WEEK 1: Big Sky Friday Nights- high school football coverage, scores and highlights

>>WELCOME WELCOME. >>WELCOME BACK TO MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR. THE LEAVES LOOK LIKE RAINBOWS. AND THE COFFEE TASTES LIKE PUMPKINS. BUT I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT BECAUSE FOOTBALL IS BACK FOR THE NEXT NINE FRIDAY NIGHTS. ME AND MY SPORTS GEAR WILL BE BRINGING YOU ALL THE MUST SEE STATEWIDE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES WE HAVE HARD HITS, HEARTBREAK AND A WHOLE LOT OF HIGHLIGHTS. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S TIME TO GET COMFY AND WATCH SOME MADNESS. KICKING THINGS OFF WITH OUR GAME OF THE WEEK SHOW OUR RESPECT TO THE STARS AND STRIPES AND SEND OUT THE BIG BOYS. TWO FAVORITES IN CLASS B, WE GOT JEFFERSON PAYING A VISIT TO THE THREE-PEAT CHAMPION FLORENCE FALCONS. HOW ABOUT THIS FOR THE FIRST PLAY OF THE SEASON, JEFFERSON TIES ZOTTI LOBS ONE UP AND CHECK OUT TAVON CHARLTON. THAT'S HOW YOU PERFECT THE TIP DRILL FOLKS. NEVER TOOK HIS EYE OFF THE BALL. GETS A THANK YOU FROM QB1. SAME DRIVE. CHECK IT OUT CATS FANS. THAT'S MONTANA STATE COMMIT LUKE OXFORD FINDING HIS WAY TO PAYDIRT SEVEN NOTHING PANTHERS. OH, AND A LITTLE FUN FACT ABOUT OXFORD HE'S A MENACE ON DEFENSE TOO. ARLINGTON SLINGS A DEEP SHOT INTO DOUBLE COVERAGE AND FINDS OXFORD PLAYING THE ROLE OF BALL HAWK, BUT CALL IT OPENING NIGHT JITTERS BECAUSE THE VERY NEXT PLAY, THE PANTHERS PUT THE BALL ON THE CARPET AND THE FALCONS RECOVER A PRIME CHANCE FOR THE FALCONS ENTERED JEFFERSON TERRITORY FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT, AND ARLINGTON MAKES A MOVE TO PUT FLORENCE INSIDE THE FIVE. BUT THEIR CHANCE TO SCORE GOES UP IN FLAMES QUICKER THAN THIS BALL GOES OVER ARLINGTON'S HEAD AS THE FALCONS COME AWAY WITH NOTHING. THIS ONE ENDED UP COMING DOWN TO THE WIRE AS JEFFERSON SCORES A GAME WINNER. WITH 10S LEFT TO TAKE THE GAME 2114. NOW WE HEAD OVER TO HELENA WHERE THE TITLE DEFENSE BEGINS FOR THE BOZEMAN HIGH HAWKS AND THE HELENA HIGH BENGALS LOOK TO DEFEND THEIR HOME TURF AND GRAB THE WEEK ONE DUB. STARTING OFF WITH THE SECOND DRIVE OF THE GAME, BOZEMAN QUARTERBACK KASHMIRI LOFTS THE BALL UP TO RECEIVER EVAN HUGHAN, AND HE COMES DOWN WITH IT. HUGHAN GETS THE FIRST SCORE OF THE SEASON FOR THE HAWKS AND PUTS BOZEMAN UP EARLY BY SEVEN. HELENA WOULD ANSWER BACK BY PUTTING UP A FIELD GOAL TO DRAW CLOSER TO THE HAWKS, MAKING THE SCORE 7 TO 3. NOW INTO THE SECOND QUARTER, THE BENGALS ARE LOOKING FOR A SPARK IN THEIR OFFENSE AND JAXON LEBER DOES JUST THAT. HE SNATCHES THE SCREEN PASS AND TAKES OFF FOR THE BIG YARDS, AND HE CAN GO ALL THE WAY. WELL, ALMOST THAT IS. LIEBERG SETS UP HIS TEAM FOR THE TOUCHDOWN RUN BY RUNNING BACK TREY BRAUN, GIVING THE BENGALS A 13 TO 10 LEAD OVER