2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

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VimSince03
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2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

Post by VimSince03 » Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:20 am

Playoff Bracket: http://assets.ngin.com/attachments/docu ... cket-B.pdf

Top-side of Bracket

Fairfield at Missoula Loyola - 1:00 PM, Saturday, 11/12

Fairfield Key Players: TE/DE Chandler Allen, WR/LB Cantor Coverdell, QB/DB Luke Batson, WR/FS Ryder Meyer, WR/DB Dawson Allen, RB/LB Griffen Lee

Missoula Loyola Key Players: QB/S Kellen Round, OT/DT Joseph McElroy, WR/DB David Koppang, ATH Jacob Byrne, WR/DB Caden Sant, RB/LB Brady Needles

The Colstrip Colts gave Missoula Loyola their toughest test of the season but the Rams prevailed, winning 50-35 to advance to the semifinals. No team had scored over six points on the Loyola defense all season but Colstrip went right at Loyola, putting up 35 points through the air and on the ground. As I said in the preview, Loyola is so deep with so many weapons on offense and it is hard to stop them for four quarters. The 1st quarter was a 7-7 tie as Loyola RB Joaquin Trevelline scored the first touchdown of the game on a 4-yard run while Colstrip RB Ben Galloway responded with a 1-yard plunge. The 2nd quarter was owned by Loyola as they scored three touchdowns (one pass/one run by Kellen Round and another run by Brady Needles) to Colstrips one to take a 26-14 into halftime. However, the one touchdown Colstrip scored proved to be a major playcall taht kept the Colts in the game. The play was basically RB Chadd Naillon lining up in the slot and getting open on a either a crossing or post route as Loyola never honored him with a safety deep. The playcall worked on several big plays and it went for long touchdowns three times as Naillon has really good ability after the catch and breakaway speed. To open the 3rd quarter, Colstrip cut the lead to 21-26 with a Brady Hanson run but once again Loyola responded with a Needles 6-yard run to make it 34-21 going into the 4th. The final period was wild as QB Joel McRae hit Naillon for his second long touchdown, a 64-yard score, but Round responded to make it 40-28 Rams with less than five minutes to play. Naillon hauled in his longest touchdown catch (77 yards) the next possession to make it a 40-35 Rams lead. However, as it did all day, the Loyola offense responded as QB Kellen Round hit his favorite WR (David Koppang) for a 38-yard touchdown strike. The Colts turned it over on downs their next possession and the Rams added a Jacob Byrne insurance field goal to make it a 50-35 final. Loyola QB Kellen Round was the MVP of this game as he finished with 219 yards passing and 124 yards rushing with four total touchdowns (2 passing/2 rushing). Colstrip QB Joel McRae also had an impressive day going 13-23 for 300 yards with three passing touchdowns (all to Naillon). The win made everything way more interesting in the Class B Playoffs as Colstrip exposed some chinks in the armor of the Rams. Regardless, Loyola moves on to face Fairfield, who also had to grind out a 48-30 win over Manhattan. WR/DB Ryder Meyer ran the opening kickoff back for a score but Manhattan punched back (like they did all day) as QB Kobe Grossman hit WR Cole McCloud for three 1st quarter touchdowns. Fairfield QB Luke Batson scored two of his five touchdowns in the 1st quarter (one on a throw to WR Cantor Coverdell and another on a 64-yard run) which made it 20-19 in favor of Manhattan. Batson stayed hot in the 2nd quarter as he picked off a Grossman pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown while adding a 60-yard touchdown run. Manhattan kicker Alpacan Oeztas added a field goal before half to make it 31-23 Fairfield. Unfortunately for Manhattan, Les Meyer's Eagles made adjustments and held the Tigers to one second half touchdown (a 78-yard pass to Michael Nehring) while Batson and FB Griffen Lee added two more rushing touchdowns to make it 45-30 Fairfield heading into the 4th. Coverdell added a field goal in the 4th to make it 48-30 and that ended up being the final. Like Colstrip against Loyola, Manhattan exposed weaknesses in Fairfield's defense, especially through the air. However, Missoula Loyola QB Kellen Round and Fairfield QB Luke Batson are playing really good football right now and it is tough to gameplan against them. Fairfield knows its defense isn't as stout as it was the past two years but their offense is just as potent as ever. As for Loyola, their offense is still the deepest group in Class B and it proved itself once again last Saturday. The matchup is a toss-up but I picked Fairfield and Loyola to meet each other in the semis and I predicted Loyola to make it to the championship. I will stick with my pick and say the deciding factors in a Loyola victory will once again be there depth and the clutch play of QB Kellen Round. Prediction: Loyola wins 38-36.

