New season of high school football is here

The high school football season in Montana is short and sweet. For most teams the season is right around two months long. For the lucky teams, it’s a little longer. Regardless, it will be over before you know it, so when the season kicks off across the state this weekend, sit back and enjoy.

Along the Hi-Line, there are a number of intriguing matchups that will get the 2014 season started, beginning in Chinook. Coming off a 4-5 campaign, the Sugarbeeters will begin the tenure of new head coach Scott Friede Saturday night, when they host Great Falls Central. The Beeters are looking to get back into the Class C 8-man football playoffs and a defeating a fellow Northern C opponent would be an ideal start. The two teams will play under the lights in Chinook with kickoff set for 7 p.m.

In another battle between Northern C foes, Chester/J-I looks to make a return trip to the playoffs and will start its journey Saturday when the Hawks travel to Centerville. Justin May, an All-State running back in 2013, will lead the way for the Hawks, who were 7-3 a season ago. Kickoff between the two conference rivals is Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

In the six-man ranks, there are a number of important contests in the North Division, and one such game is between Box Elder and Valier. The Bears, who were 3-5 last season, missed out on a potential berth in the Class C Six-Man state playoffs, when Valier defeated them in the final game of the regular season. With an entire offseason to think about what could have been, the Bears will be out for revenge. That should make for an electrifying atmosphere Saturday in Box Elder when the Bears and Panthers square off place at 1:30 p.m.

In other six-man action, the Big Sandy Pioneers will take on Heart Butte, in an early season matchup of North division teams. The game will also mark the beginning of the Walter Sivertsen era, as he coaches his first game for the Pioneers. Big Sandy played for the six-man state championship just two years ago and, after finishing an injury-riddled season at 3-5, the Pioneers are hungry for a return trip to the postseason. Their season begins Friday when they host Heart Butte at 7 p.m.

Rounding out the six-man action will be North Star. The Knights, who went 6-3 a season ago, are playing host to Sunburst, in its first game of six-man football. Kickoff between these North Division rivals is at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

In 11-man football, the Harlem Wildcats will begin their 2014 season with a nonconference game against Conrad. The Wildcats were just 1-7 a year ago but were highly competitive in District 2B. They will look to build on their win total from last season, starting with their opener against the Cowboys, which is slated for Saturday.