Madison County Football

Twin Bridges flying high heading into the final game of the regular season: Twin Bridges flying high heading into the final game of the regular season

“I have a resilient group of young men that find ways to win,” said head coach Bo Herak about his team as they head into the last game of the regular season. “Giving me grey hairs in the process but a win is a win.”

The Falcons clinched second place in the Southern division of 8-man football with a home win in the Ruby Valley rivalry game against Sheridan on Oct. 16. 

“In the fourth quarter senior Flint Janzen just decided he was going to win the game,” Herak explained. “He took over defensively and made four or five big plays, including a pick six, that sealed the game in the last two minutes.”

Janzen was in on 16 tackles and had 105 yards of receiving to go with his interception, but he wasn’t the only player to step up big on the night according to Herak. 

“Brandt Nelson had a gutsy performance Friday, his knee was bothering him all week from the Ennis game. Somehow he just kept making plays and getting back up. More than once I thought about pulling him but he kept telling me he was good,” Herak explained. 

Nelson led the offense with 183 passing yards with two touchdown passes to go with 63 yards and two more touchdowns rushing. He also led the team on defense with 18 total tackles. 

The Falcons will host a playoff game, but first they have one final regular season contest against Harlowton-Ryegate-Judith Gap at home on Oct. 23. 

“As far as the last game of the season, we just want to finish,” said Herak . “We want to leave no doubt about  who the second best team in the conference is and finish 7-1 for the first time since 2011. We went 8-0 in 2015, so it has been a long time since we have been at or near the top of the conference.”

Kickoff for the game on the 23rd is 7 p.m.

It’s win and you’re in for the Sheridan Panthers in their final game of the regular season: The Panthers fought until the final whistle against Twin Bridges, but fell just short. Now they have the opportunity to earn their spot in the playoffs at home against Park City

The Sheridan Panthers have faced adversity all season and have risen to the occasion, earning the ability to control their playoff destiny in the final game of the regular season against Park City at home.  

“We will prepare for this game like every other,” said head coach Tyler Lott. “The knowledge of what is on the line should provide some extra effort and focus. My message will be that the playoffs start this week and it's a great opportunity to compete under pressure. It's a chance to bounce back from a tough loss and prove that we deserve our spot in the playoffs.”

Lott saw a lot of positives coming out of his team’s loss to Twin Bridges in the Ruby Valley Rivalry game. 

“It was one of those games where it felt like we won everywhere except the scoreboard,” he said. “It was a battle and about as back and forth as it could get. It was a one score game all the way through that was anyone's game with under a minute left in regulation. It was a battle of polar opposite styles and it really came down to a few key plays. The rivalry lived up to expectation and then some. Although we came up short, those types of games are a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Sheridan has overcome adversity all season and Lott recognized players who stepped up with big performances against their rivals. 

“Charlie Larsen had 232 yards of rushing on 28 carries and four touchdowns to go along with 23 receiving yards on one catch. Logan McDougal had 41 carries on 10 rushes. Grady Elser had 74 rush yards on 12 carries,” he said. We had 347 rushing yards total. It was a testament to the offensive line and running backs. We added 65 yards of passing to bring our total 412 yards of total offense.” 

The Panthers’ offense will face a Park City defense that has allowed 108 points in their last two games. Lott knows that his team can’t afford to take anything for granted. 

“At this point in the season, it comes down to executing the fundamentals at a high level and doing the little things,” he explained.  “As well as limiting mistakes. High quality football is required from here on out.”

Kickoff between Sheridan and Park City is at 7 p.m. on Oct. 23.

 Ennis clinches playoff spot and will have an extra week to prepare: The Mustangs clinched third place in the 8-man Southern Division with a 44-12 win over Manhattan Christian and will have a bye week for the last game of the regular season

The Ennis Mustangs will enjoy a bye week as they prepare for the playoffs. Ennis finished the regular season with a 44-12 win over Manhattan Christian that clinched the third of four playoff spots available from the 8-man Southern Division. They will find out who they play and where after the Friday night games conclude the regular season.  

The Mustangs have put up a division leading 438 points on the season. Their two losses came against the first and second place teams in the division.