THE DEFENDING CHAMPS. BUT AS THE HALF IS SET TO EXPIRE, THE HAWKS DRIVE DOWN THE FIELD AND BRAY THROWS UP ANOTHER PASS TO HIS BIG, TIGHT END, LOGAN HUMPHREY AND HOLDS ON TO THE BALL FOR SIX. WHAT A CATCH FROM THE BIG MAN. AND THAT SCORE GIVES BOZEMAN THE LEAD BACK TO MAKE THE SCORE 13 TO 10. BOTH TEAMS PUTTING ON A CLINIC FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL. BUT IT'S BOZEMAN HUNTING DOWN THE BENGALS TAKING THIS ONE 3017. IN MISSOULA A REPEAT MATCH FROM LAST YEAR, THE BELGRADE PANTHERS WENT UP AGAINST THE BIG SKY EAGLES, THIS TIME HOPING TO SEIZE THE WIN BIG SKY HAD AN EARLY LEAD THANKS TO THE EAGLE EYES OF QUARTERBACK AVERY OMELET. EAGLES HAD THE WIND AT THEIR BACK THIS GAME, GAINING A SECOND TOUCHDOWN THANKS TO BRUTE FORCE OF TANNER DAVIS, WIDE RECEIVER BRADY WILLIAMS MADE IT LOOK EASY JUST BACK PEDALING IN THE END ZONE HAS SOME STYLE POINTS, KID. THE PANTHERS COULD NOT CATCH A BREAK. MINUTES TO HALF TIME AND LANDIS WARNININI POUNCING ON A FUMBLE THAT THE PANTHERS PUT INTO THE DIRT. MASON FULFORD FLEW LIKE AN EAGLE, BUT QUICKLY WAS GROUNDED BY THE PANTHERS. LANDIS WARNICK CHARGING THROUGH THE DEFENSE FOR ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN BEFORE HALFTIME. IT'S TIME TO LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG. THIS WAS NOT THE PANTHERS DAY WITH THE FINAL SCORE BEING BIG SKY 40 BELGRADE SEVEN, AND WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED OUT HERE, SO DON'T WORRY, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. BUT FIRST, HERE'S A FEW OUT OF TOWN SCORES FREE TO CALL ME MITCHELL COOMBS FOLKS, BECAUSE I'VE GOT YOUR FORECAST RIGHT HERE OF 100% CHANCE OF RAINING FOOTBALLS FOR THE NEXT FEW MINUTES. SO BUCKLE UP. WE'LL TAKE YOU OVER TO BOZEMAN WHERE NBC MONTANA'S ETHAN BECKER IS STANDING BY FOR A GOOD OLD FASHIONED BECKER BREAKDOWN OF TONIGHT'S MATCHUP BETWEEN HELENA CAPITAL AND GALLATIN HIGH SCHOOL. ETHAN >>ALEX. WHAT AN ELECTRIFYING WAY TO BEGIN THE SEASON BETWEEN GALLATIN AND HELENA CAPITAL. BUT BEFORE WE LOOK BACK AT THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS GAME HERE AT VAN WINKLE, LET'S ACTUALLY SEND IT OVER TO BOBCAT STADIUM. AND THERE IS A CLASS B ACTION BETWEEN THREE FORKS AND LOYOLA. SACRED HEART. IT WAS OLD STOMPING GROUNDS FOR THREE FORKS HEAD COACH AND FORMER MONTANA STATE BOBCAT CONNOR SULLIVAN IN ENEMY TERRITORY FOR LOYOLA ASSISTANT AND FORMER MONTANA GRIZZLY CHASE REYNOLDS. SULLIVAN WANTED HIS WOLVES TEAM TO BE PHYSICAL, AND THEY WERE EARLY ON CANON RICHMOND CAPS OFF THE OPENING DRIVE, ROLLING HIS WAY INTO THE END ZONE FOR AN EIGHT POINT LEAD, AND FOR THE THREE FORKS DEFENSE, THEY WERE GETTING INTO THE BACKFIELD WITH EASE. JOSH BARNETT SHOOTS OUT OF A CANNON FOR THE TACKLE FOR LOSS. RAMS NEEDING A MOMENTUM BOOSTER AND THEY DO