FLORENCE — The No. 1 Florence-Carlton Falcons clinched the Western B title with a 63-26 victory over the Bigfork Vikings on Thursday evening.
With the win, Florence finishes the regular season 8-0 and also clinched home-field advantage throughout the Class B playoffs as the top overall seed.
Quarterback Pat Duchien got the Falcons going early with two rushing touchdowns of 2 and 11 yards respectively, as Florence grabbed a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Bigfork found its legs and got on the board when quarterback Patrick Wallen found Isak Epperly for a 33-yard score. After Luke Maki made it 21-7 Florence with an 18-yard touchdown catch from Duchien, Bigfork again responded as Wallen avoided a blitz and found Joseph Farrier on a screen that went 28 yards to keep the Vikings within one possession with 7:20 left in the first half.
But then the floodgates opened. Maki scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, then after Jace Pedersen picked off a Bigfork pass, Duchien hit Caden Zaluski on a deep shot that went to Bigfork's 6-yard line. Tristan Pyette powered the ball into the end zone on the next play for the Falcons.
Duchien found Blake Shoupe for an 11-yard score to send the Falcons into the break up 42-14.
Farrier picked off a pass early in the third quarter that Bigfork cashed in on a connection between Wallen and Nick Walker. But from there, Florence rolled as Pyette scored again, followed by a pick-6 from Zack Dixon and a touchdown connection between Duchien and Zaluski.
Bigfork falls to 6-2 on the season and will also head into the Class B postseason.
