Hi-Line Football Roundup: Longhorns have it rolling right now

Last season, the Fort Benton Longhorns won just one game. But in 2017, after just three games, Fort Benton has already won two and put themselves in a solid position within the B subdivision of Northern C in 8-Man football.

The Longhorns, who knocked off Chester-Joplin-Inverness to open the season, routed Simms Friday night in Fort Benton by the score of 72-24. Landon Taylor was the catalyst for the Longhorns as he rushed for 155 yards and scored four touchdowns. Connor Schnabel also added three rushing touchdowns, including two in the first quarter that allowed Fort Benton to build a 22-6 advantage. At halftime, the score was 48-12 in favor of the Longhorns, who also got a pair of rushing touchdowns from Hayden Axtman. The Longhorns, who are 2-1 overall and 1-0 in their subdivision, will play a critical game this Friday night against Chinook.

Simms 6 6 6 6 – 24

Fort Benton 22 26 16 8 – 72

(No scoring for Simms available)

FB: Connor Schnabel 1 run (pass failed)

FB: Schnabel 18 run (Schnabel run)

FB: Landon Taylor 9 run (Hayden Axtman run)

FB: Axtman 9 run (run failed)

FB: Taylor 62 run (run failed)

FB: Schnabel 17 run (Taylor run)

FB: Taylor 38 run (run failed)

FB: Taylor 2 run (Axtman run)

FB: Axtman 29 run (Taylor run)

FB: Jace Thompson 35 pass from Max Lane (Lane run)

Cascade 40, Chinook 20

Speaking of the Sugarbeeters, following their non-conference win over Chester-Joplin-Inverness last week, Chinook was looking for two in a row. Unfortunately, Cascade had other ideas, knocking off the Beeters 40-20 Friday night in Cascade.

Chinook hung with the Badgers early and even grabbed the lead in the first quarter after an 11-yard run from James Christensen. And thanks to a 69-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Chinook's Karson Powell in the second quarter, the score was tied 14-14. But that's when Josh Pepos took over. He scored the next four touchdowns for the Badgers, including one in the second, two in the third and one in the fourth to give Cascade the 40-20 win. The Beeters other touchdown came on a 33-yard pass from Trajan Hannum to Brendan Edwards. Chinook (1-2, 0-1) will play at Fort Benton this Friday night.

Cascade 6 14 8 12 - 40

Chinook 8 6 0 6 - 20

Cas: Josh Pepos 5 run (pass fail)

Chi: James Christensen 11 run (Brendan Edwards pass from Trajan Hammun)

Cas: Ryder Jackson 10 run (Calder Ludvigson pass from Jackson)

Chi: Karson Powell 69 kickoff return (run fail)

Cas: Pepos 8 run (pass fail)

Cas: Pepos 22 run (Jackson run)

Cas: Pepos 4 run (pass fail)

Cas: Pepos 23 run (run fail)

Chi: Edwards 33 pass from Hammun (run fail)

Belt 63, Box Elder 0

In the other subdivision (A) of the Northern C, Box Elder and Belt, who have played great games on the basketball floor in recent years, met on the gridiron Friday in Belt. However, the game was anything but close as the Huskies dominated from start to finish in a 63-0 victory.

Belt led just 8-0 at the end of the first quarter, but by halftime, the lead was 32-0 and at the end of the third, it was 55-0. The Bears (0-3, 0-1) will host Hays-Lodge Pole in Box Elder this Friday night in search of their first victory.

Belt 8 24 23 8 – 63

Box Elder 0 0 0 0 – 0

Belt – Troy Hennes pass from Keagan Stroop – Robbie Flinn pass from Stroop

Belt – Stroop Punt Return – Kick Failed

Belt – Flinn pass from Hunter Vogl – pass failed

Belt –Stroop pass from Vogl – pass failed

Belt – Stroop run – run failed

Belt – Trey Heitzman pass from Stroop – Gavin Roberts pass from Heitzman

Belt – Flinn 1yd run – Antonio Heaton kick

Belt – Vogl run – Nolan Myrstol run

Belt – Kaimen Evans run – Adam Langston run

GFCC 64, Hays-Lodge Pole 6

After forfeiting in Week 1 and losing an overtime thriller last week, the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds took on Great Falls Central in Hays Saturday. But this time, the T-Birds weren't anywhere near a victory as they fell to the Mustangs 64-6.

Great Falls Central scored 32 points in the first quarter, followed by 20 in the second to take complete control of the game at 52-0. The lead was 58-0 when Chance Main finally found the end zone on a 32-yard run. HLP (0-3, 0-1) will travel to Box Elder Friday night.

