Clark Fork Gets Playoff With A Win

Clark Fork’s George Klontz has had many great runs in his four-year career as a Wampus Cat, but none as important to him or his teammates as when he scooped up a fumble and ran 77 yards for a touchdown against Falls Christian Academy on Friday afternoon.

Klontz’s return capped the scoring in a 46-44 Clark Fork win that forced a playoff between the schools to determine a state football playoff berth.

Clark Fork needed the win after losing to FCA 34-32 Oct. 3.

A tiebreaker will be played Nov. 2 in Sandpoint. The winner will advance to the first round of State A-4 8-man play.

Prior to his fumble recovery, Klontz had been a goat. He threw an interception on a running back option pass with CF down 44-40.

“When I saw the ball on the ground, I knew I had to score a touchdown,” said Klontz, who broke two tackles near the end of his run to score. “I had let my team down earlier and I had to get us back in it.”

The Eagles scored first when CF quarterback Nate Stutzke had a pass picked off by Charlie Dowers on the 48-yard line. Dowers returned it 7 yards. On the first play, Eagles QB Brandon Bligh rushed 41 yards on a keeper to score.

The teams exchanged touchdowns with CF maintaining a slight edge. FCA had a shot to take the lead early in the third quarter, but shot itself in the foot.

After Clark Fork turned the ball over on downs at the FCA 5-yard line, the Eagles went to the air on the first play. That proved costly. Nate Stutzke intercepted Bligh at the 25-yard line and ran the ball to the 2. Klontz dove in to make the score 40-32 at the end of the third quarter.

On the first play of the fourth, Bligh connected with Chad Wild on a 43-yard TD pass, but the Eagles couldn’t convert the crucial two-point conversion.

FCA took the lead after Clark Fork was forced to punt on the next series. Bligh hit Dowers for 34 yards, putting the Eagles on the CF 15. After a 3-yard gain, Bligh hit a diving Dowers in the end zone to give the Eagles a 44-40 lead.

Following Klontz’s fumble return that put Clark Fork ahead, FCA threatened again. With 2 minutes left and the Eagles on their own 40, Bligh scrambled out of the pocket and downfield. He was spun by Brett Stutzke, forcing a fumble. Brett Stutzke recovered and all CF had to do was maintain possession the last 50 seconds. Instead of the quarterback kneeling, CF opted to run. FCA stripped Klontz and got one last shot. Bligh’s desperation pass came up short.

“We knew we had a tough sled to pull,” said CF coach Frank Hammersley. “I’ll give them credit. They know how to play us. The only reason we won is because we made less mistakes then they did.”

Klontz rushed for 224 yards and had three touchdowns for Clark Fork. Bligh passed for 272 yards with five touchdowns.

Clark Fork 46, Falls Christian 44

Clark Fork 6 14 20 6 - 46

Falls Christian 8 8 16 12 - 44

F-Bligh 41 run (Danforth pass from Bligh) C-NStutzke 16 run (run failed) C-Changala 28 pass from NStutzke (pass failed) C-Changala 15 run (Klontz run) F-Dowers 8 pass from Bligh (Arana run) C-Klontz 1 run (run failed) F-Dowers 72 pass from Bligh (Bligh run) C-Klontz 38 run (NStutzke run) F-Danforth 23 pass from Bligh (Arana run) C-Klontz 2 run (run failed) F-Wild 43 pass from Bligh (run failed) F-Dowers 11 pass from Bligh (run failed) C-Klontz 77 fumble return (run failed)