The 8-Man football playoffs featured two teams showcasing their dominance in the quarterfinals Saturday and two others eking out thrilling wins.
Fort Benton and Scobey cruised to lopsided wins, while Drummond-Philipsburg and Circle won tight contests. The Titans won a back-and-forth affair with Belt, ultimately grabbing a 44-32 win. The Wildcats, meanwhile, scored a late touchdown to surge past Seeley-Swan for a 38-36 win.
The semifinals will pit Fort Benton at Scobey and Circle at Drummond-Philipsburg.
Fort Benton 44, Ennis 6
Fort Benton continued its dominant season Saturday, advancing to the 8-Man semifinals with a 44-6 win over Ennis.
The undefeated Longhorns, chasing their first state championship in more than two decades, set the tone early with a punishing ground game and opportunistic defense.
Senior quarterback and linebacker Truman Giese powered in a short touchdown on Fort Benton’s second drive, then watched as teammate Layne Wallace recovered a fumble in the end zone to make it 12-0. Ennis clawed back when Brandon Foss found Wyatt Williams for a 65-yard touchdown, but Giese responded before halftime, connecting with Brett Evans on a fourth-and-20 strike to put the Longhorns ahead 20-6.
After the break, Fort Benton pulled away behind a stellar all-around performance from Giese. The senior accounted for three rushing touchdowns, threw for another, and intercepted two passes. Cooper Ferris added a short touchdown run, while Evans capped the afternoon with a highlight-reel pick-6, leaping at the line of scrimmage and sprinting 29 yards to seal the 44-6 victory.
Other 8-Man quarterfinal scores:
Scobey 66, St. Regis 24
Drummond-Philipsburg 44, Belt 32
Circle 38, Seeley-Swan 36
