Blue Hawks slam Superior, 49-0, in battle of unbeatens

Sometimes things don’t go according to script, as was the case Friday night when the host Thompson Falls Blue Hawks football team blanked Superior 49-0 in a meeting of two unbeaten eight-man Montana playoff contenders.

Both teams entered the contest with unblemished 3-0 records and convincing romps in each of those wins.

The talk throughout the sports realms of Sanders and Mineral Counties was that this would be the game of the year and to a point it was.

But that “point” ended before the whistle brought the first quarter to a conclusion before a big crowd surrounding the field of play.

Standout junior quarterback Elijah Ratliff got things going early on in the first quarter when he broke free on a 33-yard touchdown run. Senior Nathan Schraeder kicked the extra point, his first of seven straight PAT kicks in the game, and the Blue Hawks held a 7-0 lead.

The stout TFalls defense quickly got the ball back for the offense and all-stater Trae Thilmony blasted through the Bobcats defense on his way to a 30-yard TD romp midway through the opening 12 minutes of play. Schraeder added his second PAT kick and the Blue Hawks were swiftly in front 14-0.

With the defense choking off another Superior drive, Thompson Falls delighted the home fans one more time before the first quarter was over, this time on another touchdown scamper by Ratliff that went for 35 yards. Another PAT kick and before the first bag of popcorn was spilled the second-ranked Blue Hawks were up 21-0.

Quarter number two was nearly a carbon copy of the opening frame, same results only the names had been changed. Not to protect the innocent, mind you, but to provide valuable playing time for the deep, talented Thompson Falls roster.

Senior running back Ryan Bucher kept the T Falls side of the scoreboard spinning when he capped another Blue Hawks drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Another PAT kick was good and before you could say “this could be a great game” again, the home team was off and flying with a 28-0 lead.

In what was heralded as a match-up between two top junior quarterbacks, and Superior’s Orion Plakke is in that conversation, Ratliff showed he can do more than run the ball.

Midway through the second quarter, Ratliff hooked up with 6-4 junior wide out Jesse Claridge for a 20-yard catch and run touchdown that upped the Blue Hawks’ lead to 35-0 when Schraeder drilled another successful kick.

With half the large crowd sitting in stunned silence, Ratliff closed out the first half scoring binge with a 25-yard scoring strike to senior tight end Erik Strom. Another TD, another PAT and the Blue Hawks jogged into the halftime break with a commanding 42-0 lead.

With the Mercy Rule clock running non-stop to help avoid further carnage, both teams came out defensive minded as the second half got underway.

And with reserves getting varsity experience that may come in handy when the playoffs roll around, neither team was able to put points on the board in the entirety of the third quarter.

In fact, a fourth quarter touchdown run by Schraeder, who then kicked his seventh successful point after touchdown of the game, was the only tally of the second half.

Game over, Thompson Falls 49, Superior 0. A head-scratcher for sure, but in retrospect not an unbelievable outcome given the early success enjoyed by the Blue Hawks. The shocker was what this game did to Superior’s scoring stats.

Thompson Falls came into the game averaging 49 points, while their defense had recorded one shutout in the first three games. The only school to score in double figures on the Blue Hawks so far this year has been the co-op St.

Regis/Mullan, Idaho team, which TFalls defeated 44-26 earlier in the season.

Superior entered the game with an eye-catching 58 points per game average and had twice scored more than 60 points against an opponent in the first three games.

Friday night the Blue Hawks offense managed to pile up 251 yards rushing against Superior’s young but aggressive defense. Thompson Falls amassed 316 yards of offense for the evening.

The Blue Hawks take their 4-0 record to Seeley-Swan this Friday for a 7 p.m. encounter with the Blackhawks. Superior meanwhile has a bye this weekend and a chance to regroup before hosting Flint Creek Friday, Oct. 1 in Superior.

The Bobcats are now 3-1 on the year.