FAIRFIELD -- The Northern B once again goes through Fairfield.
Miguel Perez scored a go-ahead, eventual game-winning touchdown with under three minutes to play on Friday, as Fairfield defeated Glasgow 14-8 to clinch another Northern B football championship, this time under first-year head coach Greg Misner.
Tied 8-all at halftime, the two teams played a defensive chess match in the second half, hoping for an offensive breakthrough as the snowfall worsened throughout the evening.
That's when Perez broke through.
The Eagles' running back found the end zone on a 30-yard touchdown run, giving Fairfield the lead and a No. 1 seed in the upcoming Class B football playoffs. Glasgow will enter the postseason as the No. 3 seed after Malta's 34-0 outcome against Cut Bank on Friday night. The Mustangs will be the North's second seed, and Conrad will be the fourth and final seed from the North.
Fairfield got the scoring rolling on Friday night, as Guidry Giles connected with Gavin Mills for a 40-yard touchdown pass. The ensuing two-point conversion put the Eagles in front 8-0 after the opening quarter.
But Glasgow answered in the waning moments of the first half, with Dylan Nieskens crossing the goal line as time expired to put the Scotties on the board. They, too, were successful on the two-point try, sending the teams to the locker room knotted at 8-8.
Weather was certainly a factor, particularly in the second half, while each team took turns trying to break the tie, with Perez eventually giving the Eagles the advantage, though Fairfield was unsuccessful tacking on points after the touchdown.
That left the Scotties needing a score and extra point to earn the win, but Glasgow turned the ball over on downs with 1:20 remaining, seemingly sealing the game for the Eagles. But Fairfield fumbled 18 seconds later to give the Scotties the ball back and momentum.
The Scotties eventually moved into the red zone, but Fairfield intercepted an attempt in the end zone as time expired, giving the Eagles the Northern B crown.
Fairfield (5-1 overall, 4-0 Northern B) will meet the No. 4 seed from the Western B in the opening round of the playoffs. Entering the week, Missoula Loyola and Anaconda were each winless in the league.
Glasgow falls to 7-2, 4-2 and will go on the road for the opening round of the playoffs, facing Eureka. The Lions defeated Bigfork on Friday to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Western B. Florence already clinched the league's top seed in the playoffs, and Bigfork will be the West's third seed.
Class B football scores
(Scroll through the above videos for game highlights)
Colstrip 26, Baker 6
Eureka 28, Bigfork 0
Fairfield 14, Glasgow 8
Malta 34, Cut Bank 0
Manhattan 24, Jefferson 13
Red Lodge 40, Shepherd 14
Townsend 38, Columbus 6
Whitehall 14, Big Timber 6
