BILLINGS — Joe Olson rumbled 15 yards to the end zone with 14 seconds left to help Bozeman shock Billings Senior 36-29 on Thursday night Class AA football action at Daylis Stadium.
The Hawks forced a Senior fumble with 1:15 left in regulation to set up the game-winning touchdown.
Bozeman improved to 5-0 with the victory, but getting there was anything but easy.
Broncs quarterback Matthew Plasterer threw three touchdown passes, two of 50 yards or more, in the first half as Senior rolled into halftime with a 19-10 lead.
Bozeman, however, stormed out of the halftime gates. Olson struck for two touchdown runs and Bozeman scored 18 points in the third quarter to take a 28-19 lead into the final quarter.
Senior would then mount a comeback of its own. Plasterer hit Junior Bergen for his second touchdown of the night just 35 seconds into the fourth quarter and the Bozeman lead was down to 28-26.
It stayed that way until three minutes remained in the game. The Broncs drove down to the Bozeman 3-yard line before turning to the leg of Jackson Burckley. Burckley knocked a 20-yard field goal attempt right through the uprights to give Senior a late 29-28 lead.
Senior stopped Bozeman on its next drive and looked to be on its way to running the clock down when the Hawks forced the late fumble.
That gave Bozeman one last chance to keep its undefeated record alive, and the Hawks took full advantage of the late turnover.
The Hawks turned to Olson a couple of plays later and he would not be denied. Olson broke three tackles and barreled his way into the end zone for his third score of the night as the Hawks survived a thrilling Thursday night game.
