SHELBY — It’s only Week 1, but the Joliet J-Hawks took a big step toward showing they belong at the top of the most recent MontanaSports.com 8-Man football poll, overpowering No. 1 Shelby 36-20 for a season opening win on Friday night.
Both teams return solid cores from squads that made deep playoff runs in 2020, and traded punches early. The Hawks struck first with a touchdown to take an 8-0 lead, but Shelby answered with a score of their own to tied the game at 8 after the first quarter.
Running back Bryce Lee scored early in the second to give Shelby a 14-8 lead at halftime. In the third quarter Rhett Reynolds caught a short pass for a score to make it 20-8.
But it was all Joliet from there. The J-Hawks scored twice in the final minutes of the third quarter to take a 22-20 lead to the fourth. They would hold the Coyotes scoreless the rest of the way, to knock off the No. 1 team in the preseason polls 36-20.
Next up for Joliet is a home game against Lone Peak next Saturday, while Chinook will open Northern C 8-Man play on Friday against Chinook.
8-Man scores
Albertson-Superior 66, Plains 8
Broadus 36, Forsyth 26
Joliet 36, Shelby 20
Scobey 44, Circle 0
Seeley-Swan 26, Arlee 8
Sheridan 27, Choteau 25 (OT)
Thompson Falls 42, Charlo 0
Westby-Grenora 42, Ekalaka 36
Chester-Joplin-Inverness 36, Cascade 6
