Seeley knocks Arlee to 0-2

SEELEY LAKE — Perhaps it was about time Seeley-Swan won a football game.

The Blackhawks program hadn’t tallied the win column since Oct. 2, 2010, when they beat Granite, 22-20.

“Seeley’s a good football team,” said Arlee coach Mike Rogers. “They’ve been together awhile, and they have some good senior leaders.

“I knew they would win a game this year. I was just hoping it wouldn’t be us.”

The Warriors (0-2) started out hot, marching down the field on their first possession to take an 8-0 lead.

“Then the wheels fell off the bus,” Rogers said.

Arlee lost starters Patrick BigSam and Justis Haynes for more than a quarter each due to minor injuries. Both returned to the game, but it was enough to get the Warriors out of rhythm.

“When you have to take a kid like Patrick [who is Arlee’s leading returning scorer and tackler] out and replace him with a 135-pound freshman, you’re going to go backward,” Rogers said.

And did the Warriors go backward. The Blackhawks scored 40 unanswered points as the game got away.

Christian Cahoon—the only Blackhawks player on the roster for the school’s last football victory—led the charge. The senior accounted for three Seeley-Swan touchdowns, rushing for two and hooking up with Tylen Dial on a 25-yard pass for the other. He also finished with nine tackles.

Arlee’s defense showed back up in the second half, holding the Blackhawks to just six points, but turnovers stifled the offense.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Rogers said. “We had an opportunity to win the game, and we just didn’t get the job done.”

The Warriors coughed up two interceptions and a fumble all in the second half. They also racked up 160 yards worth of penalties in the contest.

“It was just crazy,” Rogers said. “It was one of the most unbelievable games I’ve ever had to go to.”

P.J. Haynes led the Warriors’ offense, accruing 167 rushing yards and a score. Freshman Tyler Tanner caught eight passes, two of which were touchdowns, for a total of 87 yards.

Score by Quarter

Arlee 8 0 8 8 – 24

Seeley-Swan 12 22 6 0 – 40

Scoring Summary

A – Tanner pass from Rogers (Haynes run)

S – Cahoon 3 run (pass failed)

S – Dial 25 pass from Cahoon (pass failed)

S – Cahoon 15 run (Dial pass from Cahoon)

S – Wollan 3 run (Wollan run)

S – Haley 4 run (pass failed)

S – Dial 27 pass from Cahoon (run failed)

A – Tanner pass from Rogers (Rogers run)

A – Haynes pass from Rogers (Haynes run)