Bottom-side of Bracket

Whitehall at Eureka - 1:00 PM, Saturday, 11/12

Whitehall Key Players: QB/FS Braden Larsen, TE/LB Andrew Simon, WR/DB Wyatt Alexander, OL/DT Dawson Hoerauf, RB/LB Braden Smith, OL/DE Colton Noyes

Eureka Key Players: QB/FS Garrett Graves, WR/SS Austyn Sherwood, OL/DL Owen Davis, OL/DE Joe Fehr, RB/LB Cannan Smith, TE/DE James Dunn

The Eureka Lions have arguably been the most impressive team in the Class B Playoffs thus far as beat Shelby, 41-8, to avenge a 28-18 loss to the Coyotes earlier in the year. Lion QB Garret Graves was once again spectacular making plays with his arm (two touchdown passes to TE James Dunn and 121 passing yards), legs (1-yard touchdown run and 58 rushing yards), and hands (caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Brenton Pluid). RB's Matt Anderson (85 rushing yards) and Cannan Smith (72 rushing yards) both had rushing touchdowns for the home team. What was even more impressive was Eureka outgaining Shelby 403 to 189 in total yards. Coyote QB Aaron White was held in check all day, failing to toss a touchdown pass. RB Zach Torgerson had the lone Shelby touchdown in the 4th quarter. Right now, Eureka's offensive and defensive lines are dominating the opposition. Offensive/Defensive tackles Owen Davis and Isaac Sturdevant as well as OG/DE Joe Fehr have been rock solid for the Lions. There are of course other players deserving of credit for the Lion's production but it starts with those three on both sides of the ball. Eureka's opponent will be the Whitehall Trojans, who took down the Ronan Chiefs, 40-26, to qualify for their first semifinal football game since 1982. Star QB Braden Larsen went 33/46 passing and amassed 512 yards of total offense (416 passing/96 rushing) with six passing touchdowns to lead the Trojans. WR/TE Andrew Simon caught 10 balls for 146 yards with two touchdowns, WR Wyatt Alexander hauled in 8 caches for 126 yards with two touchdowns, and WR Lane Buus had 7 catches for 96 yards & a touchdown to pace the high-flying Trojan offense, which piled up 588 yards. The game looked to be a blowout early as the Trojans jumped out to a 28-0 lead without about 5 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, but Ronan QB Kasey Mock got hot and led the Chiefs back to a 28-14 halftime deficit. Mock and the Chiefs kept that momentum going with two more scores in the 3rd quarter but missed extra points led to a 28-26 Whitehall lead entering the final frame. Larsen and his receivers closed the door by shutting down Ronan's comeback and scoring two touchdowns to make the final 40-26. Now on to the Eureka/Whitehall matchup. Currently, both teams have two dual-threat QB's (Graves and Larsen) playing really good football. Larsen is arguably one of the best passers in the state and Graves has had a tremendous junior season and playoffs thus far. Both can hurt you in or out of the pocket and both double as good defensive players. The area where Eureka has an advantage in this game is on the offensive and defensive line. Whitehall has some good players up front but Eureka has been dominating. However, Whitehall's defense has proved they can compete against a big offensive line, going up against Cut Bank's massive offensive front in the first round. I think this one comes down to which defense can stop the opposing team's passing game and you have to give the slight edge to Larsen based off what he has done all season. I do think Eureka has a better overall roster but this Whitehall team is dangerous with Larsen and his receivers. I know the same could've been said about Shelby's Aaron White and his receivers but this Whitehall offense also produces a solid ground game. On the flip side, Eureka QB Garrett Graves and his set of skill players (WR Austyn Sherwood, RB Cannan Smith, and RB Matt Anderson) also make up a dangerous group. Since their Week 3 loss to Shelby, Eureka's closest game was a 25-6 win over Bigfork. I think these two semifinal games are going to be outstanding and this one will be back and forth all day. Prediction: Whitehall wins 31-28.


"There's two times of year for me: Football season, and waiting for football season."

Bemiller49
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Re: 2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

Post by Bemiller49 » Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:03 pm

Sounds like you wouldn't be surprised if either game turned out the other way.



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VimSince03
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Re: 2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

Post by VimSince03 » Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:55 pm

Bemiller49 wrote:Sounds like you wouldn't be surprised if either game turned out the other way.
Not a bit.


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Bemiller49
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Re: 2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

Post by Bemiller49 » Sat Nov 12, 2016 8:41 pm

1 out of 2 aint bad



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Re: 2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

Post by VimSince03 » Sat Nov 12, 2016 8:44 pm

Bemiller49 wrote:1 out of 2 aint bad
Eureka is a scary football team right now.


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topey711
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Re: 2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

Post by topey711 » Sat Nov 12, 2016 10:49 pm

Eureka's stud line took over the game in the second half. I haven't seen Loyola in person this year, but judging by last year, Eureka's physicality could be the key to the game.



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Re: 2016 Class B Playoffs (Semifinals)

Post by VimSince03 » Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:54 am

topey711 wrote:Eureka's stud line took over the game in the second half. I haven't seen Loyola in person this year, but judging by last year, Eureka's physicality could be the key to the game.
Missoula Loyola is very physical as well. Its going to be a "who screws up first" game.


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