Choteau uses third quarter barrage to defeat Titans

CHOTEAU – “Sometime you need to get punched in the mouth to get your head outta your butt,” said FC Head Coach Jason Ostler.

And punched in the mouth is exactly what the Choteau Bulldogs did to the Flint Creek Titans Friday night as they claimed a 20-6 victory.

The two squads played dead even through most of the first period until Eric Pitcher stepped in front of a Cole Wood pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. The point after failed, but Flint Creek held a 6-0 lead that would last through halftime.

But Bulldog Head Coach Lucas Gunderson made some adjustments during the break that paid off big in the third quarter.

After the Titans stalled on their initial drive of the half, Roan Stott snapped off a 60-yard scoring run on Choteau’s first play. Bowen Rappold added the PAT run and the Bulldogs lead 8-6.

The Titans got only to midfield on their next drive before turning the ball over on downs. One player later Nathan Gunderson went for 39 yards on a cut back run that gave the home team a 14-6 margin. And just before the period ended, Gunderson added a 60-yard TD run that made the lead 20-6.

“We got into some alignment misalignments a few times where we just weren’t where we needed to be,” Observed Ostler. “Once they saw it, it just didn’t take much to expose it.

“Coming back with seven new starters on both sides of the ball … We have some guys that are good enough. We just aren’t executing what we need to get done.”

For all that seemed to go wrong in the defeat, there were some bright spots. Kadin Graveley was 16-for-27 passing for 166 yards, 128 of those going to senior Trey Phillips on seven catches. Logan Hauptman also piled up 109 rushing yards on 24 attempts while Austin Knoeller had a team best eight tackles, two assists and one for a loss.

Flint Creek must now find a way to rebound as they stay on the road this week at Lone Peak. The Big Horns are 1-1 on the year and are 0-2 against the Titans lifetime.

SCORING

Flint Creek – 6/0/0/0 - 6

Choteau – 0/0/20/0 - 20

FIRST QUARTER

0:16 FC Pitcher interception return 44 yds TD. Run failed.

SECOND QUARTER

n/a

THIRD QUARTER

9:19 CH Stott 60 Yd run TD. Rappold run.

5:46 CH Gunderson 39 yd run TD. Pass failed.

0:38 CH Gunderson 60 yd run TD. Run failed.

FOURTH QUARTER

n/a

NOTEBOOK – The loss drops Flint Creek to 1-1 on the year. It is the first time since 2019 that the Titans have not been above .500. That year they finished 7-4. … Friday’s loss to Choteau is the first in team history. Previously Flint Creek had defeated the Bulldogs 50-14 in 2018 and 50-16 in 2022, both at home.