IT ON A TAKEAWAY. ANDREW RICHARDSON STRIPS THE BALL AND OWEN FELTON RECOVERS IT DEEP IN THREE FORKS TERRITORY AND LOYOLA GETS ON THE BOARD. JACK CLEVENGER HITS DECLAN HARRINGTON FROM 19 YARDS FOR THE TOUCHDOWN, BUT THREE FORKS WINS THIS BATTLE BY A SCORE OF 28 TO 13. BACK AT VAN WINKLE. GALLATIN LOOKING FOR BACK TO BACK WINS OVER HELENA CAPITAL, BUT THE BRUINS TAKE THE LEAD JUST BEFORE HALFTIME. BRIT LINDER PUNCHES IT IN TO PUT CAPITAL UP 21 TO 14 AT THE BREAK. RAPTORS START CLAWING THEIR WAY BACK. GRANT VEGAN HITS CARTER DAHLKE DOWN THE SIDELINE. WHAT A PLAY BY DAHLKE TO KEEP HIS FOOT INBOUNDS. MORE ON THE VEGAN CONNECTION LATER. THAT SET UP THIS TOUCHDOWN. VEGAN SWINGS IT OUT TO TOMMY SPRINGMAN TO TIE THE GAME AT 21 ALL, AND THAT GAVE MOMENTUM TO GALLATIN. VEGAN HEAVES IT DOWNFIELD AND IT'S DORSEY AGAIN. ON THE RECEIVING END. HE TAKES IT 52 YARDS INSIDE THE TEN YARD LINE. NEXT PLAY VEGAN TAKES IT HIMSELF FOR THE RAPTORS FIRST LEAD OF THE NIGHT AS GALLATIN POWERS THROUGH FOR A 35 TO 28 VICTORY. GALLATIN QUARTERBACK GRANT VEGAN SHOWING THAT OFF SEASON IMPROVEMENT AS HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR FOUR OF THE FIVE RAPTORS TOUCHDOWNS IN THIS GAME BUT IT ONLY GETS TOUGHER FOR HERE AS IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON. GALLATIN IS ON THE ROAD NEXT WEEK AT CENTENNIAL. THREE FORKS HOST SHEPHERD AND LOYOLA SACRED HEART IS AT MANHATTAN. THAT DOES IT FOR HERE IN THE GALLATIN VALLEY. LIVE IN BOZEMAN. ETHAN BECKER NBC MONTANA SPORTS. BACK TO YOU IN MISSOULA. ALEX >>ALL RIGHTY. THANKS, ETHAN. LET'S GET BACK TO THE GRIDIRON, SHALL WE? WE'LL HEAD TO BUTTE, WHERE THE BULLDOGS LOOK TO EARN A SEASON OPENING WIN AGAINST THE FORMIDABLE GOLDEN BEARS OF BILLINGS WEST. OPENING MINUTES. BUTTE FORCES THE PUNT AND THE SENIOR STUD, TY HURLEY WILL HAVE THE RETURN DUTIES. THE FOUR SPORT ATHLETE LEADS THE WAY AS HE GOES UNTOUCHED. MORE THAN 50 YARDS TO THE END ZONE. BULLDOGS ARE IN FRONT. BEARS ARE GOING TO ANSWER BACK QUICKLY THOUGH, AS JUNIOR STAR MATT LUDWIG BRINGS SOME JOY TO THE VISITORS, ALL TIED AT SEVEN, BUT LATER ON LUDWIG LOSES THE BALL AND THE BULLDOGS POUNCE ON IT. THE TEAM FROM THE MAGIC CITY WOULD BACK, AND ON THIRD AND FIVE, C.J. JOHNSON PLACES IT PERFECTLY INTO THE ARMS OF ELIAS BONNER TO GIVE THEM THE LEAD. JUST SECONDS TO GO IN THE OPENING HALF, AND SENIOR BUTTE QB COLD WATER SHEA FINDS JUNIOR HUDSON LUCKY IN STRIDE FOR SIX, AND IT'S ALL TIED AT THE BREAK. THIS ONE GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE WIRE. AND IN THE END, IT'S HEARTBREAK IN THE MINING CITY AS BUTTE CAN'T CONVERT THE GAME WINNING TWO POINTER. WEST SNEAKS OUT OF BUTTE 2827. AND DOWN TO THE BITTERROOT WE GO FOR A SMOKY CLASSIC CLASH. THE HAMILTON BRONCS HOSTING THE WHITEFISH BULLDOGS IN A MATCHUP FEATURING