Hi-Line Football Roundup: Beeters, Pioneers moving on

Chinook's Zach Molyneaux, middle, runs through the Victor defense during Saturday's Class C playoff game in Chinook. The Sugarbeeters defeated the Pirates 36-24.

Chinook's Geoff Qualls (left) smashes into a Victor running back during Saturday's Class C playoff game in Chinook.

Big Sandy's Trevor Lackner, left, runs with the ball during last Friday night's Six-Man playoff game between the Pioneers and Lone Peak in Big Sandy. The Pioneers advanced to the quarterfinals for the fourth straight season.

Big Sandy's Jessey Bailey (right) runs for a touchdown during Friday night's Six-Man playoff game in Big Sandy.

After the first round of the state football playoffs concluded over the weekend, there are just two remaining Hi-Line football teams left in the hunt for state titles.

On Friday, the No. 5 Big Sandy Pioneers defeated Lone Peak 39-8 in Class C 6-Man action in Big Sandy. And on Saturday, in Class C 8-Man action, the No. 4 Chinook Sugarbeeters also defeated Victor 36-24 in Chinook. The No. 2 Chester/J-I Hawks were also in action at home on Saturday, but in an upset, Drummond defeated the Hawks 52-14 in Chester.

Friday in Big Sandy, the Pioneers' offense rolled through four quarters, while the Pioneers' defense allowed just one score from the Big Horns.

The Big Horns actually held the lead for a short stretch. Jessey Bailey had a 20-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give the Pioneers a 6-0 lead, but the Big Horns took over 8-6 midway through the second fram. Tucker Shea burst 44-yards for a Big Horns score to give his squad the lead. But from there forward, the Pioneers took over in all areas of the game.

Trevor Lackner regained the lead for the Pioneers on the Big Horns' ensuing kick, as Lackner ran the kick back 75-yards and a score. That was the beginning of a 13 point second quarter, and what led to a 19-8 halftime lead. But the Pioneers added three more scores in the second half, as Bailey scored on a 44-yard run, Zac Leader caught an 18-yard TD pass from Lackner, and Lackner got in the end zone again, this time on a 16-yard run.

"The defense has come through a lot this season, and they just play tough," Big Sandy head coach Greg King said. "They knew they had to contain (Tucker Shea), and he seemed to be there go to guy.

"And our running backs ran hard," King added. "Jessey Bailey is running harder every week, and hopefully that continues."

The Pioneers will travel to Grenora on Saturday to face top-seeded Westby/Grenora at 1 p.m.

Lone Peak 0 8 0 0 — 8

Big Sandy 6 13 14 6 — 39

BS — Jesse Bailey 20 run (kick failed)

LP — Tucker Shea 44 run (Tucker Shea kick)

BS — Trevor Lackner 75 kick return (Zac Leader kick)

BS — Lane Martin 11 pass from Trevor Lackner (run failed)

BS — Jessey Bailey 44 run (Jessey Bailey run)

BS — Zac Leader 18 pass from Trevor Lackner (Zac Leader pass from Trevor Lackner)

BS — Trevor Lackner 16 run (pass failed)

Chinook 36, Victor 24

The Beeters also recorded a win, but had to fend off a Victor team that surged late.

Chinook took a 14-6 lead in the first quarter, and seemed to be in control. The two early rushing scores by Zach Molyneaux set the tone, and his two score performance was followed by Robby Klingaman also rushing for back-to-back scores in the second quarter, as the Beeters held a 30-12 lead at intermission.

But in the second half, the Beeters added just one more score, a one-yard Molyneaux rushing TD. And the Pirates weren't going to let the Beeters off easily, as Victor added two fourth quarter scores to make things interesting. Kyle Ball caught a 20-yard pass and an eight-yard pass for scores in the final frame for the Pirates. But it was too little too late, and the Beetes were able to come away with the first round win with their powerful running game.

"It was really good to get the win," Chinook head coach Matt Molyneaux said. "I thought our kids played really well on both sides of the ball, and stuck to the game plan. We wanted to dominate the clock and run the ball, and we were able to do that effectively. Robby Klingaman had his best running game of his high school career, and chipped in around 190-yards. That really helped us and took a lot of pressure off. He just ran really well."

Chinook will travel to top-seeded Fairview on Saturday for a 1 p.m. Class C quarterfinal matchup.

Victor 6 6 0 12 – 24

Chinook 14 16 6 0 – 36

CHI — Zach Molyneaux 9 run (Zach Molyneaux run)

VIC — Kyle Ball 53 pass from Matt Kittle (pass failed)

CHI — Zach Molyneaux 6 run (pass failed)

CHI — Rob Klingaman 1 run (Zach Molyneaux run)

CHI — Rob Klingaman 32 run (Zach Molyneaux run)

VIC — Matt Kittel 8 run (pass failed)

CHI — Zach Molyneaux 1 run (run failed)

VIC — Kyle Ball 20 pass from Kittle (pass failed)

VIC — Kyle Ball 8 pass from Kittle (pat failed)

Drummond 52, Chester/J-I 14

The previously undefeated Hawks were a heavy favorite heading into the post season, but were upset in a major way by the Trojans on Saturday.

But the Hawks got off to a hot start, and looked as if they were going to roll through the completion just as they did all season long. The Hawks scored the first 14 points of the contest, finding pay dirt on a on-yard Dustin Romain rush, as well as a two-yard Jordan Oraw rush in the first frame.

But after the 14-0 run, the Trojans went on a 52-0 run of their own.

Drummond quarterback Mack Bignell went off on the Chester/J-I defense in the final three quarters. Bignell ran for five touchdowns and passed for another two in the come from behind upset.

The Hawks season is over, as they finished with an impressive 9-1 record.

Drummond 14 24 6 8 — 52

Chester/J-I 14 0 0 0 — 14

C/J-I — Dustin Romain 1 run (Erik Kelly run)

C/J-I — Jordan Oraw 2 run (run failed)

DRUM — Mack Bignell 34 run (Kevin Oberweiser pass from Mack Bignell)

DRUM — Danny Mannix 60 pass from Mack Bignell (pass failed)

DRUM — Mack Bignell 2 run (Mack Bignell run)

DRUM — Safety, C/J-I snapped ball out of end zone

DRUM — Danny Mannix 30 pass from Mak Bignell (Gregory Schindler pass from Mack Bignell)

DRUM — Mack Bignell 13 run (pass failed).