Chinook rolls into state championship game

CHINOOK - For the second time in five seasons, the Chinook Sugarbeeters have a chance to win a Class C 8-man state championship. On a frigid and froze Saturday afternoon at Hoon Field, the Beeters crushed No. 2-ranked Fairview 66-12. The win pushed Chinook through to the state championship game next Saturday in Wibaux.

"I'm a little speechless right now," Said first-year head coach Scott Friede. "These kids have just gotten better and better. I'm just so proud of them. They just keep on believing and keep on going."

It was obvious from the start where Chinook was headed. The Beeters scored on four of their first five possession, with multiple touchdown runs by Gavin Gunderson and Ian McIntosh. Meanwhile, Chinook's defense was staunch as Fairview, a predominantly passing team, struggled to move the ball. And the result was a 38-0 Chinook halftime lead. And from there, with the mercy rule in effect, Chinook never looked back.

Both Gunderson and McIntosh rushed for over 100 yards, as Chinook piled up nearly 400 yards rushing, and held a Fairview team averaging over 50 points a game, to just two second-half touchdowns. McIntosh also threw for just over 100 yards on only five attempts all day. Lane Seymour caught two big passes.

The game was eerily similar to Chinook's 2010 state title win at Hoon Field. Temperatures hovered around 10 degrees, but wind chills were down to minus -15 for much of the day. The field at Hoon was rock solid. The only difference however, is Saturday's game was the semifinals, but it ironically sets up a rematch of that 2010 state championship game in Chinook, as the Beeters will play the Wibaux Longhorns for the championship next Saturday. Wibaux beat defending state champion Ennis, 22-20 in the other semifinal Saturday afternoon.

The venue will be different than 2010 though. Chinook, which beat Wibaux 77-0 for the 2010 title, will travel to Wibaux for next Saturday's championship game.

For full coverage from Saturday's game, and for complete coverage leading up to the 2014 state championship game, see the Havre Daily News all next week.