Taking on its second ranked opponent in as many weeks, No. 1 Billings Central jumped up big and rolled to a 35-7 home victory over No. 3 Frenchtown on Friday.
Meanwhile, No. 2 Laurel, slowed by a lengthy lightning delay, cruised past Lockwood by a matching 35-7 margin, which sets up a 1-vs.-2 matchup of 3-0 squads next week between the Rams and Locomotives at Herb Klindt Field in Billings.
No. 4 Lewistown and No. 5 Hamilton also won Friday night as four ranked teams held serve.
Key Week 3 matchup: No. 1 Billings Central 35, No. 3 Frenchtown 7
Montana Grizzlies commit William Snell was the early catalyst for the top-ranked Rams. He caught a 15-yard touchdown from Howie Martin in the first quarter, then scored on a 75-yard run to put Central up two scores. Snell also had two first-half interceptions.
Ayden Salter stretched the lead to 21-0 with a 9-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter, and Michael Thomas and Kael Aldrich each found the end zone in the third as the defending-champion Rams strengthened their standing as the favorite in Class A.
Other Class A highlights:
No. 2 Laurel 35, Lockwood 7
After a lightning delay prior to kickoff, Curtis Fox rushed for a touchdown on the opening possession to give Laurel the lead. Later, Davin Graves hit Griffin Weisenberger with a touchdown pass off of play action to extend the advantage.
It was 14-7 at halftime, but the Locomotives reeled off 21 unanswered in the second half to pull away on homecoming.
Other scores:
No. 4 Lewistown 46, Glendive 20
No. 5 Hamilton 40, Libby 0
Butte Central 40, Ronan 0 (Thursday)
East Helena 40, Columbia Falls 8
Hardin-Lodge Grass 52, Browning 6
Havre 34, Miles City 28
Whitefish 45, Corvallis 0
