The Bobcat Nation

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

Dillon at Columbia Falls - 1:00 PM, Saturday, 11/19

Dillon Key Players: QB/SS Troy Anndersen, RB/MLB R.J. Fitzgerald, OT/DE Eric James, OL/MLB Todd Nordahl, WR/DB Carson Hritsco, WR/DB Gabe Hupp, RB/OLB Tory Walker, OL/DT Cordell McGinley, RB/LB Graden Greenslade

Columbia Falls Key Players: QB Dakota Bridwell, WR/MLB Trevor Hoerner, WR/CB Sean Miller, WR/OLB Braxton Reiten, FB/DE Logan Kolodejchuck, TE/OLB Steven DeCamp, OL/DE Jared Reynolds, OG/DT Zak Kerlin, OT/DE Kade Johnstone

In Class A, the Dillon Beavers will return to their sixth consecutive state title game after they took care of business against a bitter rival in Billings Central, 33-14. Like he has all season, Dillon QB Troy Andersen willed his team to a victory with 145 yards rushing, four rushing touchdowns, and 88 yards passing. But this one was all defense in the first half. Andersen ran in his first touchdown of the night in the 1st quarter to make it 7-0 and that is where the score stayed until halftime. The Beavers' defense held Billings Central to just 16 plays and 73 total yards in the first half as the Rams' rushing attack was completely shut down, finishing with 40 yards rushing on the night. In the 3rd quarter, Dillon's rushing offense really got going as Andersen rushed for two of his rushing touchdowns on the first and last drive of the quarter to move the score to 21-0. In the 4th, Billings Central did respond as they started to throw the football with good production from QB Jet Campbell, who finished with an efficient 20-26 for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Campbell hit RB Ben Voss for an 18-yard score at the beginning of the 4th quarter to make it 21-7 Beavers. On the next possession, Dillon got aggressive from their own 40-yard line. Facing a 4th-and-1, Dillon put the ball in their QB's hands as Troy Andersen rushed up the middle (breaking tackles along the way) and hit the edge going 60 yards for a touchdown. Troy's breakaway speed helped him outrace two defensive backs on the play. That score put Dillon up 27-7 with about eight minutes to play. Dillon's Jamey Richardson returned a Billings Central fumble 45 yards for a touchdown and Ram QB Jet Campbell hit WR Chrishon Dixon for a 63-yard pass to finish off the scoring in an already decided game. Dillon finished with 367 yards rushing as RB Graden Greenslade rushed for a game-high 166 yards to go along with Andersen's 145 yards. Billings Central found success throwing the ball in the second half but if you can hold a Rams rushing attack to 40 yards, you have a very good chance to win that game as that does not happen very often.

In the other semifinal matchup, I predicted a 20+ point Columbia Falls victory and that is what happened as the Wildcats beat the Belgrade Panthers, 38-7. In the pregame, I stated, "If Columbia Falls finds success on offense, Belgrade will not be built to keep up. Plain and simple." That wasn't really a bold prediction as Belgrade was without their starting QB in this game and even Dillon's defense gave up 28 points to the Wildcat offense. QB Dakota Bridwell got things started quickly with two 1st quarter touchdown passes to WR Sean Miller (43 yards) and WR Bryce Fagerland (76 yards). Early in the 2nd quarter, Belgrade found some life as WR Trey Mounts ran in a 13-yard touchdown to make the score 14-7. But that is all the closer Belgrade would get. Bridwell threw a 43-yard touchdown to WR Braxton Reiten and K Brandon Karberg added a field goal as C-Falls took a 24-7 lead into halftime. Bridwell added two more touchdown throws in the second half, hitting Sean Miller for a 39-yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter and Braxton Reiten for a 17-yard score in the 4th. Belgrade actually did a good job limiting Bridwell to only 13/38 passing but five of those throws went for touchdowns and the 13 completions accumulated 360 yards. You have to take away the big play against Columbia Falls and you can't get down to them early. Great season for Belgrade but Columbia Falls deserves to be in the championship game. They have so much talent on offense and defense. The Wildcats will be playing in their first state championship game since 1970. Also to note, QB Dakota Bridwell has 47 touchdown passes in 2016, most in Montana High School history in one season.

The title game will be a rematch of a Week 6 Dillon vs. Columbia Falls game where the Wildcats upset the Beavers 28-21 in Columbia Falls. In that game, Dillon got up early with two 1st quarter touchdowns taking a 14-0 lead. Bridwell would return the favor early in the 2nd quarter but Troy Andersen threw his second touchdown pass on the next possession, making it 21-7. But then the play of the game happened on the ensuing kickoff as Braxton Reiten took one 87 yards to pay dirt. The Wildcats found momentum after that and tied it at 21-all going into halftime. Columbia Falls would dominate defensively in the second half, shutting out the Beaver offense. Bridwell and the offense would score one more touchdown and miss a game-clinching field goal but still pull out the victory by intercepting Andersen on the final comeback drive. Anyway, the key to Dillon in this game will be to get up early and make C-Falls earn it on long drives with no explosive plays. The key for Columbia Falls will be to test the Dillon secondary, force the Beavers to play their style (up-tempo), and get a few turnovers (Andersen is not a great thrower at QB). Once Dillon gets their rushing attack rolling, they are almost impossible to stop but the same could be said for Columbia Falls and their passing game. Prediction: Dillon wins 35-24.

