Titans blast Arlee in Homecoming tilt

PHILIPSBURG – It was just the kind of game the Titans needed after last week; a game in which they soundly beat their opponent, made improvements over the previous week and got a lot of quality playing experience for their bench.

And it all came on homecoming to boot.

Flint Creek soundly defeated the visiting Warriors of Arlee 56-12 Friday night in Philipsburg. The win advances the Titans to 4-2 on the year while Arlee drops to 1-5.

“It was an awesome game for the kids,” said Titan Coach JC Holland. “It got them feeling better about things and we got some younger kids some great experience. So, a great game overall for us.”

The night started a little shaky as Arlee marched down the field and scored on their opening drive. It culminated in a 21-yard scoring pass from Cody Tanner to Nathaniel Coulson after just two minutes of play and left Flint Creek trailing 6-0.

But it proved to be the only time the locals would be behind the entire night.

Just over three minutes later Flint Creek responded when quarterback Kade Cutler pushed the ball in from 11 yards out to knot the score. The Titan defense stopped the Warriors on their next drive before taking a lead they would never relinquish.

Preston Metesh scored the first of two touchdowns on the night, snapping of a 42-yard run that put the hosts up 12-0.

Just two minutes later Cutler tossed the first of four scoring passes to senior Daniel Brabender for a 42-yard score. On the ensuing kickoff Wyatt Rigby drove a line drive into the chest of Arlee’s Sam Fowler, which careened back to Rigby for the recovery. A few plays later Cutler pushed the ball in before the first period ended to put Flint Creek up 26-6.

When the second quarter opened, Cutler went back to work slicing up the Warrior defenses. He hit Brabender with a second scoring strike of 22 yards and Metesh with a 40 bomb just before half.

VIDEO - Kade Cutler hits Preston Metesh for a 40-yard touchdown pass.

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All the while the Titans defenders were making a mess of the Arlee offense by breaking up tackles, stopping the run game and frequently pressuring Tanner into tough passing situations.

“The one thing they wanted to do was run their power and their trap and it’s almost the same trap that Thompson Falls runs,” observed Holland. “They’re not quite as big as Thompson Falls, but if they can keep running down hill and not have to throw the ball they will.

“We made a few changes with some of our personnel from last week to keep from getting washed down the line and they worked well.”

After the halftime festivities – which saw the Homecoming courts for Granite and Drummond announced – Avery Metesh took over at center stage. The sophomore receiver caught a 5-yard pass from Cutler for a score and the two-point conversion midway in the third quarter, only to follow it up with a 71-yard kickoff return later in the period to close out the scoring.

The win gives Flint Creek a 3-2 series advantage against Arlee and allows them to set their sights on playing the Tigers in Darby next week. Darby beat Troy 70-14 Friday night, improving to 3-2 on the year.