Hi-Line Football Roundup: Beeters storm back; Knights rock Panthers

It seemed like just yesterday that the 2014 Montana high school football was getting underway. But, after this past week’s games, there is just one week left in the regular season, and knowing that the schedule is winding down, teams from across the Hi-Line were in search of victories to aid their final push for the playoffs.

One such playoff contender is the Chinook Sugarbeeters, who played host to Power-Dutton-Brady Wednesday in an important matchup in the Northern C Division of 8-man football.

The Beeters spotted P-D-B a 21-0 first quarter lead but behind the spectacular play of Gavin Gunderson, who finished with four rushing touchdowns, Chinook scored the game’s final 38 points to steal a 38-21 victory.

P-D-B struck first as Chase Rossmiller scored on a six-yard touchdown run to give the Titans the 7-0 lead. Shortly after that, Matt Hitchcock caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Seth Kitchin and following a 20-yard interception return from Rossmiller, the Titans built a 21-0 advantage.

Yet, the Beeters’ comeback started when Gunderson found pay dirt on a 25-yard rushing touchdown to make the score 21-6 at the end of the first quarter. He would again find the end zone in the third quarter, this time on a 15-yard run to trim the Titan lead to 21-14 going into the final stanza.

In the fourth quarter, Gunderson scored from three yards out and after Ian McIntosh converted the two-point try, Chinook had its first lead of the game at 22-21.

Gunderson would score his fourth rushing touchdown of the game, this time from five yards out to make it 30-21 in favor of the Beeters. Later in the fourth, McIntosh connected with Lane Seymour on a 25-yard touchdown pass to put the final nail in the coffin and seal the 17-point victory.

Chinook improved to 5-2 overall with the win and is tied atop the Northern C standings with one game to play. The Beeters will close the season this Saturday when they host Chester/J-I in a critical conference showdown.

P-D-B 21 0 0 0 -- 21

Chinook 6 0 8 24 -- 38

PDB: Chase Rossmiller 6 run (Tarren Lee kick)

PDB: Matt Hitchcock 26 pass from Seth Kitchin (Lee kick)

PDB: Rossmiller 20 interception return (kick good)

Chinook: Gavin Gunderson 25 run (pass failed)

Chinook: Gunderson 15 run (Ian McIntosh run)

Chinook: Gunderson 3 run (McIntosh run)

Chinook: Gunderson 5 run (Kenny Pruttis pass from McIntosh)

Chinook: Lane Seymour 25 pass from McIntosh (Gunderson run)

Simms 64, Chester/J-I 20

Chester/J-I was another team looking to get a key victory in 8-man action from the Northern C this weekend, but unfortunately, the Hawks were unable to come away with a road win against Simms last Wednesday night. The Tigers thoroughly defeated the Hawks 64-20.

Simms scored 30 points in the first quarter and 20 in the second to take a commanding 50-14 halftime lead and cruised in the second half for the easy victory.

One of the few bright spots for the Hawks in the loss was running back Justin May, who rushed for 118 yards and had a rushing touchdown to go along with a touchdown reception and a 68-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The loss dropped the Hawks to 4-3 overall and 4-3 in conference play. They still have hope for the postseason but will need help and a road victory over Chinook, who the Hawks will play on Saturday.

C/J-I 6 8 0 6 – 20

Simms 30 20 14 0 – 64

S – Devan Goode 2 run (Lawrence Gannon pass from Logan Rushton)

S – Noah Clark 24 run (Goode run)

S – Goode 5 run (Clark run)

C/J-I – Justin May 68 kick return (pass failed)

S – Clark 64 run (pass failed)

C/J-I – May 2 run (Brandon Richter run)

S – Clark 26 run (Clark pass from Rushton)

S – Jake Bloom 26 interception return (pass failed)

S – Erik Pschernig 15 pass from Rushton (run failed)

S – Goode 42 run (run failed)

S – Clark 25 run (Goode run)

C/J-I – May 23 pass from Cory Richter (pass failed)

Great Falls Central 54, Hays-Lodge Pole 6

In other 8-man action, Great Falls Central hosted Hays-Lodge Pole last Friday night in a non-conference matchup and easily disposed of the Thunderbirds by the score of 54-6.

The Mustangs built a 28-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and by halftime it had increased to 48-0. Trailing 54-0 in the final stanza, the T-Birds finally managed to put some points on the board courtesy of a Tyson Shambo touchdown catch from HLP quarterback Darnell Parisian.

The game was the final one of the season for HLP, which finished 0-7 on the year with the loss to Great Falls Central.

