Undefeated Warriors unstoppable in quest for State
Plowing Ahead
Nicole Tavenner
Arlee Warrior Patrick Bigsam reads the defense on a punt formation and chooses instead to run the ball to the endzone for a touchdown.
Nicole Tavenner
Arlee fans celebrate as the Warriors win their quarterfinal game to advance to semi-final play. The game will be played in Arlee at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, where the winner will play for the State Championship.
Nicole Tavenner
Officials detemine just a few inches are needed for a first down.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Arlee defense
Nicole Tavenner
Arlee Warrior Tyler Tanner scores before snagging the game-ending interception with a one-handed grab.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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The Arlee Warrior Football team is still undefeated after their last win against Wibaux in the Class-C quarter finals game on Saturday, 42-36. “We seed number one in the west,” Head Coach Todd Yocum said of the team’s Montana standing. Yocum said four teams are now left in the state to battle it out for the championship — Chinook will play Fairview, who squeaked past the Charlo Vikings on Saturday — and Arlee hosts Twin Bridges in the semi-finals at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. If the Warriors win, they go to the championship. “We prepare the best we can,” Yocum said adding that the teams in the finals haven’t ever played against each other, so it’s hard to make predictions. Wibaux is Eastern Montana’s champion. “They were also the defending state champions,” Yocum said. “Wibaux has been to state for the last two years.” Yocum was excited to see what his team would do against the defending state champions, but he said his team is an “amazing powerhouse,” so he knew they would do well. In the first quarter, the Warriors were the first to score. Tyler Tanner picked up a 13-yard pass from Patrick Bigsam. Wibaux scored next. Before the quarter ended, Tyler grabbed another Bigsam pass at 44-yards and made another touchdown. The Warriors lead, 14-8. “It was a close game,” Yocum said of the back and forth play. He added that it was one of the few close games the Warriors have had all season. In the second quarter, Wibaux took the lead, 22-20. Tanner made another touchdown with a 19-yard pass from Bigsam between two Wibaux touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough. “We weren’t nervous,” Yocum said. “Our five seniors stay pretty level headed without a lot of emotional ups and downs. We knew it was going to be a tight game.” Wibaux scored again at the top of the third quarter, but the Warriors worked hard to carry Tanner and Bigsam down the field to score two touchdowns putting them in the lead, 34-28. But it was still anyone’s game in the fourth quarter. Wibaux scored first putting them back in the lead, 36-28, but the Warriors weren’t done. Bigsam took an 18-yard run to score the final touchdown with Bradley Brazill throwing the pass that put the Warriors on top. Three big plays helped seal the win including a first down by Bigsam. “Bigsam took it on himself to read the defense. We were going to punt. We didn’t tell him to fake it, but he saw an opening and went for it. He rushed for the first down on the fourth.” Brazill also sacked the opposing team’s quarterback at a critical moment late in the game. “He started to pass on the end and Bradley broke through,” Yocum said of the tackle. “It was another momentum shift.” But the action wasn’t over. “At the end of the game, Tyler Tanner had a one handed-interception,” he said. “It was a great game. It was exciting to see what the kids could do.” Arlee 42, Wibaux 36
