By Jack Reaney ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lone Peak High School’s homecoming week gathered many dozens of community members at the Big Horn Coliseum on Friday, Sept. 29, where the Big Horns (2-3) faced off against the Choteau High School Bulldogs (4-1).
It was an important matchup for the Big Horns’ playoff hunt, and the team expected a tough opponent. Tough as they were, the Bulldogs couldn’t keep up.
In the week leading up to the game, head coach Dustin Shipman and fellow coaches preached that beating Choteau would require a full team effort. Shipman praised Lone Peak’s offensive line, the team’s five seniors and standout performances from senior David Perdue and sophomore Ebe Grabow.
“I think the kids really—they wanted this. And they executed great… They played exactly how they practiced this week, and we had the best week of practice we’ve had all year,” coach Shipman told EBS after the game.
Sophomore linebacker Eli Gale came up big on defense throughout the game, but he established his presence early: the Bulldogs started with the ball, and Gale got the crowd’s attention on the second play when he halted a Choteau run with a 1-on-1 tackle at the line.
The Bulldogs punted shortly thereafter, and the Big Horn offense got right to work.
On their first play from scrimmage, senior quarterback Juliusz Shipman found Grabow wide open for a 70-yard touchdown.
The Bulldogs showcased big-play ability of their own on Friday. Junior running back Nathan Gunderson broke loose for a long touchdown in the first quarter, and the Bulldogs converted to take the lead, 8-6.
Perdue ran for a touchdown on the ensuing Big Horn drive. After another failed two-point conversion, the Big Horns led 12-8 through the first quarter.
In the first play of the second quarter, Shipman targeted Grabow in the end zone. Grabow beat double coverage for his second receiving touchdown. This time, Shipman scrambled for an extra two points, and the Big Horns extended their lead, 20-8.
Again, the Bulldogs answered—and converted for two—to bring the score to 20-16. As darkness set in and the air cooled, the game seemed headed toward a homecoming dogfight.
Just then, the Bulldogs stopped executing.
Lone Peak kicker Jose Chairez, a junior, had been displaying power all season. The Big Horns couldn’t make anything happen after the Bulldogs’ second touchdown, and Chairez led the punt-unit onto the field. But Choteau fumbled and the Big Horns regained possession in the red zone.
Shipman looked for Grabow on fourth down, and a miscommunication led to Shipman’s only interception of the game. After giving away a scoring chance, the Big Horn defense responded by forcing a three-and-out by the Bulldogs.
The Big Horn offense took full advantage this time around, bullying their way downfield: a nine-yard run by Perdue, nine-yard receptions by Grabow and senior Aidan Germain, and a breakout run by Shipman for the score—he dashed to the pylon to for two points, and the Big Horns led 28-16.
The Bulldogs nearly returned Chairez’s kickoff, but Germain tracked the runner down near the 10-yard line. That stop proved crucial, as the Bulldogs didn’t move an inch before halftime. The score remained.
‘It just means everything to us’
The Big Horns jumped on their first chance in the second half: after Choteau’s kicker failed two kickoffs—penalized for kicking out of bounds—Grabow returned the kickoff on a short field. He broke a few tackles, changed directions and won a footrace of his own creation.
Shipman ran another two-pointer, giving the Big Horns a 36-16 lead.
Near the end of the third quarter, Shipman furthered the game from Choteau’s reach: he rushed thrice and scored—his fourth total touchdown of the night, in a game when he hobbled off the field more than once but always returned to make key plays on both sides of the ball.
Coach Shipman commented on Juliusz’s toughness:
“He brings a real spark, a lot of athleticism, and a little more dynamic approach to our offense. I think having him on the field is really important for the offense, but it’s really important for the guys too because he’s developed into a pretty good leader for this team,” coach Shipman said.
Juliusz explained, “Us five seniors only got three or four more games. So I just want to play every single play, and I know they do too.”
Germain capped the night with a touchdown run, and the Big Horns allowed just one score in the final eight minutes. Lone Peak improved to 3-3 with a less-than-likely hometown blowout.
Grabow said the 48-24 win gives the Big Horns “great confidence,” but they’ll need to stay focused, smooth and sharp at practice next week.
“That’s a great team, and they’ve been a competitor for us for the last three years,” Grabow said. “They come out hot every day, and this homecoming, I mean, it just means everything to us. We need that… just the community, everyone showing out. What else could we ask for?”
Juliusz Shipman said the game was super fun and loud, thanks to the home fans.
“I think we brought the energy that they didn’t think we were gonna have. And it shows,” he said.
“It’s huge for us, because that’s a team, like, we were not expected to beat,” he added.
Next week won’t be any easier: the Big Horns (3-3) will visit the Simms High School Tigers (5-1). Juliusz Shipman expects an even bigger challenge than Choteau.
“We’re gonna have to bring that physicality, and just bring the energy. I think we’ve got good momentum,” he said.
Linebacker Eli Gale isn’t afraid either:
“It’s gonna be a tough game, but we’re gonna win.”
The Big Horns play two games on the road, before returning to the Big Horn Coliseum for senior night on Oct. 20, hosting Powell County High School (Deer Lodge).