TWO PLAYOFF TEAMS FROM LAST YEAR. WHITEFISH WASTED NO TIME SETTING THE TONE, POUNCING ON THE BRONCS WITH A STRONG DEFENSIVE STANCE EARLY. DID SOMEONE SAY FUMBLE? THE BULLDOGS ARE ALL OVER THAT ONE, READY TO TAKE THE BALL NORTH AND THE OFFENSE CHIPS IN LATER WITH THIS TD TOSS FROM CARSON GULICK TO A WIDE OPEN KJ FEW. THAT'S HOW YOU OPEN UP A GAME ON THE ROAD. SEVEN NOTHING BULLDOGS HAMILTON HAD MOMENTUM OFF AND ON, BUT EARLY DRIVE STALLED OUT WITH PENALTIES AND FOURTH DOWN ATTEMPTS. DEEP IN BULLDOG TERRITORY WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR, IT SNAGS LIKE THIS BY JAXON LUBKE GOING TO WASTE THE BULLDOGS DIDN'T MAKE IT ANY EASIER WITH PRESSURE LIKE THIS BY SAM NEESON, AS HE DRAGS DOWN BRONCS QB COOPER WESTON. IT'S A HAPPY BUS RIDE HOME FOR THE BULLDOGS AS THEY ROLL ON THE ROAD, TAKING THIS 127 TO 7. UP NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP DECIDING OUR TOP PLAY OF THE WEEK. BUT FIRST, HERE'S SOME MORE OUT OF TOWN SCORES >>NBC MONTANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAY OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY REPUBLIC SERVICES >>WE'VE SEEN PLENTY OF TOP TIER FOOTBALL MOMENTS TONIGHT, AND I'VE NARROWED DOWN THE TOP THREE MOMENTS FROM WEEK ONE. I'M GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP DECIDING THE BEST OF THE BEST. LET'S SEE THE CANDIDATES WHEN IT COMES TO PLAY OF THE WEEK SPECIAL TEAMS ALWAYS MATTER, AND THEY CERTAINLY MATTERED IN BUTTE. AS THE BULLDOGS RETURN MAN FOR SPORT ATHLETE AND BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNER TY HURLEY FEELS THE PUNT DECIDES TO GO THE OTHER WAY WITH IT, CASUALLY SPLITS A PAIR OF DEFENDERS, GETS A BLOCK AND TURNS ON THE JETS FOR A ONE WAY TICKET TO THE END ZONE, AND A PLAY OF THE WEEK NOMINEE DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO FIND PLAY NUMBER TWO. FIRST PLAY FROM SCRIMMAGE IN FLORENCE JEFFERSON QB TYLER ZOTTI FLOATS ONE IN AND IT'S TAVON CHARLTON PERFECTING THE TIP DRILL TO BRING IT IN. NICE EYES ON THE BALL, YOUNG MAN. AND GUESS WHAT WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE MINING CITY FOR PLAY NUMBER THREE. FINAL MINUTE OF THE GAME COLD WATER SHEA SENDS A 40 YARD PRAYER INTO THE NIGHT SKY AND SAM SAMPSON COMES DOWN WITH IT. NOT A BAD WAY TO ROUND OUT THE LIST. LIKE I SAID, IT'S THE BEST OF THE BEST, AND I SIMPLY CAN'T DECIDE. BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU COME IN. USE THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN OR HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AT NBC MONTANA TO CAST YOUR VOTE. POLLS CLOSE NEXT FRIDAY, WHERE WE'LL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER AT SIX. THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT, PEOPLE. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT