Second half surge pushes Flint Creek past Ennis, 28-0

DRUMMOND – Shortly after Logan Hauptman scored for Flint Creek in the third quarter a steady drizzle started falling on the Drummond football field.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Ennis might have thought it to be a downpour.

The Titans marched to a 28-0 victory over the visiting Mustangs Friday night, improving their record to 6-0 on the year and 5-0 in the South Division of MHSA 8-Man Football. Ennis falls to 4-1 in divisional play, 4-2 on the year.

The Titans are now in a tie atop the division standings with Manhattan Christian (5-0, 5-0).

As one would expect, a conflict between two top teams would be a defensive battle fought in the trenches. The Titans and Mustangs provided just that. Both squads worked slow potent attacks – Flint Creek on the ground and Ennis via the air. Through halftime it was defense that ruled the day with both teams scoreless.

Adjustments were made at the break, but those made by the Titans won the day.

“We weren’t taking care of those first few ‘D’ tackles and then that was letting them slip a linebacker through,” explained Flint Creek Head Coach Jason Ostler. “As soon as started taking care of that and crashing that D-line first, we’re getting that five yards a carry, and that five yards a carry, and that five yards carry and pretty soon we’re getting’ 10. The kids just really came together and really wedged up and got that run really workin’”

After exchanging series to open the third quarter, Flint started marching down the field using their new ground attack. Senior running back Logan Hauptman got his team in the red zone and then capitalized with a two-yard scoring run. He added the two-point conversion and the Titans were up 8-0, a lead they would carry into the game’s final stanza.

The drizzle and wind did not relent as Flint Creek scored three more times in the fourth, starting with a 46-yard run from quarterback Jake Dauenhauer after a faked hand off. The Titans were flagged for a face mask on the play, putting the conversion out of reach.

Leading 14-0 with just 11 minutes to play, Ennis felt it had to take retaliate quickly and started throwing the ball deep. Its first attempt Mustang QB Brandon Foss was almost intercepted by Logan Fluharty, but the senior safety landed out of bounds. On the ensuing play Kadin Graveley picked off a deep route pass and ran it back into Ennis territory, setting up a 29-yard Austin Knoeller touchdown run that made the score 20-0.

The Mustangs tried going deep again on their next drive, only to have Graveley stand in the gap again. That turnover set the stage for Hauptman to ramble in from 36 yards out, following it with the two-point conversion to secure the 28-0 victory.

“All we did all week long was work on the deep ball,” said Graveley of the picks, “so we just worked on that. We changed up our defense, so the deep ball wasn’t there.

Graveley, who started as the Titan QB in 2023 until a knee injury sidelined him, gave insight as to what he knew the Mustangs’ Foss would have to do.

“Being a former quarterback, you know you gotta do your progression,” Graveley explained. “The inside is gonna be way more open than the outside, because if you’re throwing outside your going against the sideline and the defender. So more than likely its gonna go inside. So as safeties, you’re backpedaling into your zone and watching the rest.”

Hauptman led a balanced attack with 158 yards on 30 carries. The Titans had 331 ground yards in total, with Wyatt Daniels carrying the ball four times for 86 yards. Austin Knoeller added 45 on eight carries and Dauenhauer collected 42 on nine runs.

Dauenhauer attempted just six passes on the night, completing one to Graveley for 13 yards.

Four Titan defenders had nine or more tackles on the night, with Graveley adding 11 stops to is two fourth quarter interceptions. Knoeller and Hauptman each had 10 tackles while Daniels chipped in another nine. Nose guard Tahvo Lattin had six tackles, two of which were for loss. Flint Creek had six tackles for loss on the night.

Flint Creek had five interceptions on the night. Joining Graveley in the fun were Fluharty with two, Hauptman with one and Bode Bradshaw with a fumble recovery.

With their first big win of the season under their belt, Flint Creek can now look ahead to their game with Manhattan Christian Saturday, October 12 on the road. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m.

“We come off our best team (opponent) and I think we’re pretty healthy,” said Ostler. “Now we get to go play the next team. It feels good to come out play hard, come out with a win and head onto the next game.”

The Eagles had no game scheduled for Week 6 of the season, so they will enter their tilt with the Titans on 15 days’ rest. Manhattan beat Flint Creek last year in Philipsburg, 50-26.

NOTEBOOK – With the victory Flint Creek evens its career mark against Ennis at 2-2. … It is the first time the Titans have blanked the Mustangs in their four meetings. Ennis shut out Flint Creek in last season, 35-0. … In their four meetings, the home team has won all four games. … Ennis committed six turnovers in the game, with three others almost taken by Flint Creek as well. The Titans had zero turnovers. … The Mustangs had nine penalties for 68 yards. The Titans had 8 penalties for 80 yards. Flint Creek committed only three offensive penalties, all in the fourth quarter. They committed only two defensive penalties in the first half, one in each period. … 2024 is the sixth season in which the Titans have started 6-0. Other such starts include 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. … Friday’s first half was the first time Flint Creek has been held scoreless in the opening 12 or 24 minutes of a game this year. … With their victory Friday, there are now just three teams that have a winning record against Flint Creek in Belt (1-2), Thompson Falls (0-2), and Manhattan Christian (0-1). … Hauptman continues his assault on the Titans’ record book, but closing fast on Colby Manley. Hauptman (2,773) is just 127 yards behind Manley (2,900) on the all-time list in third position. Hauptman needs just one rushing touchdown to tie Andrew Tallon with 45 scores.

SCORING

Ennis – 0/0/0/0 – 0

Flint Creek – 0/0/8/20 – 28

FIRST QUARTER

No scoring.

SECOND QUARTER

No scoring.

THIRD QUARTER

6:44 FC Hauptman 2 yd run TD. Hauptman run.

FOURTH QUARTER

11:00 FC Dauenhauer 46 yd run TD. Pass failed.

2:52 FC Knoeller 29 yd run TD. Hauptman run.