All they did this season was win, alot

When Chinook lost to Wibaux in the Class C 8-Man football state championship last November, head coach Scott Friede told his team to watch the celebration. He also told his players they were good enough to get back to the title game in 2015 and that they could be the ones celebrating.

It's still painful for the Sugarbeeters to think about that loss, but when they do it serves as motivation. It's been the thing that has driven Chinook to an 11-0 season and a second chance at a state championship, which the Beeters earned after knocking off Fairview 50-32 in the 8-man semifinals last Saturday.

"I told the kids after watching Wibaux celebrate last year that we were good enough to get back," Friede said. "And they have been on a mission all season long. They are excited to be back in the championship game and to get to play it in front of their home fans. But they are not done. They want to get this last one."

From the outset of the 2015 season, it was clear that Chinook was going to be a force to be reckoned with, not only because of a potent offense but also due to a dominating defense. For those unfamiliar with 8-Man football, it's a wide open game and there tends to be a lot of points scored.

The Beeters defied logic on the defensive side of the ball to start the season, and through the first five games of the year they allowed just 18 points. Chinook opened the season with a 54-0 shutout over Centerville, then destroyed Cascade 70-6 before taking on Simms in the Beeters first challenge of the season.

Simms ended up making the playoffs and also boasted one of the top running backs in the Northern C in Jake Bloom. Yet Bloom and the Tigers were no match for the Beeters and their ferocious run defense. The Beeters limited Simms to just two scores and rolled to a 34-12 victory.

"Our offense has done really well this season," Friede said. "But I think our defense has really been the key. It's hard to keep teams from scoring in 8-Man football, and when you are shutting teams out or holding them to six points that's pretty hard to do. And I think that shows just how well we have played defensively."

Following their 24-point win over Simms, Chinook continued to roll through opponents as the Beeters toppled Fort Benton 54-0 and Belt, another team that ended up qualifying for the playoffs 44-0.

While the defense was dominating, the offense was putting up points with ruthless efficiency. Just like with its defense, Chinook doesn't do anything fancy; they just out-physical opposing defenses, especially in the running game.

Behind the running of Tate Niederegger, Derek Bell and quarterback Ian McIntosh, the Beeters have compiled 2,508 rushing yards this season and 50 rushing touchdowns. They have churned out 228 rushing yards per game and average an astounding 6.4 yards per carry.

After the win over Belt and a 50-12 victory over Power-Dutton-Brady, the Beeters took on the Chester/J-I Hawks in a battle of undefeated teams for the Northern C conference championship.

There was plenty of hype going into the game, but it didn't take long for Chinook to impose its will on C/J-I. McIntosh finished the game with three total touchdowns, while Niederegger finished with 144 yards and a score.

Defensively, Chinook was even better. The Beeters completely shut down the running of All-State back Justin May and held the Hawks, who averaged more than 60 points a game coming in, to just 22. The win gave Chinook its second consecutive Northern C title and two home playoff games.

"The Northern C is always a tough conference to get through," Friede said. "It was tough last year and probably even harder this year, but playing the schedule we did really helped prepare us for the playoffs."

Once Chinook got to the postseason, it was more of the same as the Beeters rolled Culbertson-Bainville 80-16. But then came Ennis, the one team that pushed Chinook to the brink.

The two teams met in the 8-Man quarterfinals and midway through the fourth quarter. Ennis actually clung to a 30-28 lead over the Beeters, then McIntosh, the senior quarterback, hit Kenny Pruttis for a touchdown to put Chinook in front, and the defense sealed the 36-30 win with an interception.

Last Saturday, Chinook cruised to an 18-point victory over Fairview and now the Beeters will get set to host Arlee Saturday at Hoon Field. If Chinook is victorious, it will give the school its first state championship since 2010.

"These kids are very motivated to win this next game," Friede said. "They have worked hard all season to get back to this point and they are not satisfied."

2015 Chinook Sugarbeeters (11-0)

Sept. 5 def Centerville 54-0

Sept. 11 def Cascade 70-6

Sept. 19 def Simms 34-12

Sept. 25 def Fort Benton 54-0

Oct. 2 def Belt 44-0

Oct. 9 def Power-Dutton-Brady 50-12

Oct. 14 def Chester/J-I 58-22

Oct. 24 def Great Falls Central 64-18

Oct. 31 def Culbertson-Bainville 80-16

Nov. 7 def Ennis 36-30

Nov. 14 def Fairview 50-32

Unlike Chinook, few thought that the Box Elder Bears were a state championship contender in Six-Man football at the start of the season. The Bears, who just missed out on the playoffs in 2013 and 2014, didn't waste anytime announcing they were a contender, though.

In the opening game of the season, on the road against defending state champion Geraldine/Highwood, the Bears put themselves on the map with a 50-6 thrashing of the Rivals, which put the rest of the North Division and the state on notice.

After knocking off the Rivals, the Bears took on three other playoff contenders and Box Elder took care of business against all three, defeating Valier 34-18, Sunburst 53-6 and North Star 60-19.

"We thought we had a chance to be a good team at the start of the season," Box Elder head coach Neil Rosette Jr. said. "These boys just really believed and they put in a lot of work in the offseason, then we came out and got some big wins early on."

