In what can be considered the first true high-stakes game in East Helena program history, the Vigilantes answered the call to clinch their first-ever Class A home playoff game.
Leo Longcake scored rushed for five touchdowns as East Helena took advantage of three first-half turnovers on the way to a 42-6 victory over division rival and No. 4-ranked Lewistown. EHHS, which opened its doors in the fall of 2020, finished the regular season with a 7-2 overall record and claimed the No. 2 seed from the Central.
Lewistown ended the regular season 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the league. The Eagles will be the No. 3 seed in the playoffs from the Central. Laurel, the division winner, routed Havre 49-13 on Friday.
Key Week 9 matchup: East Helena 42, No. 4 Lewistown 6
Takeaways were the key to East Helena's first-half surge, and they paved the way for a watershed victory.
Two first-quarter turnovers by the Eagles — an interception and a fumble — helped set up a pair of Longcake touchdown runs as East Helena built a 14-0 lead. After stopping Lewistown on fourth down, Parker Taylor hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass as the advantage grew to 21-0.
Two more short TD runs by Longcake gave the Vigilantes a 34-0 advantage before halftime. Longcake added another rushing TD in the third as the lead ballooned to 42-0.
Other Class A highlights:
No. 3 Laurel 49, Havre 13
Butte Central 38, Dillon 27
Other scores:
No. 1 Billings Central 67, Glendive 13
No. 2 Frenchtown 48, Ronan 8
No. 5 Hamilton 53, Corvallis 3
Columbia Falls 50, Libby 26
Livingston 35, Browning 20
Lockwood 47, Miles City 32
Polson 48, Ronan 8
Sidney 39, Hardin 16
Whitefish 22, Bigfork 21
