Blue Hawks seal opening win over Conrad

An interception with less than 15 seconds to play was the final act in a dramatic opening day football game between Thompson Falls and host Conrad this past Friday.

Thompson Falls, holding onto a hard-fought 48-45 lead as time was running out, picked off a Cowboys pass and ran out the clock on the bilateral explosive offensive show. 

The Blue Hawks, who beat Conrad in their opening last year, 20-14 at Previs Field in Thompson Falls, rallied from a 31-18 deficit at the half to ruin opening day for the second year in a row for the Cowboys. 

T Falls racked up 297 total yards of offense during the win, with 257 of those yards coming on the ground. 

Conrad opened the offensive onslaught on a 15-yard touchdown pass and a successful point after touchdown (PAT) kick, giving them a 7-0 lead. 

T Falls came right back, as Braedon Ferris took the ensuing kickoff back 60 yards for six.  The PAT try was no good, leaving Conrad with a 7-6 advantage. 

Before the first quarter came to a conclusion, the Blue Hawks scored again, this one a 14-yard TD run by senior Kaiden Robins.  A two-point PAT run attempt failed, but the Blue Hawks led 12-7 as the first quarter ended. 

Conrad erupted for three touchdowns in a row in the second quarter, scoring on runs of five and three yards, along with a 59-yard TD pass play. They also tacked on a 30-yard field goal to run their lead to 31-12. 

On the kickoff after the field goal, Robins raced 85 yards for a touchdown that cut the Cowboy lead to 31-18 at halftime. 

But he was not done. 

On the kickoff to open the second half, Robins duplicated his TD return from the end of the first half, out-running the Cowboy special team on his way to another 85-yard TD return.  Then, for the first time in the game, the Blue Hawks converted a two-point PAT conversion, pulling them within five points of the Cowboys, 31-28. 

Conrad was not done either. 

They took the kickoff following Robins second TD scamper 46 yards for a touchdown and kicked a PAT for good measure.  That score pushed their lead tp 38-26. 

Before the third quarter ended, T Falls QB Bryson LeCoure broke free on a 59-yard TD jaunt.  A successful, two-point PAT gave the Blue Hawks their first lead since the first quarter,40-38. 

Each team scored once in the fourth quarter.  Conrad cashed in on a 50-yard passing play to retake the lead at 45-40. 

Then, Robins scored his third touchdown of the game on an 18-yard run.  The PAT was good for two and Thompson Falls was back on top, 48-45. 

That would be the final score of the game, but the matter was in doubt until the Blue Hawks picked off a Cowboys ball that appeared to be tipped before being hauled in by LeCoure, allowing the Hawks to run out the clock on the next possession. 

LeCoure led all rushers with 141 yards on 14 carries.  Robins finished with 116 yards rushing on 12 attempts.  Robins also threw for 35 yards on 4-12 passing attempts. 

S. Burgess led all Blue Hawks tacklers with eight for the game, while Ferris had five. 

Next up for T Falls is a meeting this Friday night at Montana Tech in Butte with Joliet, which buried Wolf Point 45-0 in their season opener at home.