LOCKWOOD — Bigfork's Patrick Wallen threw three touchdowns to lead the North past the South 27-7 in Saturday's 33rd annual Class B all-star football game at Lockwood High School.
Wallen had a 4-yard touchdown pass to Florence's Tristan Pyette to start the scoring late in the first quarter, then added a 69-yard scoring strike to Florence's Blake Shoupe early in the second to put the North up 14-0.
After an interception by Malta's Connor Tuss, Rex Williamson of Malta pounded into the end zone with less than 30 seconds remaining in the half to give the North a 21-0 lead at the break.
After a punt to open the second half, South linebacker Skylar Quenzer of Red Lodge intercepted Wallen and returned it for a touchdown to make it 21-7. Townsend quarterback Trey Hoveland was intercepted by Bigfork's George Bucklin on the next South possession, but the North fumbled it away one play later.
It looked like the South had crawled within one score when Hoveland hit Columbus's Colby Martinez in the end zone, but the referees ruled Martinez to have been pushed out of bounds. Hoveland was intercepted by Florence's Caden Zaluski on the ensuing play.
The South had another chance late in the fourth still trailing 21-7, but Fairfield's Miguel Perez intercepted Hoveland to end the threat, making it five interceptions for the North defense.
Tuss was named the North's defensive MVP and Wallen the offensive MVP.
"I was always playing (defensive back) against (Shoupe and Caden Zaluski) wondering, 'Man, how did they catch that?' Now, being able to throw to them, it's kind of the same thing. 'How did they catch that?' But it's sweet being able to throw to those guys," Wallen said of his weapons on the outside.
Brendan Wagner of Whitehall was the South's offensive MVP and Colter Zink of Shepherd the defensive MVP.
With the win, the North has won three consecutive in the series and holds the all-time edge 18-15.
