This was a game the Panthers thought they could win. After battling some of the top teams in the state to start the season, Jefferson was facing Manhattan, which was 2-3 coming in.
But the Tigers prevailed on Friday evening, 12-0, in a defensive struggle. The Panthers are still in the hunt to make the post season – but they probably have to beat both Columbus, which they’ll play this Friday, and Three Forks, which they’ll host on Oct. 21.
In Manhattan, the weather as good as you will ever see in Montana for a high school football game, a very calm and pleasant autumn evening. And Jefferson entered with high hopes that it would knock off the Tigers.
But the early going was tough. The Panthers received the ball to start the game and moved the ball to the 38 — but on third and 6, they were caught in the backfield for a big loss. Manhattan received the punt and moved down to the Panther 2. But an illegal procedure call moved the Tigers back and on 4th and goal they put up a pass that the receiver caught out of bounds.
The Panthers take over deep in their own half and were forced to punt — leaving the first quarter scoreless. Zach Zody came up with a nice defensive play, knocking down a pass that would most likely have set up Manhattan for a touchdown. But Manhattan finally put the first points on the board with 4:10 left in the second. The two-point attempt failed, and the half ended with the Tigers up 6-0.
That’s where the score stayed through the third, with solid defense on both sides. The Panthers moved deep into Manhattan territory, and a pass from Luke Oxarart to Dylan Root looked like it was a touchdown — but the referees ruled Root was not in the end zone. Manhattan was able to score with 5:21 left in the game; their PAT was no good again, leaving the score 12-0.
Cross Country
Jefferson’s “hoofers” competed in the big Helena 7 of 7 meet on Thursday, Oct. 6. In the 7 of 7 format, the fastest runner on each team competes in the No. 1 race, while the slowest competes in No. 7.
In the JV race, Bridger Marks finished in 22:58, and Lane Phillips in 26:41. In the No. 7 race, Mack Boyd ran the course in 19:02, and Hanna Stevens in 21:37. Race No. 6 saw Austie May finish in 26:46. In No. 5, it was Christian Gillmore in 20:22, and Michaela Morris in 25:22. In No. 4, Dylan Mikesell finished in 19:30, and Meredith Rieder in 25:02.
For No. 3, Dominick Hurlbert ran in 18:11, and Izzy Morris in 25:09. Logan Hornung ran the No. 2 race in 17:53, and Luke Mest finished the No. 1 race in 17:26. This week the Panthers compete at a meet in Townsend. Junior high teams run at 11:00 a.m., and the first high school race starts at noon.
Volleyball
The Jefferson volleyball team split two matches week, losing to first-place Broadwater and then dropping Sweet Grass County in three sets.
Against Broadwater on Oct. 6, the Panthers took the first set, 25-22. But the Bulldogs came back to win the next three 25-18, 25-15, and 25-13. Emma McCauley led the squad with 45 digs, while MacKenzie Layng had 4 kills, 12 assists, and 14 digs. Cameron Toney scored 6 kills and 5 digs, and Erica Shields had 4 assists and 11 digs.
The Panthers traveled to Big Timber on Saturday night. They built a 12-5 lead in the first set, and Arena Faler pounded over several kills to make it a 18-10 lead. An ace by McCauley made it 22-10 and the Panthers went on to win, 25-13.
A couple of tap kills by Layng kept the score tight in the second, then Maddy Averill put over an ace and a hard kill by Cameron Toney made it 19-16. Clara Genger blocked a hard hit, and the Panthers took the win, 25-19.
The third set was all Panthers. Genger started it with a kill, Shields scored an ace, Faler made a pair of kills and Haleigh Henschel put over a point to build a quick 8-1 lead — and Jefferson rolled to a 25-13 win.
Layng had 3 kills, 12 assists, 13 digs in the match, while Toney had one kill, 2 blocks, and 4 digs. Shields had an ace, 2 kills, 2 assists, and 19 digs, McCauley notched 2 kills and 22 digs. Averill had 2 aces and 6 digs; Faler 12 kills and 2 digs; Maria Mest an ace; Genger one kill and 2 blocks; Henschel one kill and 4 digs; Ryian Eveland one block, one assist, and one dig; and Avery Popp one dig,
This week the panthers host Whitehall on Thursday and are at the Butte Central volleyball tournament on Friday and Saturday. Park High of Livingston will be in Boulder on Tuesday, Oct. 18; C teams begin the action at 4 p.m., with JV and Varsity to follow.
As of Oct. 5, Cameron Toney was leading the district in kills, with 94, and 7th in blocks with 9. Emma McCauley was second in digs, with 137, and tied for second in aces with 14. Clara Genger was second in blocked shots with 18; McKenzie Layng was 5th in assists, with 115, and 7th in digs with 87. Erica Shields was 5th in digs, with 89, and 7th in assists, with 25. Arena Faler was 7th in kills, with 43, and 9th in blocks with 8. Haleigh Henschel was 14th in digs with 57.
