DILLON — The Whitefish and Dillon football teams put on a show during the first Friday of high school football in the state, and the Bulldogs prevailed in the final act for a 28-26 victory at Vigilante Stadium.
After a scoreless first quarter Ty Schwaiger barrled into the endzone from 2 yards out to put Whitefish up 6-0.
Dillon responded with a 37-yard touchdown run by Kale Konen to grab a 7-6 lead with 9:20 remaining in the second quarter. Five minutes before the half, Whitefish's Fynn Ridgeway scored a 9-yard quarterback keeper and then completed the 2-point pass to Jack Akey to put the Bulldogs up 14-7.
With under two minutes left in the half, Konen scored his second touchdown of the game from 7 yards to tie the score at 14-14.
The Bulldogs tacked on two quick scores to start the third quarter. Schwaiger scored his second touchdown (7 yards) and then Ridgeway completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jaxsen Schlauch to give Whitefish a 28-14 advantage midway through the quarter.
Dillon quarterback Kee Christiansen hit Treyton Anderson for a 57-yard touchdown pass to narrow Whitefish's lead to 28-20 with 5 minutes left in the quarter.
With just over 2 minutes remaining in the game Christiansen and Anderson connected for another score, this one a 68-yard catch-and-run, to put the Beavers within two points. But Dillon's 2-point pass failed and the Bulldogs were then able to run out the clock and ice the win.
Dillon hosts Hamilton next week while Whitefish welcomes in Frenchtown.
Class A scores
Columbia Falls 35, Stevensville 6
Frenchtown 45, Browning 6
Hamilton 46, Corvallis 8
Havre 12, Sidney 7
Lewistown 41, Glendive 6
Libby 55, East Helena 0
Miles City 36, Hardin 0
Whitefish 28, Dillon 26
