Hi-Line Football: Pioneers, Longhorns roll

BIG SANDY - Over the last three seasons, the Big Sandy Pioneers have been on a meteoric rise, a rise, though, that has ended in the second week of November each of the last two seasons.

Now however, the Pioneers are out to change that, and they took the first step toward doing so with a 51-16 thrashing of Richey-Lambert in the opening round of the Six-Man playoffs Saturday in Big Sandy.

"It's great, it's a great confidence booster for our team," Big Sandy star running back Kade Strutz said. "Especially against this tough team from the East. This game will build confidence for us moving forward."

Strutz and the Pioneers wasted little time moving forward. The standout power back scored twice in the first quarter to put the Pioneers ahead 14-0, and just before the first stanza ended, Strutz added a 22-yard jaunt to make the score 22-0 after 10 minutes.

Strutz was just getting started, though. He added a 60-yard run just 40 seconds into the first quarter to push the lead to 30-0. The Fusion responded with two touchdown passes to close the gap to 30-16 at halftime, and while the score appeared close, it wasn't.

Big Sandy opened the third quarter on a Brock Proulx one-yard TD plunge, then, the Pioneers' Clint Darlington forced, and recovered a fumble, which set up Strutz' four TD of the day, giving the Pioneers a 45-16 lead after three.

Big Sandy would pitch a shutout on defense in the second and add a Chris Burns TD run in the fourth quarter to finish off their third straight first-round win in the playoffs. Strutz finished with 265 yards on 30 carries, while the Pioneers rushed for 384 yards on the day.

The Pioneers (10-0) will now move on and host Roy-Winifred, the No. 3 team from East Division in the quarterfinals of the Six-Man playoffs Saturday.

"We're focused on winning," Strutz said. "No matter who we play, we need to just play our game. That's getting defensive stops and scoring right after those stops."

Fusion 0 16 0 0 - 16

Big Sandy 22 8 15 6 - 51

1st Quarter

BSP: Kade Strutz 23 yd Rush (TD) 0-6

BSP: Kade Strutz (PAT) 0-8

BSP: Interception Kade Strutz 41 yd Return (TD) 0-14

BSP: Kade Strutz (PAT) 0-16

BSP: Kade Strutz 19 yd Rush (TD) 0-22

2nd Quarter

BSP: Kade Strutz 67 yd Rush (TD) 0-28

BSP: Kade Strutz (PAT) 0-30

RL: Brett Mullin 5 yd Pass from Blaine Frisbie (CNV) 6-30

RL: Brett Mullin (PAT) 8-30

RL: Brett Mullin 7 yd Pass from Blaine Frisbie (CNV) 14-30

RL: Brett Mullin (PAT) 16-30

3rd Quarter

BSP: Brock Proulx 79 yd Rush (TD) 16-36

BSP: Kade Strutz (PAT) 16-38

BSP: Kade Strutz 3 yd Rush (TD) 16-44

BSP: Parker Proulx 3 yd Pass from Ryan Roth (CNV) 16-45

4th Quarter

BSP: Christopher Burns 1 yd Rush (TD) 16-51

Fort Benton 62, Culbertson 0

Back in the Class C 8-man playoffs, the Fort Benton Longhorns looked right at home Saturday.

In Fort Benton, the Longhorns blasted Culbertson 62-0 to advance to the Class C quarterfinals.

Jace Thompson had a huge day for the Longhorns, as he accounted six touchdowns, all on the ground. Thompson racked up over 200 yards, and the Longhorns rushed for nearly 400 as a team. Garret Diekhans, Colter Ball and Morgan Axtman also scored rushing touchdowns, while Diekhans threw a touchdown pass to brother Hayden, as Fort Benton used a 32-point second quarter to build a 46-0 halftime lead.

The Longhorns (10-0) will now host Park City in the Class C quarterfinals Saturday in Fort Benton.

Culbertson 0 0 0 0 - 0

Fort Benton 14 32 8 8 - 62

FTB Garett Diekhans 15 run (Colter Ball run)

FTB Colter Ball 15 run (run failed)

FTB Jace Thompson 30 run (run failed)

FTB Jace Thompson 47 run (run failed)

FTB Jace Thompson 30 run (run failed)

FTB Hayden Diekhans 23 pass from Garett Diekhans (pass failed)

FTB Jace Thompson 30 run (pass failed)

FTB Jace Thompson 14 run (Jace Thompson run)

FTB Jace Thompson 51 run (Jace Thompson run)

FTB Morgan Axtman 65 run (Hayden Diekhans pass from Tim Lane)

Jordan 51, North Star 6

It's been quite the ride for the North Star Knights the last month. But it came to an end in the first round of the Six-Man playoffs.

Saturday, the Knights lost to top-seeded Jordan 51-6 in North Star, bringing their season to a close with a 5-5 record.

The Mustangs exploded for 31 points in the second quarter, while North Star's only score came on a Garrett Spicher 31-yard TD pass to senior Caden Rettig.

North Star 0 6 0 0 - 6

Jordan 14 31 0 6 0 -51

JOR Edward Murnion 1 yard run (Edward Murnion kick)

JOR Ben McRae 3 yards pass from Keenan Murnion (kick failed)

JOR Edward Murnion 10 yards run (Edward Murnion kick)

JOR Edward Murnion 2 yards run (Dawson Murnion pass from Keenan Murnion)

NST Caden Rettig 31 yards pass from Garret Spicher (kick failed)

JOR Keenan Murnion 4 yards run (Edward Murnion kick)

JOR Keenan Murnion 53 yards run (Edward Murnion kick)

JOR Keenan Murnion 54 yards pass from Edward Murnion (kick failed)