Hi-Line Football: Fort Benton knocks off GFCC; Chinook wins

FORT BENTON - The Fort Benton Longhorns pulled off a great win last Friday night to keep the team's dominant undefeated season going. The Longhorns kept their winnning streak alive after a big win over the Great Falls Central Catholic Mustangs 46-35.

The game was an intense showcase on both sides. Both Northern C teams came on the field and fought hard till the very end, giving fans the great game that was promised.

Fort Benton head coach Jory Thompson was very impressed with his team's performance.

"Our kids showed heart," said Thompson. "They showed resilience. We jumped out and then Great Falls Central answered the call. Kudos to them. I think our kids realized that they (Great Falls Central) might have won some battles but we won the war."

Indeed. The Longhorns and the Mustangs both showed incredible gameplay throughout the game.

Fort Benton was the first to score. Not on to the offense, but on defense.

GFCC received the opening kickoff and were ready to get the game started with a bang. But the Longhorns had other plans. As the ball was snapped, the Mustangs lost control of it and Fort Benton capitalized, returning the ball for a touchdown to go up 8-0.

After a few three-and-outs from both teams, the Longhorns got the ball back. After a couple plays that did not gain much yardage, senior quarterback Garett Diekhans launched a deep pass downfield for another touchdown. With another successful conversion, the Longhorns had a good lead of 16-0.

Great Falls Central attempted to score on their next drive, but a stripped ball on their second play of the drive led to Fort Benton adding another defensive score to the list. The Longhorns were dominating with a 24-0 lead.

The Mustangs got another chance to score but could not. Fort Benton's next drive resulted in Diekhans making more magic as he rushed 49-yards on a quarterback keep, putting the Longhorns up 32-0.

The second quarter opened well for GFCC, as the team completed a pass to the endzone to put seven points on the board. Eventually, the Mustangs scored again after an they intercepted the Longhorns with a 37-yard quarterback keep to the house, the score now 32-15. The rest of the first half did not see any scores.

The second half started off fruitless for both teams, as no one found the endzone despite many great defensive stops. But Fort Benton found the endzone in the fourth quarter with a long run up the middle for a touchdown, the Longhorn's lead extended 40-15.

The Mustangs responded shortly after with a deep pass touchdown to thin Fort Benton's lead 40-23. The Longhorns answered back with a quarterback keep touchdown once again, the score now 46-29.

GFCC scored once more to try and stay in the game with another quarterback keeper but missed their extra point. In the end, Fort Benton held on and won a very intense game.

The Longhorns had some standout players. Diekhans ended the night with one passing and two rushing touchdowns. Junior running back Hayden Axtman had a great game, running tough and scoring a touchdown for the Longhorns. Another junior running back, Jace Thompson proved his versatility and ran all over the Mustangs' defense. To top it off, the Fort Benton defense put up two touchdowns that proved how dominant the team is.

The Longhorns will look to continue their powerful win streak as they play the Simms Tigers Friday night.

Fort Benton 32 0 0 14 – 46

Great Falls Central 0 15 0 20 – 35

FB- Fumble return touchdown (Conversion good)

FB- Garett Diekhans deep pass touchdown (Conversion good)

FB- Stripped ball return touchdown (Conversion good)

FB- Diekhans 49 QB keep (Conversion good)

GFCC- Pass touchdown (Conversion good)

GFCC- 37 QB keep (Conversion no good)

FB- Long run touchdown (Conversion good)

GFCC- Deep pass touchdown (Conversion good)

FB- Diekhans QB keep touchdown (Conversion no good)

GFCC- QB keep touchdown (PAT no good)

Shelby 42, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 2

The Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks fell hard against a tough opponent in the Shelby Coyotes, losing 42-2 last Friday. The Coyotes took advantage throughout the whole game, scoring consistently to dominate the Hawks.

Shelby scored an 11-yard passing touchdown from Tanner Parsons to Cameron Brusven, then later Brusven rushed 53-yards into the endzone. The Coyotes scored again with Parsons running seven-yards for the score, followed by another Parsons to Brusven 25-yard passing touchdown.