After starting 4-0, the Bears were thinking playoffs for the first time in decades and after getting two more easy wins over Big Sandy by the score of 72-25 and Heart Butte 53-12, they were officially in the Six-Man playoffs.

The Bears went out of conference to play a solid Westby-Grenora team that proved to be no match for Box Elder's high-powered offense. The Bears got six touchdown passes from Brandon The Boy that day, as well as five touchdowns from Shane Ketchum in the 80-26 domination.

Thanks to a high-powered offense and a ball-hawking defense, the Bears rolled to an 8-0 start. That gave them a shot a the North Division title heading into the last game against Denton-Geyser-Stanford.

It has been decades since the Bears won a conference title in football, but on the road against the Bearcats, Box Elder was unable to hold onto a late lead and ended up losing a heartbreaker 35-34.

That loss meant the Bears had to go on the road after a first-round playoff win over Jordan, but being on the road hasn't slowed Box Elder, not at all. In the quarterfinals, the Bears steamrolled South Division champ Custer-Hysham 56-19 to move into the semifinals with Hot Springs this past Saturday.

Just a win away from the state title game, the Bears found themselves down nine heading into the fourth quarter. But, as they have done all season, Box Elder found a way and wrapped up their state-title berth with a 50-yard touchdown pass from The Boy to Ketchum in a touchdown that gave the Bears a 42-40 win.

Now the Bears are hoping to cap their historic season by knocking off DGS in a rematch of North Division teams with the Six-Man championship on the line.

"It's a special feeling for this program," Rosette Jr. said. "I am proud of these boys and proud of our coaches. They are motivated and they have wanted to get another chance to take on DGS."

2015 Chinook Sugarbeeters (11-0)

Sept. 5 def Centerville 54-0

Sept. 11 def Cascade 70-6

Sept. 19 def Simms 34-12

Sept. 25 def Fort Benton 54-0

Oct. 2 def Belt 44-0

Oct. 9 def Power-Dutton-Brady 50-12

Oct. 14 def Chester/J-I 58-22

Oct. 24 def Great Falls Central 64-18

Oct. 31 def Culbertson-Bainville 80-16

Nov. 7 def Ennis 36-30

Nov. 14 def Fairview 50-32

Unlike Chinook, few thought that the Box Elder Bears were a state championship contender in Six-Man football at the start of the season. Yet, the Bears, who just missed out on the playoffs in 2013 and 2014, didn't waste anytime announcing they were a contender,

In the opening game of the season, on the road against defending state champion Geraldine/Highwood, the Bears put themselves on the map with a 50-6 thrashing of the Rivals, which put the rest of the North Division and the state on notice.

Yet, after knocking off the Rivals, the Bears took on three other playoff contenders and Box Elder took care of business against all three, defeating Valier 34-18, Sunburst 53-6 and North Star 60-19.

"We thought we had a chance to be a good team at the start of the season," Box Elder head coach Neil Rosette Jr. said. "These boys just really believed and they put in a lot of work in the offseason, then we came out and got some big wins early on."

After starting 4-0, the Bears were thinking playoffs for the first time in decades and after getting two more easy wins over Big Sandy by the score of 72-25 and Heart Butte 53-12, they were officially in the Six-Man playoffs.

Then, the Bears went out of conference to play a solid Westby-Grenora team that proved to be not match for Box Elder's high-powered offense. The Bears got six touchdown passes from Brandon The Boy that day, as well as five touchdowns from Shane Ketchum in the 80-26 domination.

Thanks to a high-powered offense and a ball-hawking defense, the Bears rolled to an 8-0 start. And that gave them a shot a the North Division title heading into the last game against Denton-Geyser-Stanford.

It has been decades since the Bears won a conference title in football, but on the road against the Bearcats, Box Elder was unable to hold onto a late lead and ended up losing a heartbreaker 35-34.

That loss meant the Bears had to go on the road after a first-round playoff win over Jordan, but being on the road hasn't slowed Box Elder, not at all. In the quarterfinals, the Bears steamrolled South Division champ Custer-Hysham 56-19 to move into the semifinals with Hot Springs this past Saturday.

Just a win away from the state title game, the Bears found themselves down nine heading into the fourth quarter. But, as they have done all season, Box Elder found a way and wrapped up their state-title berth with a 50-yard touchdown pass from The Boy to Ketchum in a touchdown that gave the Bears a 42-40 win.

Now the Bears are hoping to cap their historic season by knocking off DGS in a rematch of North Division teams with the Six-Man championship on the line.

"It's a special feeling for this program," Rosette Jr. said. "I am proud of these boys and proud of our coaches. They are motivated and they have wanted to get another chance to take on DGS."

2015 Box Elder Bears (11-1)

Aug. 29 def Geraldine/Highwood 50-6

Sept.4 def Valier 34-18

Sept. 12 def Sunburst 53-6

Sept. 19 def North Star 60-19

Sept. 26 def Big Sandy 72-25

Oct. 3 def Heart Butte 53-12

Oct. 10 def Westby/Grenora 80-26

Oct. 14 def Augusta 62-0

Oct. 24 loss DGS 35-34

Oct. 31 def Jordan 64-32

Nov. 7 def Custer-Hysham 56-19

Nov. 14 def Hot Springs 42-40.