Blue Hawks earn No. 4 seed in playoffs

The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks football team completed their third regular season among the ranks of Class B-11 player schools with a 23-0 win over the Whitehall Trojans Friday night in T Falls. 

Perhaps fittingly, a pair of seniors led the way for the Blue Hawks as they captured their third win of the season the “big boys” classification. 

The win helped T Falls secure the Western Conference fourth seed and a meeting this weekend versus Malta, who come into the game with a 9-0 ranking and is the number one seed out of the North. 

Running back/quarterbacks Bryon LeCoure and Kaiden Robins had a hand in all three T Falls touchdowns against the Trojans, who ended their season without a victory. 

 Both seniors have played all three years at the new level and were freshmen when the Blue Hawks won the State B-eight-player championship in 2021. 

Following a scoreless first half, Robins got the Blue Hawks on the scoreboard first with a drive-capping, three-yard plunge into the Whitehall end zone. Another of those seniors, Noa Stevens ran in the two-point after touchdown (PAT) attempt, staking the home team to an 8-0 lead. 

In the opening moments of the fourth quarter, after the T Falls defense had once again smothered a Trojan drive that concluded with a punt, LeCoure took a hand-off from Robins, split through the Whitehall defense and sprinted down the left sideline on his way to a 56-yard touchdown run.  A successful two-point PAT run lifted T Falls to a 16-0 lead. 

Before the clock struck zero, Robins put the finishing touches on the Blue Hawks’ win via a 10-yard touchdown jaunt, increasing the T Falls advantage to 22-0.  Robins then kicked a one-point PAT to produce the game’s final score, 23-0. 

The win gave T Falls a 3-6 overall record for the season and a 2-3 Western B mark.  Florence-Carlton won the conference with a 5-0 league record, while Missoula Loyola was second at 4-1 and Eureka was third with a 3-2 conference record. 

The loss dropped Whitehall to 0-9 on the year and 0-5 in 7B play. 

Thompson had a 257-230 total yardage edge over the Trojans for the game, as the visitors were hampered by four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions).  The Trojans were also flagged for 53 yards on seven penalties, often at crucial times in the game. 

LeCoure closed out his high school football career with a game-best 120 yards rushing on 13 carries.  Robins added 99 yards on 15 carries for the Blue Hawks. 

LeCoure also had an outstanding game on defense, leading the team with eight tackles, including three sacks and three tackles for loss.  Senior linebacker Bryson McCormick chipped in six tackles and six assists for T Falls. 

    Senior running back Kaiden Robins breaks outside on a long run during Thompson Falls game with Whitehall Friday night in T Falls.  (Photo by Tracy Scott)