Sugarbeeters win 38-36 shootout over Fort Benton to even record at 2-2

The Chinook Sugarbeeters football team escaped Hoon Field with a narrow 38-36 victory over the Fort Benton Longhorns last Friday Night.

The win evens the Sugarbeeters record at 2-2 on the season as they get set to host the Power-Dutton-Brady Titans in a homecoming contest this Friday night.

The Sugarbeeters fell behind early in the contest with the Longhorns 22-0 as the visitors scored three quick first quarter touchdowns.

The 'Beeters would storm back with a good drive that started at the end of the first quarter and culminated on the first play of the second with a 17-yard run by senior Tate Niederegger to get the Sugarbeeters on the scoreboard. Niederegger added the conversion run to cut the deficit to 22-8.

A quick three and out by the Longhorns gave the ball back to Chinook as the momentum began to swing in favor of the home team.

Niederegger, sophomore James Christensen and Junior quarterback Steven Mulonet ran effective offense on the third series of the second quarter that culminated with Niederegger scoring his second touchdown of the game, this time from 5 yards out.

The senior added his second two-point conversion and Chinook was within 6, 22-16.

Senior Michael Warburton sacked the Longhorn quarterback on third down forcing a punt that would give Chinook the ball back with great field position at the Fort Benton 37 yard line.

Three plays later Niederegger would score on a 22-yard scamper and add the conversion to give Chinook its first lead of the game 24-22 as the teams headed into the halftime locker room.

Senior Franklin Nez Perce and Warburton wreaked havoc on a Longhorn backfield on the first possession of the third quarter and quickly forced a punt keeping momentum on the side of the home team.

After the teams traded possession the Longhorns added a score of their own to retake the lead 28-24.

Following a successful onside kick, Fort Benton maintained position at the Chinook 38 yard line but the 'Beeter defense would stand tall and forced a turnover on downs giving Chinook the ball back.

Later the defense forced a punt and the 'Beeters would take over at their own 22-yard line with just minutes left in the third quarter and trailing by four.

Niederegger would break through the line and race 58 yards for his fourth touchdown of the game to give Chinook the lead back, this time for good 32-28.

Chinooks following possession featured a nice combination of Niederegger runs and a pair of nice sweeps from Mulonet that put Chinook deep inside the red zone at the Miner 4-yard line.

Niederegger scored his fifth touchdown of the contest to give Chinook 38-28 lead late..

The Longhorns would make things interesting late in the fourth quarter scoring in the final minute to cut the deficit to 38-36.

Many were expecting an onside kick but the Longhorns kicked it deep for the first time all night putting Chinook in business needing only one first down to secure the win.

The 'Beeters maintained possession and would end the game with a nice pass play from Mulonet to senior wide receiver Kyler Johnson to seal a hard-fought 38-36 Northern C win to even their record at 2-2.

"Early mistakes put us down 22-0. We have to do a better job getting ready to play at kickoff. To their credit they battled back and played well as a team on both sides of the ball, getting some key blocks so that Tate could have room to make things happen," commented head coach Scott Friede