Vikings drop Homecoming matchup to Bulldogs, 20-16

The Vikings saw a victory slip through their fingers as they celebrated Homecoming Friday as Bigfork fell to Whitefish 20-16.

Bigfork took a 14-13 lead into the fourth quarter only to see the Bulldogs score on an 18-yard pass play to go up 20-14 midway through the final quarter.

Bigfork had its chances to answer, including four downs from within the 5-yard line, but could not retake the lead.

The Vikings appeared to have forced and recovered a fumble in the Bulldogs’ end zone late in the game, but the play resulted in a safety to cut the Whitefish lead to 20-16.

Bigfork fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff and Whitefish was able to hold on for the win.

“We lost this game, not the officials. We had two drives inside the five yard line when we could have cashed in, and we didn’t,” Vikings head coach Jim Benn said after the loss. “We left another game on the table and now we have to win out.”

Despite the loss, Benn was happy with his team’s effort.

“I think these kids played their butts off and we just were not able to finish it,” he said. “That’s just how it goes sometimes. We have to make our own breaks and leave no doubt.”

Quarterback Tristen Herd finished 8 for 13 passing for 202 yards for the Vikings in the loss, connecting with Wyatt Johnson four times for 117 yards and Eli Thorness four times for 85 more.

Sam Plummer led the Bigfork ground attack with 59 yards and two TDs on 13 carries while Johnson added 39, Asher Knopik had 29 and Herd finished with 12.

Johnson also led in tackles with 12 while Knopik added nine and Thorness hauled in one interception.

Knopik, Henry Carlson and Evan Tidwell each had a sack for Bigfork in the loss.

With the loss, the Vikings move to 3-3 this season, putting them in fifth place in the Western A Division.

The Vikings will be on the road Friday as they travel to Browning to take on the 3-3 Indians, who have defeated Stevensville, Park and Butte Central but lost to Corvallis, Columbia Falls and Ronan.