(Editor's note: Scores will be updated throughout Friday night.)
BILLINGS — No. 4 Billings West “drew” on some big second-half plays — from QB Drew McDowell to receiver Drew Humphrey — to get past longtime crosstown rival Billings Senior on Friday.
McDowell and Humphrey connected on two long passing touchdowns to help the Bears defeat the Broncs 34-21 at Wendy’s Field at Daylis Stadium.
The Broncs got the initial points on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Oakley to Trystin Chapel on fourth down to grab a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
That score held until 8:08 in the second quarter. That’s when McKalester Johns intercepted a pass and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown for West, and the Bears tied it 7-7.
The Broncs got back on top 13-7 with 2:14 left before halftime as Oakley and Chapel connected again, this time for a 17-yard touchdown. West cut into that, though, with a 37-yard field goal by Jacob Kauwe at the end of the quarter and it was 13-10 in favor of Senior at intermission.
Midway through the third, Senior’s B.B. Bergen scored on a 6-yard run to extend the lead to 19-10. Kauwe connected on another field goal with 2:36 left in the third, this time from 20 yards, to pull West within 19-13.
The Bears then took the lead 20-19 at the end of the third as Drew McDowell dumped a screen pass to Drew Humphrey, who took it 57 yards to the end zone. McDowell and Humphrey connected again in the fourth on West’s next possession, this time on an 85-yard pass to make the score 27-19.
West gave up a safety when a punt snap sailed high and out of the back of the end zone, pulling Senior within 27-21 with 3:08 left. But the Bears later added a 4-yard touchdown run by Malachi Claunch with 2:21 left to put the game away.
Other Class AA scores:
No. 1 Helena Capital 52, Missoula Hellgate 13 (Thursday, highlights below)
No. 2 Helena 34, Kalispell Flathead 7
No. 3 Missoula Sentinel 43, Missoula Big Sky 13 (Highlights below)
No. 5 Bozeman Gallatin 40, Belgrade 14 (Highlights below)
Bozeman 36, Great Falls CMR 11 (Highlights below)
Great Falls 38, Billings Skyview 8 (Thursday, highlights below)
Kalispell Glacier 55, Butte 41
