Hi-Line Football: Pioneers keep rolling, Sugarbeeters bounce back

The Fort Benton 8-man football team had been having its way so far this fall with an undefeated start to the season. But this past Friday night, the Longhorns faced their toughest challenge when they played Simms on the road. While the Longhorns put up a fight, they lost to Simms, 41-29, for their first loss of the season.

After they fell behind 9-0 in the first quarter, the Longhorns exploded in the second quarter. Colter Ball got Fort Benton on the scoreboard with a nine-yard touchdown run. However, Simms responded with a touchdown of its own to extend its lead to 16-6.

The Longhorns did not let the deficit deter them as they scored 14 straight points to end the half. Fort Benton's running game continued to lead the offense as Jeremiah Little ran for a 43-yard score. Trevor O'Hara then caught a touchdown pass from Morgan Axtman to give the Longhorns a 20-16 lead at the half. The Longhorns then scored again on the ground in the third quarter to push their lead to 29-16.

However, Fort Benton could not hold onto the lead. Over the last few quarters, the Tigers got their ground game going with three touchdowns to take the lead. The Simms defense also shut down the Longhorns as Fort Benton did not score in the final quarter.

With the loss, Fort Benton finished the regular season 5-1. The Longhorns will have a rematch with Simms this Saturday at 1 p.m. in Fort Benton. The game will determine playoff seeding as the winner will be the no. 1 seed from the 8-Man Northern Division in the playoffs.

FB - 0 20 9 0 - 29

SIM - 9 7 8 17 - 41

SIM - Puig Pons 49 field goal

SIM - Michael Leach 19 run (Pass failed)

FB - Colter Ball 9 run (Run failed)

SIM - Carter McDowell 55 pass from Hudson Rohrer (Pons kick)

FB - Jeremiah Little 43 run (Trevor O'Hara pass from Morgan Axtman)

FB - O'Hara 10 pass from Axtman (Run failed)

FB - 43 run (Dane Byle kick)

SIM - Leach 23 run (Rohrer run)

SIM - Daine Sullivan 10 run (Rohrer run)

SIM - Pons 51 field goal

SIM - Gaven Flanagan 42 run (Pass failed)

Big Sandy 57, North Star 18

Over the past month, the Big Sandy Six-man football team has been on a roll. The Pioneers have not lost since Sept. 3 and have now won five games in a row thanks to their 57-18 victory at home over North Star this past Friday.

Big Sandy jumped on the Knights early thanks to the efforts of Rusty Gasvoda. Early in the game, he caught a five-yard touchdown from Braydon Cline to give Big Sandy the lead. On defense, Gasvoda continued to make an impact as he returned an interception for a touchdown.

The Pioneers also scored on special teams as Lane Demontiney returned a punt 60 yards for the score to start the second quarter. In the second, Cline also continued to make an impact with two more touchdown passes and a touchdown run to give Big Sandy a 44-12 lead at the half.

Big Sandy is now 5-2 and will next play on the road at Valier this Friday. North Star is 1-5 and will play at home against Power-Dutton-Brady this Saturday.

NS - 0 12 0 6 - 18

BS - 12 32 7 6 - 57

BS - Rusty Gasvoda 5 pass from Braydon Cline (Kick failed)

BS - Gasvoda interception return (Run failed)

BS - Lane Demontiney 60 yard punt return (Cline run)

NS - 70 yard kickoff return (Kick failed)

BS - Gasvoda 18 pass from Cline (Kick failed)

BS - Demontiney 53 pass from Cline (Cline run)

BS - Lance Rutledge recover blocked punt (Pass failed)

NS - 15 run (Kick failed)

BS - Cline 3 run (Pass failed)

BS - Gasvoda 62 pass from Cline (Cline run)

BS - Kody Strutz 23 pass from Cline (Run failed)

NS - 6 run (Run failed)

PDB 32, Box Elder 22

The Box Elder Six-man football team has had a rough go at it the past month. Along with a game they had to forfeit, the Bears have suffered three shutout losses. While Box Elder played better against Power-Dutton-Brady on the road this past Saturday, the Bears still lost, 32-22.

The Titans jumped on Box Elder early for a 20-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Bears were able to get their offense going in the second quarter but still trailed 26-16 at the half. Box Elder could not carry that momentum into the second half as the Bears only scored a touchdown the rest of the game.

Box Elder is now 1-4 this season and will next play on the road at Sunburst Oct. 21.

Chinook 55, Choteau 18

After its first loss of the season last week against Simms, the Chinook 8-man football team responded with a 55-18 win over Choteau on the road this past Friday. After scoring a season-low 24 points against Simms, the Chinook offense led by quarterback Levi Jensen and running back Tyler Schoen lit up the scoreboard against Choteau.

Chinook is now 5-1 and will next play Cascade at home this Saturday at 6 p.m. The game will decide who will be the No. 4 seed from the Northern 8-Man for the state playoffs.

Rocky Boy 64, Harlem 18

Due to canceled games, the Rocky Boy and Harlem 8-man football teams played each other Oct. 4. Rocky Boy emerged from that game with a 64-18 victory. Rocky Boy is now 2-4 this season while Harlem is 2-5.

Rocky Boy, Chester-Joplin-Inverness, Harlem and Hays-Lodge Pole all had games scheduled for this past weekend but were unable to play them.