No. 2 Helena Capital handles business against Kalispell Flathead | Class AA High School Football

KALISPELL — Tom Carter and Dylan Graham each scored twice and No. 2 Helena Capital had six rushing touchdowns in a 51-14 rout of Kalispell Flathead.

The Bruins, who improved to 3-0 this season and 1-0 in Western Conference AA games, racked up 320 yards in the first half and scored 42 points.

“You’re still worrying about these games after having two tough games – you’re worrying about the level of effort and what we’re going to look like,” head coach Kyle Mihelish said.

“I thought we went out and did what we were supposed to do. We played at a high level and obviously were able to score 42 points in the first half.

A 28-point second quarter that saw Capital score three times in four minutes and four times in five-and-a-half minutes opened the competition.

Carter found the end zone on back-to-back drives, the second of which was set up by a 50-yard catch and led by Tyler Kovick.

Graham took an optional throw a few plays later and sprinted 29 yards for six to put Capital up by five touchdowns.

Hayden Opitz joined his teammates in the locker room at halftime after racking up north of 100 all-purpose yards in the first half. He broke the scoring seal in the first quarter with a 30-yard run before setting up Graham’s first touchdown of the night with consecutive 18-yard receptions.

His 48-yard catch paved the way for Graham’s second score late in the first half.

Capital, just as it had in the first two games, relied on its defense in the win.

The Bruins’ rapid shooting score can not only be attributed to Capital’s explosive offense, but to a terrorizing defense that forced multiple three-and-outs and Flathead possessions that lasted no more than 90-120 seconds. sometimes.

“The first seven guys are veterans and they understand the pattern, they understand what we’re trying to do,” Mihelish said. “They execute quite well and they play well together. They communicate.

“That’s one thing with this group that really impresses me – they communicate with each other and get the right calls, the right fronts and the right covers.”

Talon Marsh burst into the backfield for a handful of TFL Friday night, and with less than three minutes left in the first half, Kovick hopped a Flathead route and bolted 25 yards to the end zone.

Kovick recorded his second interception of the night a drive later, ending Kalispell’s final drive in the first half with a turnover.

“Kovick is pretty smart in his cover,” Mihelish said. “He understands where he needs to be, so he just cut under the route a little bit and picked it out and ran [into the end zone]. He had another great game on a wheel road.

“The kid goes up to catch it – he’s a 6-foot-4 kid – and Kovick goes up through his hands and down with the ball. He had a big night defensively.

Capital turned to many of their junior college players in the second half and saw Lance Baumgart take a relay and sprint 60 yards into the end zone.

The Braves, who trailed 48-0 at one point, dodged a running clock in the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns to Brody Thornsberry, but ultimately succumbed when Capital cut their advantage to 37 points midway through the fourth.

Capital gets Missoula Big Sky next week, while Flathead (1-2) takes on Butte.

“We have achieved what we set out to achieve so far,” Mihelish said. “We’ll just take it one day at a time, one game at a time.”