Area teams moving on in football playoffs

It was a good start for Hi-Line high school football teams in the first week of the MHSA playoffs.

In Class C 8-Man, Chinook won its first playoff game in eight years as the Sugarbeeters upset undefeated Valley Christian 40-24. The Beeters held the Eagles to just three points in the first half en route to a berth in the quarterfinals where they'll travel to Drummond-Phillipsburg this Saturday.

Fort Benton is also moving on as the Longhorns thrashed St. Ignatius 32-6 Saturday in Fort Benton. The Longhorns will now play Scobey in the quarterfinals this Saturday in Fort Benton.

In Six-Man action, top-ranked Box Elder had no trouble with Absarokee in the first round. In Box Elder Saturday, the Bears rolled to a 67-24 win, setting up a quarterfinal battle with DGSG this Saturday in Box Elder. The last time the Bears went this deep in the post season, they lost to the Bearkats in the state championship game.

The Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks are also headed to the Six-Man quarterfinals. Saturday in Chester, CJI blasted Jordan 61-20. The Hawks exploded for 23 points in the first quarter, 22 in the second and 16 in the third, and it was no match for the Mustangs, who were only able to put up a combined 20 points in the first half. The Hawks take on defending champion Centerville in next week's quarterfinals.