Solid coaching, good athletes and a balanced attack. Oh, and two straight Class AA state titles.
Missoula Sentinel got all that and a box of Captain Crunch as the undefeated and top-ranked Bruins bruised their way to a 49-14 victory Saturday at Missoula County Stadium.
Capital exploded out of the starting gate, scoring on its first play of the game, a 60-yard run by quarterback Mathew Reyant. Reyant, a 6-foot-1 senior, slipped up the middle on a draw and went untouched to the end zone.
“That first play of the game, we kind of got lucky and that gave us a little momentum for that first quarter,” Capital coach Pat Murphy said.
Indeed, the Bruins (7-0) scored on their next two possessions on short TD runs by Nick Retz to take a 21-0 lead just seven minutes into the game.
Retz's first score was set up by a 45-yard toss from Reyant to Jake Losett to Sentinel's 5. Reyant and Matt Miller hooked up on a 39-yard pass play on Capital's next possession to set the Bruins up at the Spartan 2.
“We wanted to make them beat us through the air,” Sentinel coach Pete Joseph said. “We thought we could match up in the secondary, but we just didn't make plays - on offense, defense or special teams.
“When you lose like this, every aspect of the game goes south on you.”
The Spartans (3-4) did fight back in the second quarter, particularly on defense.
Sentinel junior defensive end Zach Wagenmann provided the shot in the arm the team needed when he intercepted a tipped pass at the Sentinel 47-yard line.
The Spartans then put together an outstanding 11-play drive, capped by a 1-yard TD run by Taylor McGreevey. The point-after kick was wide left, but Sentinel pulled within 21-6 and grabbed a few moments of momentum.
The momentum was short-lived.
Capital responded with a six-play, 88-yard drive that ended with Retz's third touchdown of the game on a 14-yard scamper up the middle to help the Bruins take a 28-6 lead into the locker room.
“We competed, especially in the second quarter after we gave up some big plays,” Joseph said. “What we didn't do was reestablish that momentum in the third quarter. We didn't make a game of it in the second half, which is something we have to do.”
On Sentinel's first possession of the third quarter, Rominger was intercepted by Seth Walton, who returned it to the Spartan 32-yard line.
Sentinel's defense answered the challenge, shutting down Capital at the 12-yard line with a big fourth-down stand.
The Spartans were unable to move the ball, however, and a high snap on the punt attempt led to Capital taking over at the Sentinel 7-yard line.
Two plays later Reyant hit Miller on a slant to give Capital a 35-6 lead and the rout was on.
Despite the loss, Sentinel remains in contention for a playoff berth. The Spartans are currently tied with Billings Skyview for the eighth and final spot. They host Great Falls High next week before finishing the season at Kalispell Glacier and Missoula Hellgate.
“All you can do is put this thing behind you and get re-energized for Monday,” Joseph said. “A loss like this - you just have to forget about it. There's not much you can say or do or ask your kids. You can't repeat it, you can't talk about it, you can't punish them for it.”
For his part, Murphy was complimentary of the Spartans.
“Sentinel is a great team, they've got a lot of outstanding athletes,” he said. “I think they're destined for the playoffs, so we definitely weren't taking these guys lightly. They're well-coached.”
Capital 21 7 14 7 - 49
Sentinel 0 6 0 8 - 14
First quarter
HC - Mathew Reyant 60 run (Michael King kick), 11:42
HC - Nick Retz 3 run (King kick), 8:28
HC - Retz 1 run (King kick), 5:10
Second quarter
S - Taylor McGreevey 1 run (kick failed), 4:24
HC - Retz 14 run (King kick), 1:49
Third quarter
HC - Matt Miller 3 pass from Reyant (King kick), 5:33
HC - Jake Losett 41 pass from Reyant (King kick), 2:37
Fourth quarter
HC - Braden Peterson 1 run (King kick), 10:42
S - Safety, ball snapped out of end zone, 6:05
S - Justin Mueller 11 pass from Jace Prideaux (run failed), 1:34
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing - Helena Capital (39-278): Nick Retz 14-64, Mathew Reyant 6-64, Braden Peterson 7-54, Michael King 6-53, Matt Miller 3-23, Dalton Peaslee 1-13, Dustin Williams 1-8, Corey Scevers 1-(-1). Sentinel (36-135): Steven Rominger 14-43, Tylor McGreevey 12-33, Ryan Mutzenberger 4-22, Jace Prideaux 2-15, Justin Mueller 1-13, David Cahoon 3-9.
Passing - Helena Capital: Reyant 6-10-0-142, Scevers 0-1-0-0. Sentinel: Rominger 8-21-3-43, Prideaux 3-4-0-22.
Receiving - Helena Capital: Jake Losett 2-86, Miller 3-50, King 1-6. Sentinel, Benny Roberts 4-24, Mueller 1-17, Tyler Jacobsen 1-16, Tyler Ramos 1-5, McGreevey 3-3.
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