Thompson Falls football team keeps rolling

By CHUCK BANDEL

Valley Press

The Blue Hawk football machine keeps rolling along.

Latest victim: the homestanding Arlee Warriors.

Thompson Falls used a balanced passing and ground attack Friday to route Arlee 52-0, the team’s fourth shutout win in a row.

Senior quarterback Roman Sparks got the Blue Hawks off to a swift start when he scored on a keeper from six yards out on the opening drive. A successful two-point after conversion run gave Thompson Falls an 8-0 lead with 9:26 to play in the initial quarter.

As it turned out, that was all the scoring the Blue Hawks would need as their increasingly stingy defense clamped down on the hosts throughout the game. Since giving up 32 points to St. Ignatius in their season-opening 38-32 win, Thompson Falls has not allowed opponents to score.

This night was another stellar defensive effort, paced by the 10 tackles recorded by senior Lucas Andersen, five of which were solo takedowns. Junior Trae Thilmony added eight tackles while two other Blue Hawks had seven each. The defense also had three sacks on the night.

Meanwhile, Sparks and the offense were in full flight against the outmanned Warriors. Sparks scored his second touchdown of the first quarter with just under four minutes remaining as the Blue Hawks raced to a 22-0 first quarter lead.

By halftime the score was 36-0 in favor of Thompson Falls and the 35-point mercy rule that keeps the clock running non-stop except for changes of possession was put in play.

In addition to Sparks pair of scores, Thompson Falls got two touchdown nights from senior running back Kade Pardee and Andersen.

Thilmony added a second half touchdown, scoring on a one-yard plunge midway through the final quarter.

Andersen scored once on the ground and once on a spectacular 70-yard pass play from Sparks. Pardee ran for an 11 score and hauled in a 25-yard scoring strike from Sparks in the third quarter. For the game, Pardee finished with 168 total all-purpose yards, while Andersen wracked up 99 receiving yards on just two catches.

For the game, Thompson Falls ran for 228 total yards, with Pardee gobbling up 89 yards to lead the rushing assault. The Blue Hawks also had 120 yards passing, all by Sparks.

The win boosted Thompson Falls to 5-0 on the season heading into their Friday evening home game against Sanders County rival Plains.