Unrelenting wind and snow made for a raw October night and kept Blaine’s marching band and dance team from halftime performances.

Those groups wouldn’t have wanted to follow the tough act that was the Bengals’ offense on Friday.

Spurred by Sam Browne’s return of the opening kickoff for a score, Blaine capped all six of first half possessions with touchdowns. The surge led to a 59-21 victory against Armstrong in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs.

A state tournament semifinalist a year ago, the Bengals (6-3) executed at a level that Armstrong, which played primarily Class 5A opponents all season, could not match. The Bengals’ point total was the most since the season-opener when they scored 53 at Stillwater.

“Every series we came out wanting to score,” Blaine quarterback Connor Melton said. “Our starters never punted.”

They pounced. Repeatedly.

Browne’s 99-yard touchdown return set the pace. From there, Melton, runner/receiver Byron Bynum Jr. and receiver Mikey Gottschalk took turns making big plays. Melton and Bynum each participated in four touchdowns.

Bynum scored on runs of one and 31 yards, the latter a showcase of his ability to repeatedly cut and accelerate away from defenders. He put Blaine ahead 21-0.

No stranger to big plays, Bynum admitted his long scoring run surprised him “maybe a little bit. You just have to keep your feet moving because you never know what’s going to happen.”

On its ensuing drive, Armstrong (5-4) picked up its initial first down and then added two more on consecutive big gains. Sophomore quarterback Jake Breitbach scored on a 17-yard run and the Falcons had life though trailing 21-7.

“It really helped our confidence,” Breitbach said. “We were running our plays well.”

Blaine snatched back the momentum on the first play of its next drive. Melton’s high-arching pass reached Gottschalk’s hands behind the defense and he sprinted to finish the 77-yard scoring reception. The two later connected on a 59-yard scoring pass for a 49-14 lead just before halftime.

“We knew we were going to run the ball and we succeeded,” Melton said. “It opened up the passing game and that was even working in these conditions.”

Blaine advances to play next Friday at Prior Lake.

Three space heaters in the Blaine High School press box brought relief from a raw October night but caused a blown fuse that led to scoreboard clock failure.

Or maybe it was Blaine’s offense, which erupted for a 59-21 victory against Armstrong on Friday in a first-round Class 6A playoff game. The Bengals built a lead just 17 seconds into the game and did not relent, scoring on all six of their first half drives.

Blaine, a semifinalist a year ago, executed at a level that the Falcons, who played primarily Class 5A opponents all season, could not match. The Bengals’ point total was the most since the season-opener when they scored 53 at Stillwater.

Sam Browne triggered the avalanche with a 99-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff.

From there, quarterback Connor Melton, runner/receiver Byron Bynum Jr. and receiver Mikey Gottschalk took turns making big plays and piling up points.

Melton and Bynum, the twin engines of Blaine’s attack, each participated in four touchdowns.

Bynum scored on runs of one and 31 yards, the latter a showcase of his ability to repeatedly cut and accelerate away from defenders. He put Blaine ahead 21-0.

On the ensuing drive, Armstrong picked up its initial first down and then added two more on consecutive big gains. Sophomore quarterback Jake Breitbach scored on a 17-yard run and the Falcons had life, though trailing 21-7.

Blaine snatched back the momentum on the first play of its next drive. Melton’s high-arching pass reached Gottschalk’s hand behind the defense and he sprinted to finish the 77-yard scoring reception.

Melton next found Bynum from 14 yards out and Blaine led 35-7 in the second quarter. A one-yard Melton touchdown run made it 42-7.

But the Falcons’ Breitbach didn’t quit. He hit Jesse Sherwood for a 37-yard touchdown on a fourth-down screen pass and Armstrong trailed 42-14.

Blaine answered with a clutch play of its own as Melton hit Gottschalk on third down for a 59-yard scoring pass. Gottschalk’s two touchdown receptions covered 136 yards.

Bynum added a 30-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

The first round of the playoffs seems to bring out the best in Blaine’s offense. Last year, the Bengals defeated Buffalo 70-42.