Titans roll over Choteau in opener, 52-16

DRUMMOND – The Flint Creek Titans opened the 2022 season the way they have every season since 2017, with a win. Like many others, it was a convincing 52-16 rout of the visiting Choteau Bulldogs at Drummond High School.

Prior to the game whispers of this being a close contest could be heard among some in attendance. But it didn’t take long for the Titans to squash the Bulldogs’ first series and find the end zone themselves.

Flint Creek quickly moved the ball down to the Choteau seven before senior Andrew Tallon found classmate Colt Parsons for a score. Tyler Burden added the PAT run and it was 8-0.

That score was all the locals would really need, but the Tallon-Parsons connection would strike twice more on the night with the QB adding a shot scoring toss to junior Trey Phillips as well. Tallon also scored on three runs for a total of seven scores on the night.

The lone touchdown that Tallon didn’t have a hand in was Burden’s 46 yard run late in the second quarter to put the Titans up 44-0.

When asked about the loss of a large senior class last year and the change of conferences, second year Head Coach Jason Ostler felt like his team was handling it all in stride.

“A new team you haven’t played against before, you don’t really know … It’s a new conference and so you don’t know all the teams. But we’re a real experienced team this year. We lost a lot but we have a lot of kids that have played a lot of football,” said Ostler.

Nathan Gunderson added a pair of rushing TDs in the fourth for Choteau, but it was too little too late.

The Titan defense was as staunch as ever, forcing the Bulldogs to punt time and again. Senior Reece Rigby had several tackles for loss in the first half to aid in that effort.

“It’s new, something I just got put on to,” said Rigby after the win. “It’s kind of new, something for me to learn. But I’m really liking it.”

Flint Creek will face a brand new foe in their franchise history in Week 2 as they travel a whopping 35 minutes down the road to Deer Lodge to face the Powell County Wardens.

“As good a road game as you’re gonna get,” laughed Ostler.

The Wardens played their first 8-man game Saturday as well, falling 76-0 to Seeley Swan.

SCORING

Choteau – 0/0/0/16 – 16

Flint Creek – 24/20/8/0 – 52

First Quarter

FC Tallon 7 yd pass to Parsons TD. Burden run.

FC Tallon 26 yd run TD. Burden Run.

FC Tallon 10 yd run TD. Burden run.

Second Quarter

FC Tallon 47 yd pass to Parsons TD. Tallon to Parsons pass.

FC Burden 46 yd run TD. Pass failed.