Titans blank Panthers, keep playoff hopes alive

Brooks Phillips/Photo

PHILIPSBURG – Two down. Two to go.

The Flint Creek Titans kept their playoff hopes alive Friday night as they blanked Sheridan 40-0 at George Mungas Field on the campus of Granite High School. The victory elevates the Titans to 4-3 on the year while Sheridan falls to 1-6.

Flint Creek is now tied for fourth in the South Central Conference standings, knotted up with Choteau and Lone Peak. The Titans hold the tie breaker over the Big Horns but are under the thumb of the Bulldogs. Even if Flint Creek wins their last two games at Seeley Swan (3-4) October 13 and home versus Simms (5-2) the following week at home, they’d need help from either the Blackhawks or third-place Manhattan Christian (5-2) to beat Choteau.

In other South Central Conference game this weekend, Lone Peak beat Simms 64-36, Ennis defeated Choteau 72-14, Seeley Swan beat Cascade 54-36, and Manhattan Christian defeated Powell County (score not available).

The Titans needed no help in defeating Sheridan, finding the end zone on their first play from scrimmage when Logan Hauptman bolted from the backfield at 11:46 and run the ball in from 49 yards out. He added the conversion run and Flint Creek had all the points they’d ever need.

Hauptman added three more scoring runs on his way to 218 yards on 14 carries.

Freshman Jake Daunhuer stepped in to play quarterback for the injured Kadin Graveley, going 3-for-8 passing for 26 yards and a pair of touchdowns to senior Trey Phillips.

Both teams went scoreless in a quick second half after the running clock commenced.

When not catching TD passes on offense, Phillips was stopping the Panthers from getting their offense going. He logged eight solo tackles and four assists to lead Flint Creek, including a sack and one for a loss. Wyatt Daniels logged seven tackles, with Hauptman and Riley Wiant each adding six.

Javier Ostler and Wiant each recovered a fumble and Eric Pitcher intercepted a Sheridan pass.

SCORING

Sheridan – 0/0/0/0 – 0

Flinty Creek – 14/26/0/0 – 40

FIRST QUARTER

11:46 FC Hauptman 49 yd run TD. Hauptman run.

2:21 FC Hauptman 18 yd run TD. Pass fail.

SECOND QUARTER

10:07 FC Hauptman 62 yd run TD. Run fail.

5:32 FC Daunhuer 4 yd pass to Phillips TD. Run fail.

2:26 FC Hauptman 25 yd run TD. Knoeller run.

0:08 FC Daunhuer 6 yd pass to Phillips TD. Pass fail.

THIRD QUARTER

n/a

FOURTH QUARTER

n/a

NOTEBOOK – Up next for Flint Creek is Seeley Swan on the road Friday, October 13. The Titans have played the Blackhawks eight previous times, the most of any other opponent save Charlo. Flint Creek is 8-0 against Seeley Swan, outscoring them 478-58. The Titans are 6-2 lifetime against the Vikings. … The Blackhawks have been blanked in three of their last four meetings with the Titans, including an 82-0 loss in 2018 in Seeley Lake. … The 82 points against Seeley Swan were the most a Flint Creek team has ever scored against an opponent. … Daunhuer is the first freshman to ever start a game at quarterback for the Titans.

Brooks Phillips/Photos