Horsemen fall to Vikings

A slew of injuries and a number of penalties were the difference on Friday as Plains fell to Bigfork 42-7 on Friday in their conference opener. The loss drops the hosting Savage Horsemen to 0-3, while the visiting Vikings advance to 2-1, having not lost since their season opener versus Loyola.

“It seemed like every time we had a good play it got called back, and that kind of stuff you just can’t have happen when you’re playing someone as good as Bigfork,” Savage Horsemen head coach Jim Lawson said.

The Vikings looked like the team that was picked by many to win the conference this year.

Senior running back Travis Knoll ran wild for three touchdowns and gained 161 of his team’s 218 rushing yards on 11 carries, while Christian Ker proved why he was an All-Conference honorable mention last season by tossing for 98 yards, and a pair of scores.

“I don’t even know what to say.  They were just a bigger, stronger, faster team,” Lawson said. “They’re just good. I think everybody is going to have their hands full with them.”

The only touchdown scored by the Savage Horsemen came midway through the fourth quarter as Carson Lilja found Trevor Brass in the back of the end-zone, completing a two yard touchdown toss.

Several Savage Horsemen playmakers were hobbled by injury during the contest.

Senior full-back Cody Hoff, and wide receiver Tanner Ostrum played despite nagging ankle injuries.

Perhaps the game’s most dramatic moment was when Plain’s quarterback Carson Lilja was slow to get up after a ferocious hit injured his wrist in the closing seconds of the first half.

“I thought he got the wind knocked out of him at first,” Lawson said. “He was actually able to shake it off after half-time, and I don’t think there was any damage done.”

The Savage Horsemen will take the field again on Friday kicking off a three-game road trip as they face Troy at 7 p.m. The Trojans defeated St. Ignatius 40-21 in their conference opener last week.

“We had kind of a tough schedule early on, but I think that makes you better,” Lawson said of his team’s slow start. “We’re still just trying to take one game at a time and focus in on Troy right now.”