JHS sports open with football, volleyball wins CROSS COUNTRY HOSTS ONLY HOME MEET OF THE YEAR

The first week of sports was a great success for Jefferson High. After practicing for two months out of the summer and doing two- a-days for a couple of weeks, the athletes were ready for action. 

FOOTBALL The football team started it out with a game with Florence- Carlton Friday in Missoula at the University of Montana Washington Grizzlies football stadium. The location was a special treat for the players and fans. With all the smoke that has been hanging all over Montana and especially Missoula, it was really a surprise to arrive at the field and see the almost smoke free air. The added lack of wind made for a beautiful evening for the first game of the year. In all my years of covering JHS sports, I can’t remember a football game with weather conditions that great. A stadium that seats around 25,000 certainly was far from full but a great group of fans from both schools made a strong showing of support for the teams. 

The Panthers kicked to the Falcons to start the game. A short kick gave the Falcons good field position but it would prove to be of no advantage as the Panther defense did an outstanding job. Mead Blake tackled for loss, Dalton Rykal added another tackle for loss and at fourth and 14 the Falcons had to punt. Starting on their own 30 the Panthers had trouble moving the ball. A personal foul made it first and 25, before Nate Burnett picked up 10 on a run, but a fumble gave the Falcons the ball on the Panther 18. Once again the Falcons came up against a determined Panther defense. Nathan Rasch made a tackle for a 9 yard loss, Bryce Harrington followed with another tackle for loss and it was third and 17 for the Falcons. A long pass was picked off by Ja- cob Travis who returned it to the Panther 45. A run by Brunett put the Panthers in good position at the 11 but on fourth and six the Panthers failed to get the yardage for a first down. The Falcons got some energy with what looked to be a touchdown but a penalty brought the ball back to the 44. Avery Stiles came up with a nice tackle to put the Falcons in trouble and shortly after Josh Eckmann came up with an interception that gave the Panthers a chance to move down the field. The first ended with no score from either team.