Parsons and Brusven connected again for a seven-yard passing touchdown, giving the Hawks little hope to come back and win.

CJI did score that night, but only on a team safety for two points. In the end, the Hawks fell to Shelby.

The Hawks will look to redeem themselves with a win when they face off against the Belt Huskies Friday night.

Shelby 23 13 0 6 – 42

CJI 0 0 0 2 – 2

SHE - Cameron Brusven 11 pass from Tanner Parsons (run)

SHE - Cameron Brusven 53 run (Cameron Brusven kick)

SHE - Tanner Parsons 7 run (pass)

SHE - Cameron Brusven 25 pass from Tanner Parsons (pass failed)

SHE - Cameron Brusven 7 pass from Tanner Parsons (PAT no good)

CJI - Team safety

DGS 62, Box Elder 12

The Box Elder football team did not have the best game Saturday against the Denton-Geyser-Stanford Bearcats, losing 62-12.

The Bears struggled to contain the Bearcats throughout the game, as DGS scored multiple times.

The first four scores for the Bearcats were all long runs and an interception by Dylan Taylor. The first run for 37-yards, the second for 41-yards, the third for 57-yards and the interception for 41-yards. DGS found the endzone again with a Zack Solomon one-yard rushing touchdown, putting the Bearcats in a staggering lead.

Box Elder managed to find the endzone afterward with a Kadyn Duran 60-yard kickoff return and followed with a successful conversion.

The Bearcats dominated the rest of the game, leaving the Bears void of a victory, winning the game 62-12.

Box Elder will look for a win against the Sunburst Refiners Saturday.

Denton-Geyser-Stanford 26 22 8 6 – 62

Box Elde 0 6 0 6 – 12

DGS - Dylan Taylor 37 run (PAT no good)

DGS - Dylan Taylor 41 run (PAT no good)

DGS - Dylan Taylor 57 run (Zack Solomon kick)

DGS - Dylan Taylor 41 interception (Zack Solomon run)

DGS - Zack Solomon 1 run (Zack Solomon run)

BXE - Kadyn Duran 60 kickoff return (Conversion no good)

DGS - Becker 60 pass from (Ace Becker pass from Dylan Taylor)

DGS - Zack Solomon 35 run (Dylan Taylor kick)

DGS - Dylan Taylor 25 run (Dylan Taylor kick)

Chinook 56, Cascade 8

The Chinook Sugarbeeters found their first win of the season against the Cascade Badgers Friday, winning 56-8.

Chinook exploded for 30 points in the first quarter as Benton Elliot threw a pair of touchdown passes and Toby Niederegger and Sam Dumas each scored on long runs. Niederegger would add TD runs of 65 and 72 yards later on, while Dumas scored two more times, as well, as Chinook captured its first Northern C win of the season. Tyler Schoen also capped the scoring with a 79-yard TD run.

The Beeters' next test will be against a tough and physical Shelby team. Chinook kicks off against the Coyotes Friday night.

North Star 55, Heart Butte 12

The North Star Knights found a second win of the season when they defeated the Heart Butte Warriors. The Knights played a great game and came out on top 55-12 last Friday in a Six-Man North game.

North Star is starting to find its footing after two straight weeks of victory and hope to continue their streak as they move forward.

The Knights kick off against the Tri City Titans October 12th at 1.

Glasgow 68, Harlem 6

The Harlem High football team had another tough weekend against a dominant Glasgow Scotties team. The Wildcats fell to the Scotties 68-6 and are still hunting for their first win of the season.

Harlem's next game sees them going up against the Malta Mustangs Friday at 7 p.m.

The Big Sandy Pioneers also blasted Valier Friday night 57-0 to stay undefeated in the Six-Man North.

Due to the winter storm that hit the area, Rocky Boy's Northern C game at Hays-Lodge Pole was canceled.