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The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks moved one step closer to a state championship last weekend as they defeated Park City 41-16 in the eight-player semifinal game Saturday on their home turf at Previs Field.

The Hawks started out the game as they have most of the rest of the season, scoring early and asserting their dominance over their opponent. After turning over the ball on downs in their opening possession, Erik Strom put pressure on the Panthers and caused Park City to throw an interception to Hawk senior Ryan Bucher, who ran the ball back 37 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Elijah Ratliff then pushed through the Panthers for the extra two points and the Hawks took an 8-0 lead.

"The last two teams we've played have dialed in to what we do for our bread-and-butter plays," Coach Jared Koskela said, adding that Park City stopped the Hawks a few times, but his team adjusted and were effective in doing so. He tells his team to take care of the football and not turn the ball over. "If they only let you get three or four yards at a time, eventually you're going to break through."

During Park City's next possession, the Hawk defense held strong, almost intercepting the ball two more times, before forcing the Panthers to punt. Later in the first quarter, Blue Hawk Jordan Fisher intercepted another Park City pass, but the Hawks were unable to convert that into points. With two minutes left in the first quarter, Park City got their first points of the game on a 53-yard touchdown run and tied the game at eight. Bucher again ran big for the Hawks and the home team ended the first quarter with a first down.

The Hawks were able to score on a 32-yard pass from Ratliff to senior Nathan Schraeder in the second quarter. Schraeder then kicked the extra point between the goalposts and the Hawks led 21-8.

Hawk senior Trae Thilmony said Park City was a good opponent, but the Hawks were confident going into last week's semifinal. "It feels great," he said after the win. "This is what we've been working for all season."

The second half was all about the Hawks. Thilmony carried the ball seven yards in for a touchdown for the Hawks' only score of the third quarter. Thompson Falls' defense did their job and read their opponent like a bestseller, matching the Panthers play for play and leaving them scoreless in the third.

The fourth quarter, the Hawks came out with renewed energy and got in the end zone for three touchdowns. "Coach Koskela always says to win the fourth quarter so we won the fourth," Thilmony said after the game. At the start of the final quarter, Bucher scored on a 34-yard pass from Ratliff, who then launched a 22-yard to Schraeder for another touchdown. With the Hawks up 35-8, Schraeder was in the end zone for another touchdown less than a minute later after Park City fumbled and Schraeder first recovered that on the one yard line.

Park City scored the final touchdown of the game with just under eight minutes left in the fourth. The Panthers attempted an onside kick following that final score, but the Hawks took possession. Junior Beck Ferris then followed that possession with an interception of a Park City pass.

Thilmony led the Hawks in rushing with 103 yards, followed by Bucher with 73, Ratliff with 25 and Schraeder with six yards. Schraeder was top in passing with 54 yards, followed by Bucher with 53. Ratliff, the junior quarterback, also worked hard on the other side of the ball, leading the team with seven tackles, with Thilmony, Josh Wilhite and Strom adding five each, Bucher four, Max Hannum three, Ferris two and Jordan Fisher, Lance Palmer and Hayden Hanks one apiece.

Koskela credits his defense for keeping up with Park City. "We kept pounding them and the physicalness that we bring caught up to them in the fourth. It showed and we capitalized on that," the coach added.

"We're going to work as hard as we can," Ratliff said after the win over Park City. The Hawks diversified against Park City, upping their passing game. "We tried to beat them on anything we could," Ratliff added.

Koskela says he's not changing much for the state championship game, just making some slight adjustments. "We just have to figure out what they do on offense and put more time into stopping them."

The state eight-player championship game kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Previs Field in Thompson Falls. The game can also be viewed live online via the NFHS Network app or website.