MALTA — The Malta Mustangs football team improved to 12-0 Saturday following a 37-0 semifinal rout of three-time defending state champion Florence.
With the win, the team earned a spot in the Class B championship game — their first appearance since 2012.
"Our coaches you know, they know how to have us ready," junior Dawson Hammond said following Saturday's win. "Just doing everything we can to be prepared, and just come out ready to go."
"It's crazy to think that we're going to the state championship," senior Mason Simanton said. "Last year, we couldn't dream of doing this."
Malta — who had no issues with Thompson Falls and Three Forks in the first two rounds — stayed on the trend of blowing out its opponent.
It's not what was expected either, as Hammond said, "we knew it'd be a dog fight."
"We knew they were coming to our field and we're going to have to go out and play our best game," Hammond said.
"It's an awesome feeling knowing that you just took something down that's been so big for so many years," Simanton said.
Coach Nick Oxarart gave nothing but respect to Florence, saying they set the bar in the class in recent years.
"We know that they were the defending three-time state champions, and going for four," Oxarart said. "It's a challenge. And you know our guys were the underdog, and we rode that mentality all week of you know, you got to prepare harder than we have at any point this season."
The way the bracket shook out, Malta — which last won the championship in 2006 — gets to host the upcoming game. On the other side, fellow unbeaten Manhattan will be looking for redemption after falling in last year's championship.
"It's a special team, and I can't wait for (this) weekend playing here again," Hammond said.
"We got to come together as family," Simanton said.
"It's going to be a huge challenge because Manhattan has a dominant football program," Oxarart said. "We're happy to be hosting them, but we know what a challenge it will be."
Malta hosts Manhattan for the Class B championship Saturday at 1 p.m.
