Friday Night Lights: Big Sky Hosts a Playoff Game, Sentinel Waits |
The Class AA bracket is set. Big Sky opens at home Friday, Sentinel has a bye straight to the quarterfinals, and Hellgate's season is over. |
The regular season is done, the bracket is out, and two Missoula teams are still playing.
The Class AA playoffs open this week, with the first round Thursday and Friday and the championship set for Friday, Nov. 20, according to the bracket published by MTN Sports.
Friday: Big Sky hosts Billings Skyview
Billings Skyview at Missoula Big Sky, Friday, 7 p.m.
The Eagles finished 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the West; Skyview comes in at 2-7, 2-5 in the East, per the Class AA standings.
Win, and Big Sky goes to Great Falls CMR for a quarterfinal on Nov. 6.
Sentinel skips a week
Sentinel finished 6-3 overall and 5-2 in the West and doesn't play this week. The Spartans host a quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 6, against the winner of Helena at Gallatin, per the bracket.
A week of rest, a home game, and a bracket that doesn't run through Kalispell Glacier until the semifinals.
Hellgate's season ends
The Knights finished 0-9, 0-7 in the West and did not qualify, according to the standings.
Their finale against Helena started about an hour and fifteen minutes late because of bad roads, and Hellgate led 7-0 early, per MTN Sports’ Week 9 timeline. We have not been able to confirm the final score from a published source, and we'd rather say that than guess.
How the regular season finished
Big Sky's last game was a 56-7 loss to No. 2 Kalispell Glacier, which clinched the Western title and a top-two seed for the Wolfpack, per MTN Sports.
Final West standings: Glacier 7-0, Sentinel and Big Sky 5-2, Helena Capital 4-3, Butte and Helena 3-4, Kalispell Flathead 1-6, Hellgate 0-7 (MTN Sports).
The bracket
Kickoff times and sites can change. Check with the schools before you head out.
Who we'll be watching
We're working with Missoula's athletic departments to confirm individual statistics before naming standout players, and we'd like to feature student-athletes in future profiles with their families' permission.
Coaches, parents and fans: if a player or team deserves a story, email info@zootownlowdown.com.
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