Hats off for the prediction. I figured you were right, but I was hoping for something of a miracle...which is not a great gameplan.

Losing our QB was a two edged sword, and, like most such losses, caused a domino effect. Losing Zack put one of our best blockers at the QB position, and, in order to have some unpredictability in the run game, put VW in a lead blocking role more than usual for the fly sweeps and QB runs. Columbia Falls' DLine owned the middle and we couldn't sustain blocks long enough to get to the outside.

Williams is a fiery and physical presence (and a great kid) but a QB he's not. Against lesser teams, he's serviceable but not against the caliber of CF. Felt very bad for him for having to assume that role; the passing game was a turnover waiting to happen, and I think Jamel barely completed more passes to Belgrade than to CF.

Again, not his fault, just unfortunate.

The other "edge" of losing Zack was that he was also one of our starting S. Domino effect there as well, as not only did it necessitate playing inexperience in the secondary against a sniper disguised as a QB but forced Belgrade's D to bring pressure nearly every down, which took a physical toll that just got worse and worse as the game went along. Early on, Belgrade was still within 7 (I think) when the staff understandably took Williams, Blewitt, and VW out for a defensive series so as not to exhaust them; CF took only 3 plays to score.

I take nothing away from CF. They are a fine football team and, like Hamilton before them, their interior just bludgeoned us with their size and physicality. (My goodness, they have a 306 lb SOPHOMORE lineman on the roster ) And, of course, our secondary was overmatched against their receiving corp. Still, I would have liked to see the game played with Zack healthy; I think we lose that game 6 or 7 times out of 10 but without him, we'd lose it every time.

I didn't know who Troy Anderson was until last track season. My son placed 6th in the 100 and 200, but, it was hard not to watch Anderson run...Good night, what a combination of size and speed. Bridwell was able to avoid pressure better than I expected for his size, and if he has time, he'll make you pay; it'll be a great game. I asked my son if he wanted to go watch the Championship, as I'd love to see it, but, for some reason he "...didn't want to go watch a game he could have been playing."

I've grown to really enjoy HS football, even more than when I played

One other thing, my son's received several invites for official visits in the last few days, and, in looking up some info, I saw that there have been reports that Carroll had plans to go NCAA DII...Is that true or rumor or planned or scuttled?...While I found the articles and boards saying they were going to do it, I couldn't find any follow-up information.

Appreciate any help...And, again, thanks for the great write-ups.

Haven't heard much about Carroll moving up to D-2 lately. Unless they could bring a few other Frontier members with them I think it would be very expensive move because there aren't any other D-2 schools anywhere close. MSUB somehow makes it work in the far flung GNAC, but without a football team. Perhaps posting the question on the College Sports board would generate more discussion.

Anyway, congrats to the Belgrade Panthers on a nice season. I would love to see them get a State A football title before they have to move up to AA-which I've heard will happen in 2019 or 2020. It seems like Belgrade always has lots of speed, but they always lack the needed size in the trenches. What is Dillon's secret? They are far from the biggest Class A school-but they sure know how to make football players.

Thanks...I might do that. Glad it wasn't just my lack of Google skills not turning up an answer

That's right around the timeframe I've heard for a move up to AA (actually, '19 is what I remember hearing). And, you're right: Size- and depth- across the board hurt Belgrade this year. There are some fine underclassmen and returning starters next year but a few positions are kind of bare, at least right now.

Dillon...I was talking about them to some others a couple days ago. Something in the water down there, because they don't seem to ever lack an abundance of all-around athletes. Went to son's basketball game there last year, and they didn't sub players; they subbed entire teams. Seem to have more than their fair share of good wrestlers, too.

Thanks again for the response.

Dillon produces football robots. They are trained to play with great technique and intensity. It's just a ridiculously successful program.

VimSince03 wrote:Dillon produces football robots. They are trained to play with great technique and intensity. It's just a ridiculously successful program.

Dillon is ranch country.
Each spring they implant Ralgrow into their kids while they're implanting the calves.
Makes them all quite beefy.

NorthernPlains wrote:

VimSince03 wrote:Dillon produces football robots. They are trained to play with great technique and intensity. It's just a ridiculously successful program.

Dillon is ranch country.
Each spring they implant Ralgrow into their kids while they're implanting the calves.
Makes them all quite beefy.