Hi-Line Football: Sugarbeeters, Hawks fall in heartbreakers

The Chinook Sugarbeeters still need a win to make the 2020 Class C playoffs. They almost got that last Friday night, but in heartbreaking fashion, they fell short.

In a Northern C play-in game Chinook crossed into the A Division to take on the Belt Huskies last Friday, and in a seesaw affair, the Huskies came away with a 30-28 win.

The lead changed hands five times in the exciting game, but late, Chinook had trouble slowing down Belt’s Caymen Evans, who rushed for 280 yard son the night. Hunter Molyneaux placed the Beeters with 144 yards on the ground, while Benton Elliot threw a pair of TDs.

Now, the Beeters (4-3), will return home for a Northern C play-in game Friday night against the Cascade Badgers.

Choteau 28, CJI 22

The Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks have had a pretty rough season, and it continued in heartbreaking fashion Thursday.

Hosting the Choteau Bulldogs in a regular season finale, the Hawks lost a close game, 28-22. The Hawks got strong play on defense, while the likes of Kyle Harmon, Lane Fischer and more were tough on offense. But it wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs escaped with the close win.

The loss dropped CJI to 1-4 in the Northern C and 1-5 overall for the 2020 season.

More COVID cancellations

A seeded playoff game between the top-ranked Fort Benton Longhorns and Shelby Coyotes, which was set to take place last week in Shelby, was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. Of course, COVID-19 continues to play a part in the 2020 football season, even on the Hi-Line, and several more area games were canceled this past week. Box Elder’s regular season finale against Sunburst was called off, while a Northern C crossover game between Rocky Boy and Hays-Lodge Pole was also canceled.