Relishing a new reality

The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks were record wreckers in their first season of 8-Man football, which only recently ended with a road loss to No. 1 Fairview in the State playoff quarterfinals.

Marking new 8-Man Thompson Falls school records in all categories, the Hawks also made their imprint on the Montana state record books. All 2019 season statistics for the Blue Hawks were released last week.

A very productive rushing offense keyed by seniors Trey Fisher and Nate Wilhite was the main impetus to all the 2019 record writing for the Blue Hawks, who completed season play with a 9-2 win-loss record. Coach Jared Koskela's Hawks defeated Twin Bridges 55-20 in the first round of the playoffs in Thompson Falls before going on the road and falling at Fairview two weeks ago

The Hawks averaged 321 yards a game rushing the ball to set a new 8-Man record in that category, while totaling 3,534 yards rushing as a team for the season, a mark second only to Fairview's 3,568 yards gained rushing back in 2012.

Thompson Falls rushers finished the campaign with 62 touchdowns scored, which is now No. 4 in the 8-Man record books.

Also a new No. 4 in the record book, the Hawks scored nine rushing touchdowns in their game with Flint Creek back on Sept. 27.

In the individual record department, Fisher put his name in the books in several categories. His six rushing touchdowns and two two-point conversion runs against Flint Creek was the No. 10 scoring effort (40 points) by one player in a game, his 26 rushing touchdowns on the season is a new No. 9 mark and his seven games with 100 or more yards gained checks in at No. 7 all time.

Fisher finished the season with 1,459 yards rushing and another 396 passing, while Wilhite gained another 1,031 yards on the ground. Fisher averaged almost nine yards per rushing attempt and Wilhite almost seven and a-half yards per attempt.

Fisher piled up a school record 170 points between his 26 touchdowns and seven two-point conversion runs, and also passed for 11 more touchdowns. Wilhite scored 104 points on 16 TDs and four two-point runs.

Roman Sparks and Dakota Irvine had four touchdown pass catches apiece, Derek Andersen had two and Lucas Andersen and Trae Thilmony one each.

Thompson Falls scored a new school record of 561 points this season with 365 in 2007 being the previous best season scoring effort. The 561 total is the No. 10 highest-scoring season in Montana high

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school football history with 570 being the highest total ever.

With blocking being one of the Blue Hawks team strong points all season, several team members posted very high numbers of "pride blocks," a statistic the Thompson Falls coaches keep track of.

In that department, senior Jack Jacobson led the Hawks with a team-high 46 pride blocks, fellow seniors Justin Miller and Irvine were next with 24 and 21, respectively, and Brad Lantz and Cody Burk added 10 each.

Fisher was also the Hawks' team leader on the defensive side of things from his middle linebacker position. Fisher made 48 unassisted tackles and assisted on another 55 for a team-high total of 103, Matt Duplechain was good for 81 stops, Brandon Zimmerman 60, Thilmony 51, Irvine 46, Wilhite 33, Lantz 30 and Sparks 28.