HLP 0 0 0 6 – 6

GFC 28 20 6 0 – 54

Central: CJ Lewis 17 pass from Reid Nelson (pass failed)

Central: Nolan Donisthorpe 55 pass from Nelson (Nelson run)

Central: Donisthorpe 5 run (Donisthorpe run)

Central: Donisthorpe 8 run (pass failed)

Central: Nelson 58 run (pass failed)

Central: Nelson 20 run (Nick Wilkins pass from Nelson)

Central: Donisthorpe 27 run (run failed)

Central: Nelson 45 interception return (run failed)

HLP: Tyson Shambo 5 pass from Darnell Parisian (pass failed)

North Star 40, Valier 25

In six-man action from the North Divison, the North Star Knights were looking to clinch a berth in the six-man playoffs and did just that by beating the visiting Valier Panthers last Wednesday night 40-25.

After falling behind 6-0, the Knights responded with a pair of Gavin Spinler touchdown runs to grab a 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. Then, another touchdown run by Spinler put North Star ahead 20-6.

Yet, the Panthers would answer with a 20-yard touchdown run by Tristen O’Neal and a 20-yard interception return by Colton Wheeler to trim the Knights lead to 20-18. However, Jaxon Simonson would score on a fumble recovery before half to give North Star a 26-20 lead going into intermission.

Jimmy Snow extended the Knights lead to 32-20 in the third quarter on a 57-yard touchdown run. Valier would get back within a score at 32-25 in the fourth quarter, but Spinler would find the end zone again, this time on four-yard rush to make it 38-25. North Star forced a safety later in the fourth to seal the 40-25 victory.

North Star will close out its season this Saturday when the Knights host Big Sandy in a North Division matchup.

Valier 6 12 0 7 – 25

North Star 13 13 6 8 – 40

V: Halsten Beck 46 pass from Darin Habel (kick failed)

NS: Gavin Spinler 9 run (kick failed)

NS: Spinler 3 run (Jimmy Snow from Spinler)

NS: Spinler 11 run (Payton Peterson from Mathew Helmbreck)

V: Tristen O'Neal 20 run (run failed)

V: Colton Wheeler 20 interception return (kick failed)

NS: Jaxon Simonson fumble recovery (run failed)

NS: Snow 57 run (Helmbreck kick)

V: Wheeler 18 pass from Habel (Beck from Habel)

NS: Spinler 4 run (kick no good)

NS: Valier safety

Geraldine-Highwood 41, Big Sandy 14

The Big Sandy Pioneers were another team that needed a win to improve their playoff position but with defending six-man state champion, Geraldine/Highwood in town last Wednesday night, the Pioneers were simply outmanned in a 41-14 drubbing.

The Rivals built a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter that turned into a 34-0 lead at the half and never looked back.

Down 41-0 in the fourth quarter, the Pioneers finally got on the board thanks to a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown by Weston Alderice and later scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Zac Works to Duke Darlington to make the final 41-14.

The Pioneers are now 3-4 in conference play and 3-4 overall as they head to Rudyard on Saturday to close out the season against conference rival North Star.

Geraldine/Highwood 14 20 7 0 — 41

Big Sandy 0 0 0 14 — 14

GH-Jordan LaFontaine 3 pass from Darren Malek (PAT failed)

GH-Logan Ferda 34 run (kick good)

GH-Jake Malek 5 run (PAT failed)

GH-LaFontaine 4 run (PAT failed)

GH-LaFontaine 15 pass from D. Malek (kick good)

GH-LaFontaine 69 run (PAT good)

BS-Weston Alderice 32 interception return (PAT failed)

BS-Duke Darlington 15 pass from Zac Works (kick good)

Denton-Geyser-Stanford 48 Box Elder 15

In other six-man action along the Hi-Line, the Box Elder Bears hosted defending six-man runner up Denton-Geyser-Stanford last Friday night and were dominated in a 48-15 loss.

Shane Ketchum threw two TDs for the Bears in the loss.

The defeat dropped the Bears to 4-3 on the season overall and in conference play. They will close the season this Saturday when they take on Geraldine/Highwood but even with a loss against the Rivals, the Bears can still qualify for the six-man playoffs with a loss by Sunburst.

Box Elder 0 8 0 7 — 15

DGS 16 14 6 12 — 48

DGS: Kade Woodhall 13 yard run (Tyler Lee kick)

DGS: Austin Morris 16 yard fumble return (Lee kick)

DGS: Bart Vaskey 1 yard run (Kick failed)

DGS: Vaskey 1 yard run (Lee kick)

BE: Jake Jones 4 yard pass from Shane Ketchum (Bodis Duran kick)

DGS: Rhet Woodhall 13 yard run(kick failed)

BE: Jarrod Four Colors 30 yard pass from Ketchum (Jones pass from Ketchum)

DGS: R. Woodhall 43 yard run (Kick failed)

DGS: Carson Norskog 4 yard run (Kick failed)

Choteau 47, Harlem 0

In 11-man football action, the Harlem Wildcats hosted the Choteau Bulldogs in non-conference play last Wednesday. The Wildcats, who are still winless on the season were easily defeated by the Bulldogs 47-0, thanks to a 35-point first quarter.

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 0-7 on the season, while remaining 0-3 in District 2B conference play. Harlem will finish the 2014 season this Thursday when the Wildcats will host 2B rival Malta.