A GREAT Weekend for Great Falls!
It all started in Butte, America, Thursday night when the Montana Tech Orediggers defeated the Montana Western Bulldogs, 38-27, to kick off the 2025 Frontier Conference Football season.
What does that have to do with Great Falls you ask? Because it was former Great Falls Bison, Levi Torgerson, who led the charge for Tech when he took the opening kickoff 100 yards to the house for a Diggers touchdown. He would have another score on the ground and throw for one (just because), as no play was off the table in the Copper Game.
His performance was recognized by all who were there to see it, earning him Player of the Game honors! Not a bad start to the season for the Great Falls alum.
We then head up to the Flathead Valley on Friday Night for the Great Falls High Bison season opener against the Flathead Braves. One of the longer trips of the season for coach Tchida’s squad, and was unfortunately cut short due to severe weather.
The Bison jumped out to a 21-7 lead headed into the locker room at half time, but on their way inside, the coaches were informed there would be a 30 minute delay due to lightning in the area. 30 minutes turned into 3 HOURS as a storm system circled the area and ultimately the decision was made to call the game shortly after 10 PM.
Because a full half of the game was completed, this one will go into the books as a win for Great Falls High, in what was “maybe the weirdest game any of us have experienced,” shared Bison Head Coach, Coda Tchida.
The Bison will look forward to the comforts of home, (and hopefully the chance to play all 4 quarters) this Friday, when they return to Memorial Stadium for their home opener against the Missoula Big Sky Eagles. Kickoff is at 7 PM.
And finally, we come to Great Falls to finish up a great weekend of football at Memorial Stadium, where the C.M. Russell Rustlers were hosting the defending Class AA State Champions, the Helena Capital Bruins.
Although the Bruins graduated a large chunk of that championship team, and the Rustlers finally have seniors at just about every major position, the critics were skeptical if CMR could get the best of a reloading squad.
Early on, it looked like it was going to be a long night for the Rustlers when the Bruins scored two touchdowns in the first quarter on 4th down, thanks to the size and speed of senior running back, Brit Linder.
CMR was finally able to get some momentum on their side when quarterback Caleb Taylor improvised on a play near the goalie and ran it in himself to get the Rustlers on the board. Carrying that energy to the other end of the field, they thwarted a 3rd attempt to score on 4th down by Capital when LB, Chase Little, broke up a pass at the goal line.
Unfortunately, the Rustlers marched down field off the turnover on downs, and was stopped just shy of the endzone as time expired. Capital led 14-7 at the half.
Whatever momentum you thought CMR lost after coming up short at half-time, was quickly found again when Taylor connected with senior TE, Blake Herda, for a 55-yard bomb to tie it up.
The Rustlers defense, who was quiet early in the game, made a lot of noise in the second half as they were able to contain and ultimately shut down the Bruins offensive attack, including the ground game from Brit Linder.
Taylor would find Herda again on a quick pitch and catch for 6 to give CMR their first lead of the game. The Rustlers weren’t done there though, as they would march down the field one more time and finish the drive off with a Jentri Nelson rushing touchdown to give them a 14-point lead with 6:58 left in the game.
Capital looked to be on a mission to try and mount a comeback as they began their next drive an unlucky pass turned into a very lucky “tip drill” play as Gage Allen tipped the ball into the waiting hand of Damon Montano.
Sticking to the ground attack, CMR was able to work the clock and hold off the champs long enough for the Rustlers to line up in “Victory Formation” and cap off their home opener with an upset special, 28-14.
“I said I’d lay my body on the line and that’s exactly what I did to start off the scoring”, said quarterback Caleb Taylor. “Really set the tempo, and we just kept it going from there.”
The Rustlers will look to ride this big win energy as they hit the road to take on the Sentinel Spartans, Thursday, September 4th, in Missoula.
Author: Staff
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