Blue Hawks make strides in loss to Three Forks

No one said it was going to be easy, or even fair.

Just one year removed from a state B-8 Montana football championship, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks were rewarded with a move “up” to 11-man football beginning this season.

It is a challenge and no doubt head coach Jared Koskela does not shy away from a challenge. Not even if not a single player on the team has ever played 11-man football.

Koskela knew the challenge and accepted it.

So just two games into the season, there are glimmers and glimpses that the Blue Hawks are beginning to adjust to the world of 11-man football, Saturday’s 30-8 road loss to Three Forks notwithstanding.

Unlike the first game, this one was knotted in a scoreless duel until the second quarter as the Hawks showed they can play defense in the 11-man realm.

The first score of the game came when Three Fork got on the scoreboard first via a 22-yard scoring pass that, together with a successful two-point after touchdown conversion gave the Wolves an 8-0 lead.

Before the second quarter ended, Thompson struck back when running back/quarterback Bryson LeCure punched into the Wolves end zone from one yard out. The Blue Hawks tacked on a two-point PAT of their own and after one half of 11-man football, this team was tied with Three Forks 8-8.

Progress is progress and this was progress in just one week.

It could be that the experience of going undefeated and winning the whole shebang last year could be a solid foundation to build on once the dramatic changes associated with adding three more players to each side of the line of scrimmage are fully grasped.

Three Forks added two more scores in the third quarter, one on a three-yard run and the other a 20-yard TD pass, and was successful in adding to it with two point conversions each time.

Three full quarters into the game and the score was Three Forks, which opened the season with a win over Red Lodge, up 24-8.

The T Falls defense then held the Wolves to a single six-yard scoring run the rest of the way.

And the Blue Hawks offense was showing signs of adapting to the increased complexity of adding three players to the mix as they racked up 190 total yards in a balanced fashion: 90 via passing and 100 on the ground.

Senior Eli Ratliff showed he can play at the next level via his 95 yards rushing on 25 carries. And three different members of the promising receiving corps caught passes, led by Jesse Claridge’s 44 yards.

On defense the Blue Hawks had two interceptions and recovered two fumbles as the defense also showed signs of grasping life in the 11-man lanes.

Thompson Falls will face another 11-man challenge this Friday when they play Shepherd on a neutral field in Butte.