2024 Week 6 (Montana)
For a second straight weekend, I was in the great state of Montana. Central Montana to be precise. Seeing new places, I was running out of options. My Saturday was determined by the lone afternoon game anywhere west of the North Dakota state line. Though Wibaux, Savage, Richey/Lambert and Froid/Medicine Lake all had games.
Friday though was either going to be a lot of travel, or was going to be in Hobson. Hobson and Moore form a co-op along State Route 200. Just 9-miles apart, they’re not the extreme co-ops you would see when teams such as Grass Range and Winnett had joined forces with Denton, Geyser, and Stanford. However, they were regularly called the TCT or Tri-City Titans, or TCT Titans, when they also had included Judith Gap into the co-op. However, Judith Gap was now with Harlowton/Ryegate who I had seen last Saturday in Grass Range.
On Friday morning, I was over in Great Falls, and though I plan to see a game soon in Shelby, I was heading east along MT200 from Great Falls into the endless prairie of Central Montana.
I arrived into town just after 5pm. Curtailed by a train blocking the main, and only, road from the north into town. I got photos of the welcome sign. Which has a striking similarity to other welcome signs for towns within the region.
I parked at the school, and walked across the street to the field. Though some people park right along the fenceline, it was not a long distance. I hadn’t stopped for dinner yet, either. So made use of the concession stand. And ordered a single cheeseburger and a gatorade.
Brock French Memorial Field is located right along the main north/south street through town. Across the street from the school. Atop a small hill overlooking the town. Giving a sweeping view to the north above the building tops of town. Trees lining the northern endzone. A small green pressbox sits to the west sideline. A small purpose-built grandstand holds the home fans, while a smaller bleacher setup sits across the field for the visitors. The ground at the field was soft from previous rains but not muddy.
The lighting was weak, and made photography a bit more problematic. But was not terrible. The dark all-green look of the home team didn’t help matters. But the bright white and blue of Great Falls Central Catholic helped pick up light in the photos.
Hobson and Moore are the Tigers and Bulldogs. Combined playing as the Titans. Their combined colors chosen are simply green and white.
#39 – Hobson/Moore v. Great Falls Central Catholic
I knew going in that this was not going to be a particularly close game. The Titans were the better team, with the best player on the field in Mason Thom. The Titans raced out to an early 20-0 lead on two Thom touchdowns as well as 20 yard reception by Josh Natchigal.
Thom added another touchdown in the second quarter as Hobson/Moore’s offense slowed. A running clock not quite yet in the books. But a 26-0 lead was seemingly insurmountable at this point.
Thom added another score in the second half before Kaden Corry got the visiting Great Falls Central Catholic Mustangs on the board with a TD catch.
The scoring wasn’t done yet as Thom added one final score halfway through the final frame, on a short 2 yard run. In the waning seconds of the game, Carter Warren scored the last touchdown on the game for the visiting Mustangs while the conversion attempt was intercepted. Hobson/Moore goes on to win, 38-12.
It was a great night overall. I really enjoyed the evening. The field, the team, the fans, the atmosphere. It was a great moment in time I’ll remember. I hope to be back again some day. And maybe I’ll get the lighting better. The photos turned out much better once I could process them as opposed to the scoring tweets on Twitter.
My article on the game can be found HERE.
I didn’t have to travel too far for my Saturday game. The real lone option was in Denton, Montana. The four-team Denton/Geyser/Stanford/Geraldine were hosting Grass Range/Winnett. It was going to be my third time seeing the Rangers play. And second time in two weeks. And first time on the road.
I had wanted to see DGS, prior to their addition of Geraldine, as I had passed by two of the three towns in the co-op along MT200. The major east/west route through the middle of the state. Geyser and Stanford both have fields quite visible from the road. Geyser’s being practically on the edge of the road.
However, today’s game was in Denton, a slight drive north of MT200. I left through Stanford, and headed north along MT80 to MT81. Turning east, I went through the small sandhills and formations before leveling off into the town of Denton. And losing most cell service along the way.
It was a minor inconvenience. But forced me to delay all my tweets of the game. And lacked a lot of the updates I try to put out of the game’s progress.
