CHESTER — Nate Nelson rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns Friday night to help lift No. 5 Chester-Joplin-Inverness to a 54-16 rout of No. 1 Big Sandy, the defending 6-Man state champion.
CJI closed the regular season with a 7-1 record while Big Sandy lost its first game of the season and is now 8-1.
Nelson scored the game's first touchdown on a 31-yard run in the first quarter. Big Sandy took the lead briefly, but the Hawks seized control on consecutive TDs by Adam Grammer, one on the ground and one through the air.
CJI closed the game by scoring 29 unanswered points, highlighted by two more touchdown runs by Nelson, including another from 31 yards.
Grammer finished with 108 rushing yards and had three total touchdowns. CJI rushed for 289 yards as a team. Ryland St. John completed 8 of 12 passes for 129 yards and a score.
Elsewhere in 6-Man ...
No. 9 Power-Dutton Brady 60, Sunburst 20
No. 10 Westby-Grenora 40, Bainville 14 (Thursday)
Bridger 66, Broadview-Lavina 39
Hobson-Moore 41, Highwood 24 (Wednesday)
Lima beat Gardiner by forfeit
Savage 33, Richey-Lambert 27
Shields Valley 54, Fromberg 6 (Thursday)
