(Ken Adelblue – Northern News Network)
Grass Range, MT – The 6-man football state championship turned into an instant classic as Chester-Joplin-Inverness went on the road Saturday and defeated Grass Range-Winnett in double-overtime 46-38. Hawks’s Senior Cooper Streit had a monster game including the game ending interception.
“Felt so good. Coming out my eyes lit up I was like just don’t drop it, just don’t drop it, feels amazing.”
C-J-I rallied from a 30-16 halftime deficit, holding the Ranger’s scoreless in the second half to force the overtime. Streit notes much of that had to do with the ground game keeping Grass Range-Winnett off the field.
“Mentality is just not over till it’s over. We got away from game a bit going spread, and then we realized we just got to pound it to them and that’s what won us this game.”
Chester-Joplin-Inverness head coach Jim Vinson pointed to the character of his team as a big reason for the win.
“Very proud of the boys, they never gave up. They kind of owned us in the first half and we came around and put a second half together with a few adjustments and stayed resilient and worked their buts off.”
It was the first title game appearance for both teams.
