Miles City ends Butte Central's season

By The Montana Standard Staff - 11/02/2008

steve allison / miles city star Butte Central quarterback Andy Ritter picks up yardage on a keeper in the Maroons' playoff game at Miles City on Saturday. The Cowboys defeated BC 48-7 and will go to the quarterfinals next Saturday in Polson.

MILES CITY — Brennan Haughian scored two touchdowns while running for 218 yards on 10 carries in No. 2-ranked Miles City's 48-7 first-round win over Butte Central Saturday in the state Class A high school football playoffs.

The Cowboys gave up the game's first touchdown and then scored the next 48 points to book a trip to Polson next Saturday in the

quarterfinals.

Miles City, playing on its home Denton Field grass, powered its way to 399 yards total yards, of which 371 was gained on the ground. "They are a good team," Butte Central head coach Don Peoples Jr. said.

"We came out on fire, probably the best start to a game of our season. We put a score on the board in the first quarter.

"They responded to tie it up. Then we both had possessions and they came down and punched another one in."

The Maroons did take first possession in the game and sophomore quarterback Andy Ritter found senior receiver Casey Norbeck for a 37-yard pass play that gave BC the first lead of the game. Nathaniel Loomis' extra-point kick made it a 7-0 difference.

But Haughian broke a 67-yard touchdown run and then, changes of possession later, Hayden Kalfell ran a punt back 42 yards for the second Cowboys' score and the home team had a lead it would not relinquish.

"Then we had, like we've had some times before this season, a three-minute stretch where we ourselves," Peoples said. "We had a third-and-long on them and the defense tightened up, and they went on a draw play to score. Then, on the kickoff, the ball died on about the 18-yard line and our kids thought it went out of bounds. It didn't and they recovered."

The Cowboys led 34-7 at halftime. Quarterback Jordan Bryant connected with Kyle Stanton on a short scoring toss, Haughian broke the 58-yard draw play and Cord Berg tallied on a 7-yard run.

Then, Miles City started the second half with Kalfell running the kickoff all the way back, 85 yards, for the touchdown.

"I think our kids played hard," Peoples said. "Miles City is a very good football team. Mistakes that occurred are ones that can't happen in playoff football, especially against a very good team like Miles City."

It was a very warm November game. Peoples said the game-time temperature was reported to be 74 degrees and he said three BC starters came off the field dehydrated and vomiting during the game.

Butte Central gained 188 yards for the game with 130 accomplished through the air. Ritter completed 13 of 23 throws. The quarterback was also the Maroons' leading rusher with 33 yards on 11 keepers. Jonathan Richards had 25 yards on 14 carries.

Norbeck caught five passes for 56 yards, Richards had two receptions for 38 yards and Phil Antonioli snared three aerials for 25 yards.

"The loss is kind of disappointing, but our coaches came out with an excellent gameplan and we put points on the board early, and made some stops on defense," Peoples said. "They (the Cowboys) made some plays, but we hurt ourselves. Miles City, though, is a legit team."

The teams met two years ago in Butte when many of this year's Miles City team members played as sophomores. The BC squad came out ahead. The 2008 Butte Central team was the younger side in this year's game and Peoples said the experience should prove beneficial down the road.

"It gave our young kids a taste of where we need to be and the level we need to grow to," he said. "That's a positive. Hopefully, it will be a great motivator for the offseason. They got to see how big and physical these teams we play against are.

"Miles City had a similar day in Butte two years ago and it benefited them today. We have to make it the same kind of experience for our kids."

The game was the last for Maroons seniors Norbeck, D.J. Lewis, Eric DiGiovine and Gene Taylor.

"Congratulations to the four senior kids who contributed a lot to our program," Peoples said. "They were part of a lot of victories over the last four years. They were really emotional after the game and showed how much Butte Central football meant to them. I'm really proud of them."

The Maroons were in the playoffs for the eighth straight year for the 16th time during Peoples' 20-year tenure. They were the No. 3 seeds in the Central A Conference this season and wrapped up a 4-6 campaign on Saturday.

Miles City will take on 9-1 record into the quarterfinals.

Butte Central 7 0 0 0 - 7

Miles City 13 21 14 0 - 48

First Quarter

BC — Casey Norbeck 37 pass from Andy Ritter (Nathaniel Loomis kick), 4:52.

MC — Brennan Haughian 67 run (Jimmy Harding kick), 4:32

MC — Hayden Kalfell 42 punt return (kick failed), 2:21

Second Quarter

MC — Kyle Stanton 6 pass from Jordan Bryant (pass failed), 6:13

MC — Haughian 58 run (Kalfell pass from Bryant), 1:28

MC — Cord Berg 7 run (Harding kick), 1:16

Third Quarter

MC — Kalfell 85 kickoff return (Donnie Martin kick), 11:47

MC — Berg 35 run (Martin kick), 10:18

Fourth Quarter

No scoring

MC BC

First downs 11 10

Rushes-yards 38-371 25-58

Passes 4-7-1 13-23-2

Passing yards 28 130

Total yards 45-399 48-188

Penalties-yards 654 5-40

Individual Statistics

RUSHING — Miles City, Brennan Haughian 10-218, Logan Klanke 9-59, Cord Berg 5-47, Shane Cooley 6-24, Jordan Bryant 3-16, Jimmy Harding 2-3, D.J. Cook 2-2, Casey Makor 1-2. Butte Central, Andy Ritter 11-33, Jonathan Richards 14-25.

PASSING — Miles City, Bryant 4-7-1-28. Butte Central, Ritter 13-23-2-130.

RECEIVING — Miles City, Haughian 1-9, Berg 1-7, Kyle Stanton 1-6, Hayden Kalfell 1-6. Butte Central, Casey Norbeck 5-56, Jonathan Richards 2-38, Phil Antonioli 3-25, Gene Taylor 2-13, Orrin Fenwick 1-(-2).