FB 2021 - Titans Notebook

GRANITE COUNTY – A look at some of the unique tidbits and stats that will make up Saturday’s MHSA 8-Man Football Championship for the Flint Creek Titans.

Championship Seasons

In claiming three of the last four MHS 8-Man Football State Championships, the Titans have rung up a trio of undefeated seasons. They were 12-0 in 2017 and 2020 and 13-0 in 2018. Should they claim the title in 2021, they will finish with an 11-0 mark, their lowest of the four.

Win Streak

Flint Creek is currently 10-0 in the 2021 campaign. When combined with the 2020 championship run, the Titans are at 22-0 over the last two years. During their back-to-back runs in 2017 and 2018 they were 25-0, ending the streak to start the 2019 season when they lost at Clark Fork, 74-42.

Entering a New Discussion

A championship in 2021 would put the Titans into a discussion of the best football dynasties, no only in the state but in Granite County. The Drummond Trojans won five titles from 2003 to 2009, missing in 2006 and 2008. Flint Creek can match their effort with a win Saturday, giving each program four titles in five years. The Trojans won three straight in 2003, 2004 and 2005, adding another in 2007. The Titans can get their four with two back-to-back stints in 2017 and 2018 followed by 2020 and 2021.

Granite County Dominance

Since 2003 football teams from Granite County have accounted for eight titles over the last 17 years. A win Saturday would make it nine in 18 or one every two years.

Oh the Places You’ll Go!

If Flint Creek wins Saturday, they will have collected four titles in five years in four different venues: 2017 saw the Titans win in Philipsburg, 2019 at the neutral field of Naranche Stadium in Butte, and 2020 in Drummond. Saturday’s win would be the team’s first title as a visiting team.

They were No. 1! They were No. 1!

The Titans are attempting to become the only 8-Man team in the last decade (oldest record on MaxPreps) to beat three No. 1 ranked teams in a single season to claim a title. They beat the East’s No. 1 Fairview and the North’s No. 1 Fort Benton. Only the West’s No. 1 Thompson Falls, from their own division, stands on their way.

Teams that beat two No. 1s on their way to a crown were Ennis 2016, Chinook 2015, Wibaux 2014, and Ennis 2013 since 2011.

Defensive Posture

With one game to play several Titans are positioning themselves for spots in the Flint Creek Single Season record books.

Reece Rigby is proving that he takes after his brother Wyatt (2017-2019) who is the career leader in sacks (19) and tackles for loss (45.5). Reece, along with Cordell Langton, each have six sacks this year currently placing them tied for fourth in that category behind Wyatt (’19, 8.5), Andrew Gomez (’17, 9.0) and Wyatt again (’18, 10.5).

Langton is also edging up the list in TFL, where he currently ranks tied for fourth with Tucker Weaver for fourth at 13.

Tyler Burden is now tied with 2018’s Kane Hess for tackle assists with 53, ranking behind Hess’ teammates from that same year in Wyatt Rigby (57) and Colby Manley (58).

Best of the West and the rest

With their quarterfinal win over Fairview, the Titans can now lay undisputed claim to being the best 8-Man football program in the state since their inception in 2014. The status was acquired by awarding one point for a first round exit, two for the quarterfinals, three for the semis, four as a runner up and five for a championship.

The Warriors and Titans are the only two teams in the division to make the postseason every season since 2014. Fairview has 20 points and has finished as follows: Quarterfinals (’16, ’17, ’20, ’21), Semifinals (’14, ’15, ’18), Champions (’19). Flint Creek currently has 21 points and has finished as follows: 1st Round (’14, ’15, ’16), Quarterfinals (’19), Champions (’17, ’18, ’20). The Titans will add two more points if they win another title, one if they are runner up.

A taste of the sweet life

Titan Head Coach Jason Ostler had never played in a high school playoff game previous to this season. He did however win four national championships as part of the Carroll College football program.

Rush to Judgment

Tyler Burden’s 1,111 yards this season places him third all-time on the single season list. He is just 72 yards behind second place Colby Manley at 1,183. Kade Cutler holds the all-time single season record at 1,435 yards. Burden is second in yards/game at 111.1, trailing Cutler at 130.5.