Hi-Line Football: Emotional football wins for Rocky Boy and Harlem

The football program at Rocky Boy has had about as many tough times as any team in the state of Montana in recent times. In fact, for years in Class B, Rocky Boy never even fielded a varsity team.

And that's why Saturday night was so gratifying.

In Memorial Stadium in Great Falls, the Stars blew past Great Falls Central, 40-26 for a Northern C victory, and a 1-0 start to their season.

It was a huge and emotional win for the Stars, who haven't tasted many victories in football over the years. It was also an emotional night for both Rocky Boy and GFCC. Mustang's head coach Wes Ross is the father of Troy Ross, the young man who was diagnosed with a rare disease three years ago and has since been supported by the "Troy Strong" movement all across Montana. Troy was honored at the game Saturday night.

In the game, though, the Stars also showed bright.

Trailing 7-0 at halftime, Rocky Boy exploded for 32 points, with two touchdown runs from Sean Gibson, another by Kenny Corcoran and a 20-yard pick six from Nacona Limberhand. By the time the dust settled on the period, the Stars were in front 32-14 and well on their way to an exciting victory.

"We were just thinking about our ups and downs from last season," Gibson told the Great Falls Tribune. "Like how much we threw the ball; we decided to switch things up, like running, pushing the ball up the middle, spreading the defense out, then run the ball up the middle, and bring (their) defense in tight, then switch out to sweeps around end."

Rocky Boy (1-0) will next play defending Northern C champion Fort Benton Friday night.

Rocky Boy 0 0 32 8 - 40

GF Central 7 0 7 12 - 26

First quarter

GFC-Isaac Madill 11 pass from Dillon Warren (Warren kick), 1:05

Third quarter

RB-Sean Gibson 2 run (Nacona Linberhand run), 8:29

GFC-Tucker Atkinson 56 pass from Warren (Warren kick), 6:36

RB-Gibson 58 run (N. Limberhand run), 5:52

RB-Kenny Corcoran 5 run (N. Limberhand run), :34.1

RB-N. Limberhand 20 interception return (Joe Demontiney pass from Kellen Colliflower), :18.5

Fourth quarter

GFC-Austin Armstrong 1 run (kick failed), 9:55

RB-Demintiney 16 from S. Gibson (Corcoran run), 3:31

GFC-Atkinson 9 run (kick failed), :23.4.

Harlem 42, Poplar 0

The weekend wasn't just a triumphant one for Rocky Boy, either. Like the Stars, Harlem has had its share of struggles in football for a long time now. And going winless last season was part of those difficulties.

But Friday night, the Wildcats got a much-needed boost as they opened the Northern B season with a 42-0 shutout of the Poplar Indians.

It was Harlem's first win since 2018, and their first Northern B win in as long. The Wildcats will now square off against another big rival, the Wolf Point Wolves, this Friday night in Harlem.

Big Sandy 42, North Star 7

The Big Sandy Pioneers appear to be on a mission again this season, and that mission wasn't slowed Saturday afternoon.

In a Six-Man North rivalry game in Rudyard, the Pioneers walloped the North Star Knights 42-7 to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Kade Strutz had a monster game for the Pioneers, scoring on runs of 20, 10, 1 and 9 yards, while also catching a 60-yard TD pass from brother Kody.

Payne Ditmar scored the only touchdown for the Knights, who fell to 0-2 on the season. Next up for North Star is a visit to Sunburst Saturday night.

Meanwhile, the Pioneers continue their march through the division. Big Sandy next hosts Box Elder Friday night.

BS 14 22 0 6 - 42

NS 0 0 0 7 - 7

BS - Kade Strutz 20 run

BS - Kade Strutz 10 run

BS - Kade Strutz 1 run

BS - Kade Strutz 9 run

BS - Kade Strtuz 60 pass from Kody Strutz

NS - Payne Ditmar 9 run

BS - Brayden Cline 7 pass

Fort Benton 43, Cascade 0

Like Big Sandy, Fort Benton appears to be too powerful for the rest of the Northern C, at least early on. Last Friday night, the top-ranked Longhorns throttled the Cascade Badgers, 43-0 in a Northern C game.

Fort Benton struck twice in the first quarter, then tacked on another 19 points in the second stanza to take a 35-0 lead into intermission. The Longhorns made sure everybody got to play in the second half, while their stout defense pitched a shutout on the night, as they moved to 2-0 on the season.

Next up for Fort Benton is a home game with Rocky Boy Friday night.

Shelby 26, Chinook 22

Chinook made its home debut Friday night, and while the game against the Shelby Coyotes was a thriller, the ending was a heartbreaker.

Trailing the Coyotes 26-22 in the final seconds of their Northern C bout, Chinook had a chance at a hail mary to win the game on the final play, but the pass was not to be, as the Beeters fell to 1-1 on the season.

Chinook led 14-6 at intermission as Benton Elliot connected with Toby Niederegger for a pair of scores in the second quarter.

However, the Coyotes returned the second-half's opening kickoff for a touchdown, and later scored after an onside kick to go back in front, and hold on for the win.

Elliot led Chinook with 206 yards passing, while Hunter Molyneaux rushed for 143 yards on the night.

Chinook (1-1) has a week off before returning to face Hays-Lodge Pole on Sept. 19.

Simms 66, HLP 0

The Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds had their season-opener against Rocky Boy postponed last week, but the T-Birds got on the field this past weekend. However, Friday night, the Simms Tigers crushed the T-Birds 66-0 in a Northern C game.

Ethan Werk led the T-Birds on defense in the loss. HLP (0-1) next plays Chester-Joplin-Inverness this Saturday afternoon in Chester.