MTN Sports High school football rankings
(Through the end of the regular season)
CLASS AA
1. Helena Capital (9-0). Last week: Beat No. 2 Helena 13-3.
2. Helena (7-2). Last week: Lost to No. 1 Helena Capital 13-3.
3. Bozeman (7-2). Last week: Beat No. 3 Billings West 21-13.
4. Missoula Sentinel (7-2). Last week: Beat Butte 49-21.
5. Billings West (6-3). Last week: Lost to No. 4 Bozeman 21-13.
Around Class AA: An anticipated crosstown showdown pitted No. 1 Helena Capital against No. 2 Helena High on Friday at Vigilante Stadium, and the Bruins left no doubt which was Class AA's top team was during the regular season with a 13-3 victory. Following a bye this week, Capital (9-0) will have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs as it seeks its first state title since 2011. Despite the loss, playoff-bound Helena remains in the No. 2 position.
Elsewhere, Bozeman moved up one spot to No. 3 with a 21-13 victory over Billings West, which was previously ranked third. The Golden Bears dropped to No. 5 entering the postseason. Two-time defending state champion Missoula Sentinel pounded Butte and moved up one spot to No. 4.
To see the Class AA playoff pairings, click here.
To see the updated Class AA standings, click here.
CLASS A
1. Hamilton (9-0). Last week: Beat No. 4 Columbia Falls 23-7.
2. Lewistown (9-0). Last week: Beat Miles City 36-0.
3. Polson (8-0). Last week. Beat Whitefish 34-28.
4. Billings Central (8-1). Last week: Beat Hardin 62-0.
5. Columbia Falls (6-2). Last week: Lost to No. 1 Hamilton 23-7.
Around Class A: Top-ranked Hamilton closed the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record and now turns its attention to trying to repeat as state champions. The Broncs ran wild in a 23-7 win over Columbia Falls last week, which pushed the Wildcats down one spot to No. 5 in the poll.
Billings Central jumped up one position to No. 4 following a rout of Hardin, which was a bounce-back victory after the Rams lost a week earlier at No. 2 Lewistown. Dillon, after dropping its season opener to Hamilton, beat Ronan last week to finish the regular season on a seven-game winning streak. In the playoffs, the Beavers look to prove that their absence from the poll is unwarranted.
To see the Class A playoff pairings, click here.
To see the updated Class A standings, click here.
CLASS B
1. Huntley Project (9-0). Last week: Beat Red Lodge 41-7.
2. Bigfork (8-0). Last week: Beat No. 8 Eureka 39-0.
3. Malta (8-1). Last week: Beat Fairfield 48-20.
4. Florence (7-2). Last week: Beat Missoula Loyola 35-12.
5. Whitehall (6-2). Last week: Beat Columbus 42-0.
6. Townsend (6-2). Last week: Idle
7. Jefferson (6-3). Last week: Beat Three Forks 43-6.
8. Glasgow (7-2). Last week: Beat Wolf Point 68-13.
9. Eureka (6-3). Last week: Lost to No. 2 Bigfork 39-0.
10. Manhattan (5-3). Last week: Beat No. 5 Big Timber 34-12.
Around Class B: Manhattan vaulted itself in the playoffs — and back into the Class B power rankings — with a 34-12 win last week over Big Timber. The Sheepherders were previously ranked No. 5 but saw their season come to an end with the loss. The Tigers have a tough first-round draw, though: A meeting with No. 2 Bigfork, which hopes to make good on its state title aspirations.
Bigfork had no trouble with ranked Eureka last week and went on to win 39-0. Top-ranked Huntley Project finished the regular season with a 41-7 romp over Red Lodge, and has its eyes on the top prize in Class B as well. The Vikings and Red Devils could be on a playoff collision course. Defending champion Florence, a week after losing in heartbreaking fashion to Bigfork, got back in the win column and doesn't want to relinquish its state crown.
To see the Class B playoff pairings, click here.
To see the updated Class B standings, click here.
8-MAN
1. St. Ignatius (8-0). Last week: Beat No. 4 Superior 58-0.
2. Drummond-Philipsburg (9-0). Last week: Beat Simms 54-8.
3. Belt (8-0). Last week: Idle.
4. Ennis (7-1). Last week: Idle.
5. Culbertson (7-1). Last week. Idle.
6. Joliet (6-1). Last week: Idle
7. Chinook (7-1). Last week: Idle
8. Fairview (6-2). Last week: Idle.
9. Superior (8-1). Last week. Lost to No. 1 St. Ignatius 58-0.
10. Charlo (6-3). Last week: Beat Troy 53-8.
Around 8-Man: St. Ignatius and Superior entered their Western division matchup last week with undefeated records. But the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs ran away with a 58-0 victory to claim the conference crown and are surging into the playoffs. Superior, previously ranked No. 4, fell five spots to No. 9 to close the regular season.
Much of 8-Man was idle last week, but No. 4 Ennis, No. 5 Culbertson, No. 6 Joliet, No. 7 Chinook and No. 8 Fairview all jumped ahead one spot to leapfrog Superior. No. 2 Drummond-Philipsburg handled Simms 54-8 and has its eyes on making its fifth championship game in the past six years — and winning a fourth title in that span.
To see the 8-Man playoff pairings, click here.
To see the updated 8-Man standings, click here.
6-MAN
1. Big Sandy (9-0). Last week: Beat No. 6 Valier 67-0.
2. Broadview-Lavina (8-0). Last week: Beat No. 5 Custer-Hysham-Melstone 59-26.
3. Custer-Hysham-Melstone (7-2). Last week: Lost to No. 2 Broadview-Lavina 59-26.
4. Bridger (7-2). Last week: Beat Reed Point-Rapelje 53-0.
5. Highwood (5-3). Last week: Beat No. 3 Roy-Winifred 49-26.
6. C-J-I (6-2). Last week: Idle
7. Froid-Lake (6-3). Last week: Beat Wibaux 58-13.
8. Roy-Winifred (7-2). Last week: Lost to No. 9 Highwood 46-26.
9. Valier (7-2). Last week: Lost to No. 1 Big Sandy 67-0.
10. Savage (6-2). Last week: Lost to Richey-Lambert 50-39.
Around 6-Man: No. 1 Big Sandy put its stamp on the top ranking to end the regular season with a 67-0 rout of Valier, which was previously slotted at No. 6. Meanwhile, No. 2 Broadview-Lavina laid claim to the South division title with a 59-26 victory over No. 5 Custer-Hysham-Melstone. Still, the Rebels moved up two spots to No. 3 due to losses by Roy-Winifred, Savage and Valier.
Froid-Lake, the two-time reigning state champion, continued its late-season flourish with a sizeable win over Wibaux and enters the postseason on a roll. Can the Red Hawks challenge for another crown or is Big Sandy (and Broadview-Lavina, for that matter) too strong for the rest of the field?
To see the 6-Man playoff pairings, click here.
To see the updated 6-Man standings, click here.
