Sports
Big Horns lock up second place in conference
Host Halloween playoff game
By Acra Samuels EBS Contributor
ALBERTON/BIG SKY – The Lone Peak High School Big Horns finished second in the Western C Conference and will host a playoff game in Big Sky against Bridger High School on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Big Horns Head Coach Matt Bakken guided LPHS’s six-man football team to a 6-1 conference record this year and second place finishes in back-to-back seasons. The Big Horns also went undefeated at home.
LPHS had two offensive explosions in their final regular season games to vault them into the playoffs.
On Oct. 16, the Big Horns traveled to take on the Alberton Panthers under the Friday night lights, and wasted no time getting their offense started.
LPHS senior Chase Samuels charges for yards during the team’s offensive explosion in Big Sky.
The second quarter was all Big Horns. Starz threw an 11-yard touchdown to senior Chase Samuels and then connected twice with junior Devin Quinn for touchdowns of 28 and 18 yards. Shipman converted on seven of 10 kicks to add 14 points in the first half.
The halftime score was 74-12 and that was how it ended, as LPHS used its entire roster in the second half. The Big Horns had a strong defensive effort led by Starz with an interception and a fumble recovery, and Chase Samuels had a strip and fumble recovery in addition to three sacks.
Sophomores Evan Redmon, Holden Samuels, Jackson Wade and Zach Estes helped hold the Panthers down with sure-handed tackling, repeatedly stopping the Panthers at the line of scrimmage.
On Oct. 24, the Big Horns hosted the Sheridan Panthers on a Senior Day in Big Sky and it was all Big Horns from the opening whistle. The home team pummeled the Panthers 94-0, as all 12 active Big Horn players got into the action.
Quinn led the offense, scoring the first three touchdowns of the game on a 64-yard kickoff return and two punt returns. Starz threw two touchdowns passes, the first was a 27 yarder to Holden Samuels and the second was a 15-yard strike to Babcock, who also scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 7 yards.
Chase Samuels scampered 24 yards for a touchdown and his brother
Freshman Milosz Shipman scores an easy touchdown against Sheridan as the Big Horns secured second place in the conference and the chance to host a first-round playoff game on Oct. 31.
The Big Horns’ shutout was their second of the season thanks to stifling defense.
The freshmen and sophomore Big Horns also notched a 54-31 junior varsity win in Shields Valley against Tri–Cities back on Oct. 13. LPHS was led by Zach Estes with two touchdown runs; Holden Samuels’ three scores; Evan Redmon’s fumble recovery for a score; and Zach Cone’s touchdown run. The future looks bright for the Big Horns.
LPHS takes the field Saturday, Oct. 31 at 12:50 p.m. as they host the Bridger Scouts for the Big Horns’ second home playoff game in team history.
