BOULDER — Third-ranked Jefferson faced a challenge Friday night against Class B South rival Columbus. But the Panthers answered the call in a tough game, prevailing 17-12 to win for the third consecutive week.
The teams were scoreless after one quarter, but Jefferson got on the board early in the second when a Columbus punt barely made it out of the end zone and the ball was scooped up by Brady Armstrong for a 7-0 Panthers lead.
Columbus answered, though, with a huge play later in the quarter. On third-and-15, Colter Chamberlin and Jayden Anderson connected on a 70-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown to make it 7-6. The point-after try was no good.
The Cougars were in position to take the lead at the end of the second quarter but a field goal was short, and Jefferson went into halftime still up by one point.
Jefferson gained some separation in the second half. Midway through the third quarter, the Panthers built their lead when a drive was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Luke Oxarart. At that point, Jefferson was ahead 14-6.
The Panthers added to their advantage with 7:00 remaining in the game with a 24-yard field goal to make the score 17-6.
Columbus didn’t go quietly in the fourth, as Chamberlin and Anderson connected again on a 1-yard touchdown to make it a one-possession game with 44 seconds left. But Jefferson recovered the ensuing onside kick and held on.
Jefferson improved to 5-1 overall while Columbus dropped to 3-2.
Elsewhere in Class B …
No. 1 Malta 37, Conrad 0
No. 2 Manhattan 42, Big Timber 0
No. 4 Florence 28, Anaconda 0 (Thursday)
No. 5 Eureka 30, Thompson Falls 6
Glasgow 48, Cut Bank 6
Huntley Project 41, Colstrip 6
Joliet 28, Shepherd 8
Missoula Loyola 46, Whitehall 6
Red Lodge 48, Baker 8
Three Forks 32, Townsend 14
Wolf Point 34, Roundup 0
