It's now or never for Hawks, Knights

For the two area high school football teams making the trek east for the first round of the Montana high school football playoffs this weekend, it's all about redemption.

For the Chester/J-I Hawks (7-2), redemption is sought after they were stunned by Drummond in the first round of the Class C playoffs a year ago in Chester. The Hawks took a perfect 9-0 record into that game and had aspirations of a coveted state championship, only to bounced by the powerful Trojans.

Meanwhile, the North Star Knights (6-2) are looking to make the most out of their first playoff appearance in two years. The Knights have already redeemed themselves for two difficult seasons prior, by finishing third in the Six-Man North Division.

But the Knights and Hawks don't just have redemption in common this weekend, they also have long bus rides ahead of them.

C/J-I travels to Culbertson Saturday to face the Culbertson-Bainville Cowboys at 1 p.m. The Cowboys (7-1) finished second in the Eastern C, with their only loss coming at the hands of top-ranked Wibaux.

Saturday's game between the Hawks and Cowboys is a matchup No. 7 and No. 8 in the Class C rankings, and it's one that C/J-I head coach Jim Vinson feels good about, despite having to take the nearly 350-mile trip east.

"I do feel good about where we're at," Vinson said. "We've had a solid season. Because of the kids we graduated last year, we really had to change some things this season. We couldn't be a power running team, we've had to rely more on our athleticism and speed on offense, and the kids have done a great job all year. And when you look at the Northern C, really there were eight quality teams in our league, there were weeks off in our conference, so to be where we're at, and to be as healthy as we are, I feel very fortunate."

It has been a solid season for C/J-I, which lost by 10 points to Northern C champion Belt, and again by 10 last Friday to runner-up Simms. So that means the Hawks were very close to repeating as Northern C champions.

And C/J-I, led by 10 seniors has been balanced and explosive on offense, and the Hawks will be a handful for the Cowboys defense on Saturday.

Quarterback Dell Harmon has thrown for 1,404 yards this season, while tailback Justin May has 1,300 yards on the ground. Tim Stokes is the top wideout for the Hawks, while May and Cody Ramberg both have over 300 yards receiving. Brandon Richter and Steven May are also standouts in the passing game, while Ramberg will also carry the ball out of the backfield.

"We've been pretty balanced this season with our offense," Vinson said. "And I think we'll have to be against Culbertson. They have a size, they are big up front, so we'll have to be able to find that balance and again, use our athleticism. If we can do that, I think we'll find success."

Of course, the Hawks will also look for success on defense, and their first priority will be stopping Cowboy tailback Shayne Cochran, who's rushed for over 1,800 yards on the season. The Cowboys will throw too, with shifty quarterback Taylor Bridges under center, but Cochran and fellow running back Tony Williams will look to grind the ball out behind a big Cowboys offensive line.

"They are big, they have at least one go over 300 pounds," Vinson said of the Culbertson line. "They like to run the football and Cochran is a really good running back with a lot of power. So shutting him down will be a big key for us."

Emotion will also be key for the Hawks. The C/J-I senior class has played in the playoffs for four straight season, and have had to battle some of the stories programs in Class C, including Drummond, Wibaux and Twin Bridges. But Saturday's game is one the experienced and talented Hawks feel they can win. And Vinson is confident too.

"You have to have confidence anytime you're in the playoffs," he said. "This is a matchup we feel good about. They are big, while we feel like we have a lot of speed and athleticism. Both teams have had a really good season, and as always, it comes down to who executes better on Saturday. I'm proud of this group. They have had a really good season, and I feel real good about where we're at going into this game."

The North Star Knights also feel good about where they're at as they head even farther east. The Knights will take on Six-Man East runner-up Westby-Grenora (7-1) on Saturday in Grenora, N.D.

North Star has had a great season, especially behind the stellar play of Cooper Spicher and Quinn Spinler. Spicher, in his senior season, has become one of the leading rushers in all of Six-Man football, and he has four games in which he went over 200 yards on this year. And like C/J-I, the Knights are a fast and athletic bunch on both sides of the ball.

And while Spicher and Spinler have racked up big numbers this season, the emergence of Jimmy Snow, another versatile back, as well as the strong play Jaxon Simonson on both sides of the ball, have led North Star to outstanding season.

The Knights also come into Saturday's tilt riding high after clobbering the Valier Panthers 72-38 in Rudyard last Saturday. But waiting for the Knights are the Thunder, who have quickly become one of the top Six-Man teams in all of Montana, though they play their home games in North Dakota.

The Thunder, like the team Big Sandy beat in the quarterfinals of the Six-Man playoffs a year ago, are a high-flying, up-tempo offensive juggernaut. This season, the Thunder averaged 54 points per game and have scored 60 or more points three different times. Their only loss came at the hands of unbeaten and second-ranked Savage, and since that loss, the Thunder have ripped off five straight wins including a 77-24 dismantling of Terry last weekend.

North Star's talented defense will be charged with stopping a dynamic 1-2 Thunder punch in running backs Thayne Ekness and Thomas Field, but the Thunder don't just keep it on the ground, they like to throw it too. And as speedy and explosive as they are on offense, the Thunder are equally as talented on defense. In their first three games of the season, the Thunder allowed just 12 points to Valier, then pitched back-to-back shutouts against Rosebud and Carter County.

However, the Knights and veteran head coach Steve Simonson bring a diverse offense to Grenora Saturday, and they will certainly give the Thunder all they can handle. For as good as North Star is on the ground, the Knights will throw it too, and their speed and athleticism match up with the Thunder's very well.

The winner of Saturday's game will move on to the Six-Man quarterfinals, facing either Hobson-Moore-Judith Gap or Lone Peak. Saturday's game between the Knights and Thunder will kick off at 1 p.m. in Grenora, N.D.

Meanwhile, Saturday's Class C first-round game between Chester/J-I and Culbertson-Bainville will also kick off at 1 p.m. in Culbertson. The winner will advance to face either Charlo or Twin Bridges in the quarterfinals Nov. 9.