Babbitt-Embarrass calls it quits and ends game with 6:32 to go in second quarter
Littlefork-Big Falls has piled up some convincing victories over the past four seasons.
Friday’s 42-0 win at home against Babbitt-Embarrass might be the most lopsided.
The Vikings (3-0) had 42 points with eight minutes to play in the second quarter against the short-handed Knights (1-2), which defeated Cherry 22-15 just three days prior on Tuesday. They opened the season Sept. 10, giving the visitors three games in a seven-day span.
The Vikings needed only 14 offensive plays to rack up 304 yards (21.7 yards per play). They had touchdown runs of 58, 60, 44 and 30 yards — by four different rushers — a touchdown pass for 56 yards and a defensive touchdown on an interception return that covered 43 yards.
“Basically, on the second or third play we’d bust one,” Vikings head coach Derek Bilben said.
Friday’s game ended a few minutes after L-BF’s last touchdown — with 6:32 to play in the second quarter — when Ron Marinaro and the Knights’ coaching staff forfeited.
“He just said they’re done,” Bilben said.
The last play was when Vikings punt returner Tyler Lehman sprinted the width of the field and plastered Knights punter Scott Solberg at the sidelines on a dead sprint. Solberg was also the backup quarterback, and after laying on the field for roughly 10 minutes with an injury, Solberg slowly got up and Marinaro made the call shortly after.
“When he went down, that’s when he quit,” Bilben said, noting the Knights were already without their regular starting quarterback and had a couple other injuries from the Cherry game.
Both teams also lost a player to fighting. Knights senior Grant Haasi and Vikings senior Aaron McGuire got in a first-quarter scuffle that resulted in ejections for both players.
“The referee said they both threw punches,” Bilben said. “Automatic ejection and they’re disqualified for the next game, too.”
McGuire will miss the Homecoming contest Friday at home against Orr, while Haasi and the Knights play at home Friday against Bigfork.
Reached by phone on Tuesday, Marinaro had nothing to tell The Journal about Friday’s drubbing.
“Many things are pending from that game,” he said. “I got nothing to say.”
Lehman led the Vikings ground attack with 70 yards on three carries. Nelson rushed five times for 56 yards, McGuire had one run (a touchdown) of 58 yards and Richie Van Drunen finished with four carries for 64 yards. Lehman hit Tyler Vork for a 56-yard touchdown connection for the third score of the contest in the first quarter.
Littlefork-Big Falls 42,
Babbitt-Embarrass 0
BE 0 0—0
LBF 26 16—42
First Quarter
LBF — Aaron McGuire 58 run
LBF — Tyler Lehman 60 run
LBF — Tyler Vork 56 pass from Lehman
LBF — Richie Van Drunen 44 run
Second Quarter
LBF — Mitch Nelson 30 run
LBF — Lehman 43 interception return
*Forfeit by Babbitt-Embarrass with 6:32 to play in second quarter.
**Extra points not reported.
