Hi-Line Football: Longhorns, Pioneers roll in key road games

The Fort Benton Longhorns faced a tough challenge in their young season. After winning their first two games of the year, the Longhorns looked to keep it going.

But being 2-0 comes with its tests, and the Longhorns were expecting one from Centerville.

Nevertheless, the Longhorns lived up to their standards and defeated Centerville 53-12 last Saturday.

Centerville started the first quarter of the game with a Carson McGinness 22-yard run to the endzone, but the team failed on their conversion attempt.

The Longhorns took their time to strike, but when they did in the second quarter, it released a monster. A 70-yard pass on one drive and a 29-yard run on another gave the Longhorns the lead 12-0. Jace Thompson followed with two scores of his own, a five-yard run and a 12-yard run to the endzone, along with a successful conversion on his second score, giving Fort Benton a great look at the half 27-6.

Centerville responded with a score in the third, a 78-yard kickoff return, thinning the Longhorns' lead 27-12. Hayden Axtman ran 10-yards for a score, Thompson scored off an interception, Axtman rushed 47-yards, and Thompson again ran for a touchdown.

Axtman and Thompson put up the numbers the Longhorns needed to trample their competition, as Centerville never found the endzone after the third quarter. Fort Benton stays undefeated in the season.

The Longhorns will look to continue their dominant win streak when they play the Chinook Sugarbeeters Friday.

Fort Benton 0 27 26 0 – 53

Centerville 6 0 6 0 – 12

CNT - Carson McGinness 22 run (run failed)

FTB - N/A 70 pass from N/A (N/A kick)

FTB - N/A 29 run (PAT no good)

FTB - Jace Thompson 5 run (run failed)

FTB - Jace Thompson 12 run (Jace Thompson run)

CNT - N/A 78 kickoff return (run failed)

FTB - Hayden Axtman 10 run (PAT no good)

FTB - Jace Thompson 18 interception (PAT no good)

FTB - Hayden Axtman 47 run (run)

FTB - Jace Thompson 12 run (PAT no good)

Big Sandy 60, Mondak 14

The Big Sandy High football team moved on as undefeated after a big win against Mondak last Friday, 60-14.

The Pioneers traveled to Thunder country and avoided the storm throughout the game. An explosive first quarter gave Big Sandy a good lead against Mondak 16-14.

Mondak tried to respond throughout the rest of the game, but it was all Big Sandy from there on out. The Pioneers scored 28 points in the second quarter and extended their lead at the half 44-14.

Big Sandy finished off the Thunder with 16 more points on the board and went home with another explosive win. The Pioneers have a lot to look forward to throughout the rest of their season.

Undefeated Big Sandy will aim to keep their fiery win streak going when they play the White Sulphur Springs Hornets this Friday at 7.

Valier 47, North Star 44

North Star did not have the win the Knights were hoping for, losing to Valier last Saturday 47-44, but the Knights didn't give the Panthers the win easily.

The Knights opened the game with an impressive first quarter. Caden Rettig completed a 56-yard touchdown pass to Bailey Spicher and Payne Ditmar succeeded on the conversion, putting North Star on the board 8-0.

Rettig then rushed 40 yards for a score and on another drive completed a 6-yard pass to Ditmar to score again. Rettig did not stop there and ran 52-yards for another score. The Knights sat comfortably with a good lead in the first.

Valier found its first points in the second quarter. Kason Kovatch passed to Brody Connelly for a 15-yard touchdown. North Star responded with a Rettig 12-yard rushing touchdown. Valier ended the half with another score by Connelly through a 70-yard kickoff return. The Knights were up 32-14 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Panthers took off. Connelly scored on a 51-yard passing play and then on a 70-yard rushing touchdown. Ty Currey scored on a fumble return and then followed with a 14-yard touchdown catch.

Rettig put some more points on for North Star with a seven-yard rushing touchdown, but Valier's 21-point third quarter turned the game in favor of the Panthers.

Valier and North Star put up 12 points each in the fourth, but the Panthers had enough edge from their previous quarter to stay ahead of the Knights, eventually winning the game. Though it was a loss for North Star, it was an intense battle between the teams.

Rettig had a great night, recording six touchdowns for the Knights and led his team through a ferocious battle.

North Star will have a chance to claim their first win of the season again against the Sunburst Refiners Saturday at 1.

Valier 0 14 21 12 – 47

North Star 19 13 0 12 – 44

NS – Bailey Spicher to Caden Rettig 56 yds (Payne Ditmar conv)

NS – Caden Rettig 40 yd rushing TD (conv failed)

NS – Caden Rettig to Payne Ditmar 6 yd (conv failed)

NS – Caden Rettig 52 yd rushing TD (Garrett Spicher to Payne Ditmar conv)

V – Kason Kovatch to Brody Connelly 15 yd TD (conv failed)

NS – Caden Rettig 12 yd rushing TD (conv failed)

V – Brody Connelly 70 yd kickoff return (Brett Monroe 2-PT PAT)

V – Kason Kovatch to Brody Connelly 51 yd TD (Brett Monroe 2-PT PAT)

V – Brody Connelly 70 yd rushing TD (conv failed)

V – Ty Currey 25 yd fumble return TD (Brody Connelly conv)

V – Kason Kovatch to Ty Currey 14 yd TD (conv failed)

NS – Caden Rettig 7 yd rushing TD (conv failed)

V – Brody Connelly 42 yd rushing TD (conv failed)

NS – Payne Ditmar 15 yd rushing TD (conv failed)

Choteau 46, CJI 24

Week three for the Chester-Joplin-Inverness football team did not pan out for the Hawks, as they fell to the Choteau Bulldogs 46-24 last Friday.

