The Blackhawks were all smiles after their 60-56 victory over the Mountain Cats. Back row (L-R): Amanda Thomas, Keith Maughan, Hunter Shelmerdine, Eric Lorentz, Eric Samuli, Beau Sloan, Hunter Carpenter, Clint Harris, James Webb, Gunner Sloan, Chance Johnson, Jasen Sokoloski, Owen Mercado and Logan Robinson. Front row (L-R): Adia Stevenson, Gabby Sexton, Jenna Colby, Hunter Sokoloski, Dakota Wood, Kyle Peltier, Soren Moon, Avery Smith, Nate Samuli, Caleb Maughan, Logan Maughan and Ryan Sokoloski.
SUPERIOR - The Blackhawks added another victory to their season Sept. 29 after battling the Clark Fork Co-op Mountain Cats.
The high scoring game had the crowd on the edge of their seats until the end and had defensive coaches shaking their heads. Both the Mountain Cats and the Blackhawks scored eight touchdowns each with two of them in the last minute of play.
The Blackhawks struck first, after stopping the Mountain Cats opening drive. A couple of nice runs from Nate Samuli and a catch from Chance Johnson set up Hunter Sokoloski for a five-yard touchdown. Logan Maughan ran in the two-point conversion.
The teams traded touchdowns back and forth with the Blackhawks maintaining a small lead through most of the first half. By the end of the third quarter the game was tied at 36-36.
The Mountain Cats struck first in the final quarter but the Blackhawks weren't having it. They stopped the extra points attempt and then Logan Robinson returned the kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown. Samuli took the ball in for the critical two-point conversion putting the Blackhawks up 2.
Another Mountain Cats touchdown was followed by another Blackhawks kick return for a touchdown. Only this time it was Dakota Wood for 50 yards and another conversion from Samuli. The Blackhawks were up 4.
With less than a minute on the clock the Mountain Cats took the lead. The Blackhawks gained good field position from an onside kick and with two time outs they went to work.
The Blackhawks kept the ball on the ground with runs from Sokoloski and Samuli and found pay dirt with just seconds remaining. The Blackhawks defenders held their ground on the final couple plays to the 60-56 victory.
Blackhawks Head Coach Ryan Sokoloski was pleased with the team's performance. He said their offense is designed to move the ball four to five yards at a time and that's what they did.
While the Blackhawks had a couple of kick returns for long touchdowns, the bulk of them were on less than 10-yard runs.
Coach Sokoloski said with each passing week the team is showing fewer effects from the delayed start of the season and the smoke.
While the last two victories have been building up the Blackhawks' confidence their next game will be a tough one. They take on the top ranked team in the district, Flint Creek Co-op, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. in Philipsburg.
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