Hawks, Knights ousted from playoffs

While the national sports scene was focused on Wrigley Field, college football and the NFL, local sports fans have the high school playoffs, which started over the weekend all across the state.

Along the Hi-Line, there were two local teams that qualified for the postseason. Both the Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks and North Star Knights made the playoffs in their respective classifications, yet neither team stayed long as both were promptly eliminated.

CJI, which traveled to Charlo for a first-round game in the Class C 8-Man playoffs, was routed by a score of 60-2. North Star also had to navigate a long trip, which ended with them taking on Hot Springs. In the end, the Knights lost 66-0 to a team that was a state semifinalist in the Class C Six-Man playoffs a year ago.

Yet, losing to a Hot Springs team that is now 10-0 on the season is nothing to be ashamed about for the Knights, who will end the season at 5-5. As far as the result on the field, the biggest problem for North Star was its inability to stop Hot Springs running back Trevor Paro.

Paro, who has more touchdowns than any other player in the MHSA record book, added five more to his impressive total, with a punt return for a touchdown, two rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns. He also threw a touchdown pass for good measure.

Paro contributed in one way or another to the first five touchdowns of the game for Hot Springs, which scored 30 points in the first quarter and 24 in the second to grab a 54-0 lead at halftime. Hot Spring will host Bainville next week in the Six-Man quarterfinals.

Just like North Star, CJI got off to a rough start against Charlo, as the Vikings jumped out to a huge early lead over the Hawks after a 38-point first quarter. Landers Smith scored three rushing touchdowns to lead the way for Charlo, while Toby Odom also ran for two touchdowns and caught another. CJI, which finished the season 5-5, got on the board with a safety in the fourth quarter.

Hot Springs 66, North Star 0

North Star 0 0 0 0 - 0

Hot Springs 30 24 12 0 - 66

HS - Trevor Paro 62 punt return (kick failed)

HS - Paro 46 run (Marco Degel kick)

HS - Blaine Carr 6 pass from Paro (Degel kick)

HS - Paro 56 pass from Degel (Degel kick)

HS - Paro 11 run (Degel kick)

HS - Wyatt Carr 22 pass from Degel (Degel kick)

HS - Paro 54 pass from Degel (Degel kick)

HS - Kane Lawson 38 run (run failed)

HS - Tyler Knudsen 3 run (run failed)

Charlo 60, CJI 2

CJI 0 0 0 2 - 2

Charlo 38 14 8 0 - 60

C - Landers Smith 4 run (run failed)

C - Jared Doty 33 run (Smith run)

C - Toby Odom 6 run (run failed)

C - Safety, Odom sacks Cory Richter in end zone

C - Odom 1 run (Doty run)

C - Smith 15 run (Doty pass from Smith)

C - Smith 42 run (Odom run)

C - Odom 7 pass from Smith (pass failed)

C - Shad Anderson 4 run (Brady Fryberger pass from Tyson Petticrew)

CJI - Safety, Charlo receiver tackled in end zone.