At the field, I made a quick walk over to the east entrance as there was another Welcome to Denton sign there that I had missed coming into town from the west. As well as the BEARCATS sign temporarily attached to the white fence surrounding the field. I talked to the ticket taker who charges guests as they enter the field via car, and got a roster sheet for the game.
After checking the lighting on a beautiful, mostly cloud-free day, I went to the concession stand on the east end of the field and got a double cheeseburger and a gatorade. I watched both teams warm up. Photography was going to be interesting as the DGSG faithful had inundated the sideline with very little spacing between the rope and the fans. Many sitting in lawn chairs which meant wherever I was on the sideline was blocking somone’s view. The lone stands on the west side of the pressbox were reversed for students.
#40 – Denton/Geyser/Stanford/Geraldine v. Grass Range/Winnett
This wasn’t just any game for me, as well. This was my 1500th varsity high school football game. And I quickly got to work covering it.
DGSG was the #1 ranked team in the state. While Grass Range/Winnett were coming off their first victory of the season over Harlowton/Ryegate/Judith Gap.
It started great for the Rangers, as they picked off a pass inside the five yard line. But couldn’t muster the offense to turn it into points. Eventually, Jacob Swanz would get his first touchdown of the game for DGSG, from 10 yards out. Brody Ridgeway added a second touchdown on the day from 62 yards out. Doubling the lead to a comfortable, 16-0 lead.
After switching ends, DGSG picked up where they left off. A 25 yard run by Axel Becker pushed the lead to 24-0. A third consecutive kick conversion worth two points in six-man football.
In the final 68 seconds, DGSG added two more scores. The first a 35 yard wide open pass to Kameron Myllymaki. While Jacob Swans gathered in his second score of the game on a 40 yard TD catch on the final play of the half. All five kick conversions were good. Giving DGSG a commanding 40-0 halftime lead.
The second half saw the Rangers gather themselves and crack the scoreboard on a 12 yard touchdown pass to Ethan Cox halfway through the quarter.
But in the fourth, Myllymaki scored DGSG’s final touchdown of the game on a 6-yard catch. Randy Olson then found paydirt twisting and turning through the defenders on the final play of the game, including a few cuts where he nearly slipped down to the ground with his knee, to go 36 yards vertically, in addition to all the side-to-side running, to score one final time. No conversion attempt was made as time expired. And DGSG closed out the day with a win on homecoming, 48-12.
My article for pafootballnews.com can be found HERE.
I was quite happy with my weekend. Even with just two games. The option of a doubleheader on Saturday could have been possible with a long drive east to see Richey/Lambert followed by Savage hosting a game at night. But that would have been further than driving from Cleveland to Pittsburgh for one additional game.
ECONOMICS
Because I was already in the area, I only counted the miles from Great Falls where I had been staying, to Hobson, and then the drive up to Denton. A total of just 134 miles. Not a huge weekend. But there was other non-football miles in there. With no tickets, souvenirs, programs, or raffles, my total cost was the $22 spent at concessions for the two games. First being the cheeseburger and gatorade in Hobson. And the double cheeseburger, gatorade, and two more gatorades at halftime, in Denton.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
2024 Statistics
40 Games
79 Teams
21 Stadiums
9 States
45 New Teams
16 New Stadiums
1,614 different teams
511 different stadiums
1,500 total games
NEXT WEEK
I will be back in Montana. With some changes. Thursday, I plan to be in Shelby in northern Montana for their game against Simms. On Friday, I have a few options. One being Grass Range/Winnett at North Star in Rudyard. But that’s a 4pm kickoff. And may not be feasible. And if I did go there for Friday night, it would make my Saturday game impossible. Which isn’t in Montana. The lone Saturday option I have for a game right now looks to be DGSG hosting Hobson/Moore at Stanford. Unless I can follow through and see a Saturday game in Midwest, Wyoming. To do that, I definitely would need a game on Friday night closer to Wyoming. But the pickings are pretty slim in Central Montana. There is also a Friday night game in Winifred I might be able to arrange. And the make the long drive south to Midwest the next day. But it’s too early and too fluid to decide to commit to any particular game.
Except for Thursday. I absolutely am planning to be in Shelby on Thursday night.
For photos from this game, and others this weekend, click HERE.
For photos from previous weeks and seasons, visit http://www.flickr.com/sykotyk/sets/