Great Falls Central 32 20 6 6 – 64

Hays-Lodge Pole 0 0 0 6 – 6

CENTRAL – Matt Mendenhall 8 run (two-point failed)

CENTRAL – Noah Ambuehl 10 run (Ethan Vincent run)

CENTRAL – Riley Dickinson 13 interception return (Bill McDaniel run)

CENTRAL – Billy McDaniel safety

CENTRAL – Ambuehl 1 run (two-point failed)

CENTRAL – McDaniel 1 run (Jon Ruud run)

CENTRAL – Jackson Malsam 4 run (two-point failed)

HLP – Chance Main 32 run (two-point failed)

CENTRAL – Drew Newman 47 pass from Shane Girres (two-point failed)

Choteau 68, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 20

Chester-Joplin-Inverness was hoping to get its first win on the road at Choteau last Friday, but the Bulldogs, playing now in 8-Man football after being in Class B, rolled the Hawks 68-20.

The Hawks kept pace early, thanks to a 3-yard touchdown run from Kobe Tran, but trailed 24-6 after one. By halftime, it was 32-12, despite a 12-yard touchdown pass from Spencer Richter to Andrew Woods in the second quarter for CJI. And in the second half, it was all Choteau, as the Bulldogs racked up 36 more points to win the game by 48. The one bright spot for CJI was a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Lane Fischer. CJI (0-3, 0-1) will host Belt Friday night.

CJI 6 6 8 0 - 20

Choteau 24 8 28 8 - 68

Chot: Jonathan Moore 7 run (run failed)

CJI: Kobe Tran 3 run (pass failed)

Chot: Moore 28 run (run failed)

Chot: Kyler Crabtree 5 run (run failed)

Chot: Moore 6 run (kick failed)

Chot: Moore 2 run (Crabtree pass from Moore)

CJI: Andrew Woods 12 pass from Spencer Richter (kick failed)

Chot: Bryce Gramm 28 pass from Moore (run failed)

Chot: Crabree 5 run (Moore run)

Chot: Moore 26 run (Crabtree run)

CJI: Lane Fischer 78 kickoff return (Evan Dahinden pass from Richter)

Chot: Moore 1 run (run failed)

Chot: Crabtree 15 run (Johnny Rappold run)

Centerville 72, Rocky Boy 20

After winning its first two games of the season, the Rocky Boy football team hosted Centerville Saturday and suffered its first loss after falling to the Miners 72-20. The Stars are now 2-1 on the season, but 0-1 in their subdivision within the Northern C. Rocky Boy will go on the road Saturday to take on Simms.

PDB 37, Big Sandy 28

Big Sandy came into conference play this past weekend sitting at 2-0, but Friday night in Power, in a game within the Six-Man North division, the Pioneers suffered their first loss of the season, falling to Power-Dutton-Brady 37-28.

PDB scored three times in the first quarter to build an 18-8 lead. Big Sandy did rally and got within three points in the third quarter after a touchdown run by Weston Allderdice, his second of the second half. But PDB answered with a touchdown to go back up nine, then held Big Sandy scoreless the rest of the way. Bryant Jones returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown in the loss for Big Sandy, while Kade Strutz also pitched in with a four-yard touchdown run. Big Sandy (2-1, 0-1) will try to even its conference record Saturday at Heart Butte.

Big Sandy 8 6 14 0 - 28

PDB 18 6 13 0 - 37

PDB: JV Somerfeld 3 run (kick failed)

PDB: Jackson Widhalm 2 pass from Dominick Dunk (kick failed)

BS: Bryant Jones 34 fumble return (Darlington kick)

PDB: Sam Leigland 21 pass from Dunk (kick failed)

BS: Kade Strutz 4 run (kick failed)

PDB: Somerfeld 6 run (kick failed)

PDB: Widhalm 16 pass from Dunk (Peyton Hill pass from Nicholas Widhalm)

BS: Weston Allderdice 16 run (kick blocked)

BS: Allderdice 5 run (Darlington kick)

PDS: Somerfeld 1 run (run failed)

Sunburst 49, North Star 13

Elsewhere in the Six-Man North, Sunburst played host to North Star Saturday and cruised to a 49-13 win over the Knights. North Star (1-1, 0-1) will be at home against Power-Dutton-Brady Saturday in a game that could have playoff implications down the road.

Glasgow 66, Harlem 0

The Harlem Wildcats played their second game of the season, taking on Class B North rival Glasgow on the road Thursday night. However, the Scotties cruised to the easy 66-0 victory. The Wildcats are now 0-2 on the season, but will shoot for their first win this Friday in Cut Bank.