Belgrade tops Miles City in defensive battle

BELGRADE - Belgrade's defense made a huge stand the opening drive of the game and needed just one score to defeat Miles City 7-0 in the first round of the Class A playoffs.

The Cowboys of the Eastern A were the defending state champions.

Miles City drove to the Panthers one-yard line during its first offensive series but got stopped on downs. The Cowboys turned the ball over four times, while Belgrade had two turnovers.

Belgrade's lone score was an 11-yard pass from Matt Thibault to Ty Diebold in the third quarter. Kyle Hunter kicked the extra point.

Miles City finished with 161 yards total offense, while Belgrade had 150.

Belgrade 7, Miles City 0

Miles City	0	0	0	0	-	0
Belgrade	0	0	7	0	-	7

Miles City (7-3) - Did not score.

Belgrade (6-4) - Ty Diebold 11 pass from Matt Thibault (Kyle Hunter kick).

Dillon 38, Ronan 0

DILLON - J.T. Linder threw for two scores and ran for another as Dillon ran roughshod over Ronan, 38-0, Saturday in Class A first-round playoff action.

Both teams turned the ball over four times, but the Beavers converted three of the gaffes into scores, and forced a running clock with 3:43 left in the third quarter.

Torrey Vezina led the defensive charge for Dillon with a sack for a safety along with four tackles for loss. The Beavers got an interception from Monte Folsom, while Cache King and Daniel Morstein recovered fumbles. Garrett Banning scooped up a Ronan fumble and returned it 30 yards for a score.

Linder led the Beavers with 16 carries for 63 yards, while Ronan's Xavier Morigeau notched 43 yards on 18 rushes.

Chief defenders Westyn Kiehn and Jack Humphreys each picked off a pass.

Dillon will play at Billings Central next Saturday.

Dillon 38, Ronan 0

Ronan	0	0	0	0	-	0
Dillon	0	17	21	0	-	38

Dillon - Torrey Vezina sacks Jackson Jore in end zone, safety, 9:51; Pete Walde 5 pass from J.T. Linder (Linder run), 7:00; Linder 1 run (Trevor Rehm kick), :35; Garrett Banning 30 fumble return (Rehm kick), 7:47; Toby Shepherd 5 run (Rehm kick), 5:12; Hunter Johnson 9 pass from Linder (Rehm kick), 3:43.

Rushing - Ronan: Xavier Morigeau 18-43, Jore 8-12, Lucus Black 7-6, Cory Hardy 7-5, R.J. Hesselgesser 1-(-3). Dillon: Sam Parke 10-32, Linder 16-63, Evan Helle 6-36, Ben Folsom 4-10, Zeke Koslosky 1-3, Garrett Altenburg 2-9, Jon Hand 1-1, team 3-(-14).

Passing - Ronan: Jore 5-11-1-63. Dillon: Linder 9-17-2-86, Folsom 0-1-0-0.

Receiving - Ronan: Matt Detwiler 2-30, Hardy 1-14, Westyn Kiehn 2-19. Dillon: Hunter Johnson 3-23, Toby Shepherd 2-25, Wes Knox 1-17, Pete Walde 2-16, Evan Helle 1-5.

Columbia Falls 15, Hamilton 8

COLUMBIA FALLS - John Woody rushed for 108 yards and Columbia Falls defeated Hamilton 15-8 in the first round of the Class A football playoffs Saturday.

Mitchell Wassum found Kaleb Johnson with an eight-yard touchdown pass in the final quarter for the winning score.

Columbia Falls 15, Hamilton 8

Hamilton	8	0	0	0	-	8
Columbia Falls	0	9	0	6	-	15

First Quarter

H - Hamilton tackled Kaleb Johnson in end zone, 2:55

H - Paul Donaldson 3 run, 1:20 (Kick blocked)

Second Quarter

CF - Mike Macijunas and Kyle Howell tackled Paul Donaldson in end zone, 9:25.

CF - Kyle Howell 10 pass from Mitchell Wassam (Wassam kick), 8:00.

Fourth Quarter

CF -Kaleb Johnson 8 pass from Wassam (Kick failed), 10:14.

Rushing - Hamilton, Cody Noffsinger 16-66, Paul Donaldson 14-64, Josh Brenneman 7-49. Columbia Falls, John Woody 29-108, Mitchell Wassam 6-13, Kaleb Johnson 5-6, Chris King 3-6 .

Passing - Hamilton, Josh Brenneman 9-27-3-0-70; Columbia Falls, Mitchell Wassam 9-20-0-2-110.

Receiving - Hamilton, Tyler Pigman 3-29, Eddy Anzo 3-18, Beau Maus 2-18, Paul Donaldson 1-5; Columbia Falls, Kaleb Johnson 4-42, Nathan Thompson 1-14, John Woody 1-30, Kyle Howell 1-10, Dustin VonFeldt 1-11, Chris King 1-3.

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