DRUMMOND — When you play the Flint Creek Titans, you feel it.
Flint Creek, the football co-op of Drummond and Philipsburg, plays a physical, hard-hitting brand of football.
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"Always be the hammer not the nail, that's something we've been taught," said Flint Creek's Michael Goettle, a senior wide receiver and defensive back. "I mean, hell, most of us have been playing together since about fifth grade, and we've just been taught that ever since.
"When we were younger, we were all the always the underdog, so if we wanted to win, we always had to fight for it," added Flint Creek offensive lineman and linebacker Archer Radtke. "So now that we're as big or bigger than some of these kids, it's just second nature to just hit hard, and just we never want to just hit soft."
To make matters worse for opponents, these Titans are motivated by anger after coming up short in last year's championship game in Scobey.
"We had pictures everywhere about that state game, just having a memory, and we just had so much hate built up and were just ready to let it loose," Goettle said.
"Everyone agreed that we were going to have to try better and just work, put the work in in the offseason and just get it done," Radtke said.
They're reaping the rewards now. Flint Creek, which has reached the 8-Man playoffs every year since 2014, breezed through the regular season undefeated. The Titans defeated Forsyth 68-8 in the first round of the playoffs, and last week's 44-26 quarterfinal win over Fort Benton was their most competitive game of the season.
"We worked all last year, all four years to get here," Flint Creek offensive and defensive lineman Asa Lattin said. "All these practices, we got our scout team guys out there giving our best every week. So rolling through the regular season is good and all, but those practices are where we get this done."
For the 14 seniors on this team, they were hoping for redemption against Scobey. Instead, they get to host Chinook this week after the Sugarbeeters eliminated Scobey in last week's quarterfinals. Flint Creek and Chinook are scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday in Philipsburg.
If the Titans win that semifinal game, they would also host the state title game on Nov. 21 in front of their home communities.
"It's absolutely huge," Lattin said of the community support. "We got double the fans. You know, just all the parents, everybody comes out and supports. Like, no matter if they're related or not, everybody's out here."
Added Radtke: "It's amazing. It feels like everyone's on your back, which is kind of stressful. But also it feels real good because everyone looks up to you. All the little kids look up to you, and you're all the stories that the town tells for the week."
Two more games and those stories will last a lot longer than a week.
