Flathead couldn't capitalize on their home-field advantage in their season opener. They took a 28-14 bruising from the Russell Rustlers on Friday. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Braves/Bravettes of the 33-0 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in August of 2023.
Flathead's loss came despite strong showings from Brett Pesola and Nolan Campbell. Pesola rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown, while Campbell rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown. Campbell also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, forcing a fumble and making six total tackles.
A big part of the victory came down to the chemistry between Caleb Taylor and his top target Drew Etcheberry. Taylor threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 15.5 yards per attempt while Etcheberry picked up 181 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Kade Somerfeld was another key player, picking up 121 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Flathead will venture away from home to square off against Belgrade at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Russell, they will challenge Big Sky at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
