Hi-Line Football Roundup: Beeters and Bears reach the semifinals

A season ago, the Chinook Sugarbeeters put together a magical run to the Class C 8-Man state championship game. And now, one year later, the Beeters are one win away from making a return trip.

That's because last Saturday at Hoon Field, Chinook continued its winning ways by knocking off a pesky Ennis team by the score of 36-30. The win was the 13th straight for Chinook at home and their fifth straight home win in the playoffs. Chinook will now travel to Fairview this Saturday to play for a berth in the 8-Man championship game.

"That was a huge win for us,” Chinook head coach Scott Friede said. "It was a great game and was back and forth between both teams. There were momentum swings and lead changes. But we found a way."

Both Ennis and Chinook went back-and-forth throughout the game as the lead changed hands six times. The Beeters struck first in the opening stanza when Ian McIntosh hit pay dirt on a one-yard touchdown run. Yet, Ennis answered by returning the ensuing kickoff 79 yards for a score to trim the Chinook lead to 8-6 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Chinook extended its lead on a four-yard touchdown run by Derek Bell, which made the score 14-6. However, the Mustangs responded with two scores to close the quarter as Jake Knack found the end zone and later Cleet Wrezinski caught a 27-yard touchdown pass to give Ennis a 18-14 halftime edge.

In the third quarter, the Beeters once again found themselves on top after a pair of McIntosh touchdown runs put Chinook in front 28-24, but before the third quarter ended, Ennis scored on a 70-yard touchdown catch by Wrezinski to give the Mustangs a 30-28 lead with 12 minutes to play.

Yet, in the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, the Beeters were at their best. McIntosh found Kenny Pruttis for an 18-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth to put Chinook back in front 36-30. Then, with time winding down, Pruttis made his second interception to help the Beeters salt away the win.

"We made some adjustments at halftime," Friede said. "We thought it would be huge if we could score to open the third quarter and that's what we did and we got a lot of confidence from that."

McIntosh finished the game with three rushing touchdowns and also added a touchdown pass. Bell also scored for Chinook as did Pruttis. The Beeters' defense was also a big factor in the win with four total turnovers.

Chinook (10-0) will face fellow unbeaten Fairview (10-0) this Saturday at 1 p.m. The winner will advance to the 8-Man state championship game.

"This is the game we have wanted to be in," Friede said. "These kids have been working hard to get back to the state championship game and now that chance to get back to that game is here."

Ennis 6 12 12 0 - 30

Chinook 8 6 14 8 - 36

Chinook: Ian McIntosh 1 run (Jake Norby pass from Ian McIntosh)

Ennis: Cleet Wrezinski 79 kickoff return (pass failed)

Chinook: Derek Bell 4 run (run failed)

Ennis: Jake Knack 3 run (pass failed)

Ennis: Wrezinski 27 pass from Wood (run failed)

Chinook: McIntosh 2 run (McIntosh run)

Ennis: Knack 35 run (pass failed)

Chinook: McIntosh 4 run (pass failed)

Ennis: Wrezinski 70 pass from Wood (run failed)

Chinook: Kenneth Pruttis 18 pass from McIntosh (Pruttis pass from McIntosh)

Twin Bridges 35, Chester/J-I 21

In other 8-Man playoff action, the Chester/J-I Hawks were hoping to earn their way into the semifinals just like Chinook, but unlike their Northern C rival, they were not victorious in their quarterfinal matchup.

The Hawks had to make the long trip to Twin Bridges last Saturday for their showdown with the Falcons and in the end, it was the home team that proved to be better, knocking off C/J-I 35-21.

The Hawks offense and in particular their running game had been dominant all year long but the Falcons found a way to neutralize Hawks' running back Justin May, who was held without a touchdown.

Yet, C/J-I was able to get its passing game going and thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from Brandon Ricther to Troy Harmon in the second quarter, one coming from three yards out and another from four, the Hawks and Falcons were tied at halftime 14-14.

But it was the Falcons that took control of the third quarter, as they scored three touchdowns to take control of the game. Brandon Ricther did find Cory Richter for a 56-yard touchdown in the the third but a score by the Falcons to answer made it 35-21 heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final stanza, both teams went scoreless and C/J-I just couldn't muster any more points in an effort to earn a come-from-behind victory. C/J-I was eliminated with the loss, while Twin Bridges will host Arlee next week in the other 8-Man semifinal.

C/J-I 0 14 7 0 - 21

Twin Bridges 7 7 21 0 - 35

TB: Chace Guinnane 3 run (Colby Minert kick)

C/J-I: Troy Harmon 3 pass from Brandon Richter (Harmon kick)

TB: Wesley Harshbarger 1 run (Miner kick)

C/J-I: Harmon 4 pass from Richter (Harmon kick)

TB: Harshbarger 15 run (PAT failed)

TB: Bill Yeager 30 run (Cooper Christensen catch)

C/J-I: Cory Richter 56 pass from Brandon Richter (Harmon kick)

TB: Yeager 11 run (Minert kick)

Box Elder 50, Custer-Hysham 19

In Class C Six-Man playoff action, the Box Elder Bears were looking to advance on the road against Custer-Hysham and thanks to an outstanding performance on both sides of the ball, the Bears did just that, knocking off the host team by the score of 56-19 in the quarterfinals.

The Bears fell behind 6-0 in the first quarter but then responded with an offensive onslaught as they scored 33 straight points to end the first half, with Shane Ketchum posting four first-half touchdowns and Brandon The Boy throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jerrod Four Colors that made the score 27-6. Ketchum capped the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown run before the half and the Bears went into intermission leading 32-6.

"We knew what they were going to do," Box Elder head coach Neil Rosette Jr. "We came out sluggish, but once we got some energy, we got it going. We knew we had to match their physicality and we did that."

Custer-Hysham trimmed the Box Elder advantage to 33-12 at the end of the first quarter following a 26-yard touchdown pass from Tucker Wilson to Matlock Morrison, but again the Bears answered. This time, Box Elder scored three consecutive touchdowns in the fourth, two coming from Ketchum and another on a 27-yard touchdown pass from The Boy to Pernell Morsette, which put the Bears ahead 56-12. Custer-Hysham scored in garbage time, but by then, the outcome had been decided.

Ketchum was incredible in the win for the Bears with six rushing touchdowns. The Boy finished the game with a pair of touchdown passes of his own.

"Shane had a game for us," Rosette Jr. said. "He showed his quickness and made some big plays. We had to run the ball and he made it really hard for them to tackle him."

Box Elder will try to keep its magical season going this Saturday, when the Bears travel to Hot Springs with a berth in the Six-Man state championship game at stake.

"This is new territory for us," Rosette Jr. said. "But it's exciting and we look forward to playing another great team."

Box Elder 6 27 0 17 - 50

Custer-Hysham 6 0 6 7 - 19

C-H: Quaid Russell 5 run (kick failed)

BE: Shane Ketchum 16 run (kick failed)

BE: Ketchum 10 run (Ketchum pass from Brandon The Boy)

BE: Ketchum 66 pass from The Boy (kick failed)

BE: Jerrod Four Colors 10 pass from The Boy (kick failed)

BE: Ketchum 20 run (Bodis Duran kick)

C-H: Matlock Morrison 26 pass from Tucker Wilson (kick failed)

BE: Ketchum 32 run (Ketchum pass from The Boy)

BE: Ketchum 21 run (Duran kick)

BE: Pernell Morsette 27 pass from The Boy (Duran kick)

C-H: Shay Adler 32 pass from Wilson (Ben Snively pass from Wilson).