score on the board and going into halftime the Braves trailed 28-13. Considering how things started you thought hey clean some things up and get a few stops and were right back in this thing.
Unfortunately that would be as close as Flathead would get to Billings West. West would end up getting separation and finish the game 42-20. Billings West would score on 6 of it's 8 possessions. Forced to punt once and the end of the first half ended the other drive. Demarcus Carr had 20 carries for 150 yards and 4 touchdowns. Erbacher and the West offense were able to be balanced. Erbacher threw for 196 yards. Owens was held in check as he finished with 45 yards receiving. Erbacher hit five wide receivers in the game. I have to give credit to West they came to play and took the lead quickly and Flathead just wasn't able to catch up. They are a good football team that Flathead could see down the line.
For Flathead...
For as good as West was, I don't think we saw the Braves football team we have seen the past two weeks. This team will likely fall out of the top five polls but I know for Kyle Samson and his team they don't care about that. I will say this I was curious to see how this team would respond to getting punched in the mouth like they did early down 21-0. They answered by getting themselves within two scores. In football there are no moral victories but how a team responds is a big key to how they respond to the rest of the season. Blake Counts had 31 carries for 139 yards and 2 Touchdowns. He bounced off a lot of West tacklers, if they could keep the stat I would love to know his yards after contact. Jaden MacNiel went 6 of 15 throwing the football for 74 yards. At one point West loaded the box with 10 guys and a safety 5 yards behind them. I am curious to see how many times we see that going forward.
For the Flathead Braves a game to remember for a night but then chuck in the waste basket. Adversity is on this team and the challenges don't get any easier. The Braves go to Wash-Grizzly stadium to take on a tough Sentinel team that lost a close one to Great falls 33-30. One loss doesn't make or break a season. I expect the Braves to bounce back.
As the quote goes "it aint about how hard you hit but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward".