HELENA -- Missoula Hellgate's magical run as an undefeated team is no more.
Kaden Huot threw four touchdown passes, including a 70-yard pass to Raef Miller on Helena High's first play from scrimmage, as the Bengals defeated the Knights 42-20 on Homecoming at Vigilante Stadium.
Huot, a sophomore, matched his season total for touchdown passes, throwing a second scoring strike in the opening quarter, again to Miller, to extend Helena's lead to 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Bengals successfully converted an onside kick moments later, but Hellgate's defense held, sacking Huot on a fourth-down play just outside of the red zone.
But the Knights' offense struggled throughout much of the first half, punting the ball right back to the Bengals, who dialed Huot's number on a 40-yard touchdown run that put Helena up 21-0. But the Bengals fumbled a punt return minutes later, leading to a Rollie Worster-to-Ian Finch touchdown that sliced the lead to 21-7 with 1 minute, 20 seconds remaining in the half.
But Huot had an answer. The sophomore hit senior Logan Brown on a perfectly-placed ball between three Knights' defenders, and Brown did the rest, avoiding a tackle from Hellgate's safety on his way to a 40-yard receiving touchdown that extended Helena's lead back to three scores, 28-7, at halftime.
Worster threw his second touchdown pass of the game midway through the third, cutting Helena's lead to 28-14, but Brown answered with a 5-yard rushing touchdown to open the fourth quarter. Jake Sweatland added Hellgate's final score a few minutes later, then the Bengals drained the fourth-quarter clock before Huot connected with Hayden Ferguson for his fourth passing touchdown of the game, ending the scoring at 42-20.
Helena (4-1 overall, 2-1 in Western AA play) remains home next Friday against winless Kalispell Flathead (0-5), while Hellgate (4-1, 2-1) travels to Kalispell Glacier (2-3, 1-2).
Class AA football scores
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Billings Senior 28, Belgrade 0
Bozeman 21, Great Falls High 0
Butte 39, Missoula Sentinel 36 (Thursday)
Great Falls CMR 34, Billings Skyview 0
Helena Capital 21, Kalispell Flathead 14
Helena High 42, Missoula Hellgate 20
Kalispell Glacier 63, Missoula Big Sky 35
Kalispell Glacier 63, Missoula Big Sky 35
