Crosstown Playoff Match Up

For the first time in over 20 years Missoula County Stadium will be the scene for a crosstown Montana Class AA prep football playoff game as the seventh seeded Sentinel Spartans play the second seeded Big Sky Eagles.

The crosstown rivals met in week two of the 2017 season and it would be a game for the record books with it coming down to the final minutes and Eagles would come away with a 44-40 win. Big Sky held the lead for the first three quarters, but Sentinel fought back and with minutes left in the game the Spartans had the advantage. The Eagles soared down the field and on the legs of their leader Levi Janacaro, Big Sky took back the lead with seconds left on the clock.

Big Sky has thrived on their run game with the one two punch of their quarterback Levi Janacaro and tailback Kadin Lahti who combined for a total of 311 yards on the first game. Janacaro has lead the Eagles to the second seed in Class AA football throwing for over 700 yards, 24 touchdowns, six through the air and 18 on the ground. It has been Levi’s legs that have provided the most offense for the Eagles running for over 1,200 yards on 169 carries, including a 94 yard scamper against Glacier.

The Spartans are led by the capable quarterback Rylan Ortt who has the luxury of both an elusive back in Elias Dewaters and a stable full of wide receivers. Ortt and Sentinel receivers Nick Germer and Brendan Hill connected for a combined 168 yards out of Ortt’s 201 yards in the regular season game, while Dewaters ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns in the September first loss to the Eagles. Sentinels offense relies on Ellias and Rylan’s legs to open up the run game which in turn sparks the air attack to Germer and Hill.

Friday night’s game will be a cold early November night that will have both teams searching for yards through the snow. Due to the poor weather the contest will come down to the run game between the dual threat teams, with the two head coaches moving their chess pieces with purpose. Do not expect another shoot out like the first game earlier this season as both teams defenses will be the highlight of the game.