Defense rules the day as Titans win playoff opener over Circle

DRUMMOND – They say defense wins championships.

For the Titans, it got them at least a first-round win.

Flint Creek found that to be true Saturday as their defense came up with four big fourth-down stands, leading to a 28-14 win over the Circle Wildcats. The game was a first-round matchup in the MHSA 8-Man Football Postseason and propels the Titans into a second-round home game against Chinook next Saturday in Philipsburg.

The Sugarbeeters upset the West’s top seed Valley Christian in Missoula, 40-24, in their first-round game.

The Titans deferred after winning the coin toss and kicked off to the Wildcats. Circle was unable to move the ball effectively, stalling on Flint Creek’s 20-yard line and turning the ball over there on downs.

The Titans used one of their patented offensive ground attacks all the way to the Circle two before Logan Hauptman pounded it in for the score and a 6-0 lead.

The second quarter saw Flint Creek with the ball again, but this time quarterback Jake Dauenhauer found Eric Pitcher of a 45-yard scoring strike. The ball had been under-thrown and Pitcher made a great move to come back and get before fighting off a defender and scampering in for the score.

That seemed to spark Circle, as they started varying their attack with a variety of runs and passes. They got as far as the Titan six before the locals’ defense showed up again. They held on a fourth and goal from the six to set the offense up for another score.

A few plays into the drive, Hauptman ran right, shook s few tackles, and then cut back to his left on his way to a 70-yard touchdown. Dauenhauer hit Kadin Graveley with the conversion pass and Flint Creek led at halftime, 20-0.

But the Wildcats owned the third period, posting two scores to bring the game closer at 20-14. Circle QB Owen Beery hit Kashus Ereaux with a 27 TD pass and Trip Wahl ran one in from four yards out to close the period.

“They did a good job of pinching the ends and kind of taking away our veer and we didn’t do a good job getting outside of it,” said Flint Creek Head Coach Jason Ostler. “We went a little more spread out and did some different stuff. Once we found the adjustment, it worked pretty good.”

The Wildcats were threatening again in the fourth when Beery fired a pass over the middle to Bowen Taylor. Hit by Titan defender Logan Fluharty as the ball got to him, it caromed his hand and into the air. But before it could find the ground, Graveley caught it giving Flint Creek a touch back and the ball at the 15.

“I saw ‘Fluff’ (Fluharty) tip the ball in the end zone. I was in the corner and I thought maybe I could try. I started running and I didn’t think I was going to get it until I dove and just barely got it in my hands and caught it.”

That set the stage for the drive that would seal the deal for the Titans. Relying on their ground game, but sprinkling in a few passes here and there, Flint Creek chewed up the clock and got to the five where Hauptman got his third score of the day.

“I think it had to do with all of us being tired and we just kept making little mistakes,” said Graveley of the third period, “like not blocking the right person. For myself, I just got all in my head. Once I got out of my head we were all good to go.”

Hauptman finished with 140 yards on 22 carries for his three scores. Dauenhauer had a solid game under center, connecting on 10 of 13 passes for 185 yards and a TD.

But while defense dominated the day, the Titans Austin Knoeller dominated the defense. He finished with a staggering 12 solo tackles and seven assists for a total of 19 stops. Graveley had eight tackles and five pass defenses (PD), while Fluharty chipped in 5 solos and four PD and Wyatt Daniels had four assists and two PD. Eric Pitcher spent as much time on the Wildcats backfield as Circle did, logging three tackles (two for loss) and five quarterback hurries.

NOTEBOOK – Flint Creek is now 2-0 versus the Circle Wildcats, both games having been in the playoffs. The first win was in 2017 and saw the Titans win 46-14, also in Drummond but \in the semifinals. … Flint Creek is now 97-19 over its 11-yeasr history, 18-7 in the postseason. … When Flint Creek lines up with Chinook in round two of the postseason November 9th in Philipsburg, it will be the first time the two programs have ever met. … The Titans’ Logan Hauptman surpassed the 3,000 yard rushing mark in Saturday’s victory and now has 3,100 yards for his career. He is now No. 2 in all-time carries with 467, passing Colby Manley at 457.

SCORING

Circle – 0/0/14/0 – 14

Flint Creek – 6/14/0/8 – 28

FIRST QUARTER

2:04 FC Hauptman 2 yard run TD. Run failed.

SECOND QUARTER

10:33 FC Dauenhauer 45 yard pass to Pitcher TD. Pass failed.

6:07 FC Hauptman 70 yard run TD. Dauenhauer pass to Graveley.

THIRD QUARTER

7:07 CR Beery 27 yard pass to Ereaux TD. Beery pass to Williamson.

0:27.1 CR Wahl 4 yard run TD. Pass Failed.

FOURTH QUARTER