The Hawks could not fully take flight in the game, with struggles throughout the match.

Choteau scored first with a 19-yard passing touchdown to John Rappold but failed the extra point kick. The first quarter saw no more scores afterward.

CJI responded in the second quarter with a one-yard touchdown. Choteau's Kyler Crabtree answered with his own one-yard rushing touchdown and a conversion.

The Hawks scored again with a 12-yard passing touchdown and then a Kyle Harmon touchdown reception to keep CJI's hopes alive. The Bulldogs kept at it, though, with Crabtree and Rappold both running into the endzone on two different drives.

The Hawk's Lane Fisher passed to Harmon for another receiving score. But the last parts of the game were all Choteau. Crabtree found the endzone three more times. Two scores were rushing touchdowns and the other was a 22-yard interception taken to the house.

CJI did everything to hold off the Bulldogs but could not finish in the end. The Hawks will have a shot at another win when they play Rocky Boy this Friday at 7.

Choteau 6 8 12 20 – 46

CJI 0 18 6 0 – 24

CHO - Kolby Kovatch 19 pass from John Rappold (PAT no good)

CJI - 1 run (run failed)

CHO - Kyler Crabtree 1 run (Kyler Crabtree run)

CJI - Zeb Woods 12 pass from (run failed)

CJI - Caden Woods 12 pass from Kyle Harmon (run failed)

CHO - Kyler Crabtree 10 run (run failed)

CHO - John Rappold 1 run (run failed)

CJI - Lane Fisher 25 pass from Kyle Harmon (run failed)

CHO - Kyler Crabtree 20 run (run failed)

CHO - Kyler Crabtree 22 interception (run failed)

CHO - Kyler Crabtree 9 run (Kolby Kovatch pass from John Rappold)

PDB 64, Box Elder 6

Box Elder found some tough competition when the Bears played Power-Dutton-Brady last Saturday, falling to the Titans 64-6.

PDB would dominate the first three quarters of the game. Nick Widhalm rushed for a 28-yard score, Tyce Erickson scored on a 54-yard fumble return, Jackson Widhalm ran 10-yards to the endzone, Ben Lehnerz found Nick Widhalm for another score, and Spencer Lehnerz ran 68-yards for a punt return touchdown.

The Titans didn't let up. Clay Blankenship found Nick Widhalm once more for a score, Jackson Widhalm returned a 68-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Erickson ran 38-yards for a score and John Baringer ran five-yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to end PDB's insane streak.

The Bears' only score was a Gabe Saddler 21-yard passing touchdown from Kadyn Duran in the final seconds of the game. Time expired and the Titans claimed victory.

Box Elder hunts for their first win of the season still and will hope to find it when they face off against the Heart Butte Warriors Saturday at 1.

PDB 22 24 12 6 – 64

Box Elder 0 0 0 6 – 6

PDB - Nick Widhalm 28 yd run (Clay Blankenship kick)

PDB - Tyce Erickson 54 yd fumble return (Clay Blankenship kick)

PDB - Jackson Widhalm 10 yd run (PAT no good)

PDB - Ben Lehnerz 1 yd pass from Nick Widhalm (pass failed)

PDB - Ben Lehnerz 68 yd punt return (pass failed)

PDB - Spencer Lehnerz 12 yd interception (PAT no good)

PDB - Clay Blankenship 36 yd pass from Nick Widhalm (PAT no good)

PDB - Jackson Widhalm 68 yd kickoff return (PAT no good)

PDB - Tyce Erickson 38 yd run (PAT blocked)

PDB - John Baringer 5 yd run (PAT no good)

BXE - Gabe Saddler 21 yd pass from Kadyn Duran (time expired)

Simms 30, Chinook 8

The Chinook high football team still has some leaps and bounds to make in their season. The Sugarbeeters continue to have struggles in their new season.

Unfortunately, the win did not come when the Beeters played the Simms Tigers last Saturday, losing 30-8.

Simms played an intense game and constantly kept Chinook at bay the whole time. The Sugarbeeters would manage a single score in the game, but nothing more.

Chinook will have a great obstacle to face in their next game against undefeated Fort Benton this Friday at 7, hoping to take down the Longhorns and get their first win of the season.

Wolf Point 34, Harlem 0

The Harlem High football team had a rough game against the Wolf Point last Friday, falling prey to the Wolves 34-0.

A shutout for the Wildcats is a tough one indeed, but they will have to prepare themselves for another game.

The Harlem Wildcats face off against the Roundup Panthers this Friday at 7.

Shelby 88, Hays Lodge-Pole 0

Hays-Lodge Pole High football came across a tough game, too. The Thunderbirds were grounded and shutout by a dominant Shelby Coyotes team 88-0.

Hays-Lodge Pole battled as hard as they could throughout the game, but never managed to reach the endzone all four quarters, facing a hard loss.

The Thunderbirds will face another tough opponent in the Simms Tigers this Saturday at 1 in hopes of finding another win.

Belt 50, Rocky Boy 8

The Rocky Boy football team also found some struggles in their game against Belt, losing to the Huskies 50-8.

The Stars would score eight points for the second week in a row after they did so against Choteau the week before the game against Belt.

Rocky Boy will look to bounce back and find a win in their next upcoming game against a familiar team.

The Stars battle the CJI Hawks this Friday at 7.