Titans run over, around Panthers in playoff opener

Photo by Brooks Phillips

PHILIPSBURG – Being billed a battle of No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, this opening round game of the MHSA 8-Man Football Playoffs should have been much closer.

But upon further inspection, it was anything but.

The Flint Creek Titans ran off 32 first-quarter points on their way to a 58-7 blowout of the Sheridan Panthers Saturday afternoon at Mungas Field in Philipsburg. The win extends the Titans’ season record to 8-0 and vaults them into the second round.

After holding the Panthers on their opening possession, Flint Creek went to work and wasted no time. Quarterback Andrew Tallon snapped off a 53-yard scoring run around the right side for the game’s first touchdown with Chase Goldade adding the two-point conversion.

A minute and a half later, Tyler Burden took a hand off from Tallon and carried it 55 yards for a score. Tallon hit receiver Avery Metesh for the conversion and the rout was on.

Sheridan faced a fourth and two on its next possession, opting for a fake punt that ultimately failed. It gave the Titans the ball in great field possession and was converted into points on the very next play when Tallon hit tight end Cooper Bradshaw over the middle for a 22-yards and a score.

Tallon added the finale score of the first quarter on another long run of 41 yards with Burden adding the PAT.

Flint Creek added two more scores on rushes by Metesh and Goldade to extend their lead to 44-0 at intermission.

Sheridan wasn’t any better after halftime, as Burden scored from 10 yards out and Tallon hit Metesh with a 41-yard scoring strike to close out the barrage.

The Panthers only score came late in the final period when Kole Hill hit Sawyer Anson with a 30-yard touchdown pass. Sheridan added a kick.

The only bad news from the game came the night before, when Fairview beat Chinook in an early first-round game 34-25 to advance to the second round. The Warriors will host the game against Flint Creek November 6, which is in northeastern Montana near the North Dakota border. That game will be on the NFHS Network.

SCORING

Sheridan - 0/0/0/7 - 7

Flint Creek - 32/12/14/0 - 58

FIRST QUARTER

7:46 FC Tallon 52 yd run TD. Goldade run.

6:05 FC Burden 55 yd run TD. Tallon to Metesh pass.

4:34 FC Tallon to Bradshaw 22 yd pass TD. Goldade run.

1:29 FC Tallon 41 yd run TD. Burden run.

SECOND QUARTER

11:22 Metesh 55 yd run TD. Run failed.

2:17 FC Goldade 2 yd run TD. Pass failed.

THIRD QUARTER