Wildcats run roughshod over Ronan
COLUMBIA FALLS - Homecoming can be quite a distraction for a high school athletic team, but it certainly was not for Columbia Falls on the football field Friday night.
The Wildcats rushed to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and cruised past Ronan 42-6 in the Northwestern A conference opener for both teams.
Columbia Falls (2-2 overall) built a 14-0 lead against Stevensville last week, but lost four fumbles and had two punts blocked in a 36-22 loss. Against Ronan (2-2), the Wildcats again led 14-0, but poured on the coal and put the Chiefs away - leading 28-0 at halftime.
Homecoming wins on the gridiron have been few and far between for Columbia Falls in recent years, but this was the night of the Wildcat.
"The focus started on Monday with a team meeting when we discussed that this is a team sport," Wildcats head coach John Thompson explained. "It's played by individuals, but it's a team sport. Eleven guys have to do their jobs and we can't have anything coming between our players. We've faced some adversity the last two weeks and we did not respond well. That's how we addressed it on Monday."
Six players carried the football on the Wildcats' first possession to start the contest. Senior Mackey Nolan, the quarterback converted to tailback, carried most of the load during a 73-yard march that resulted in a 3-yard touchdown run by Stephen Baumgartner. The senior would score four times on the evening.
It was turnabout fair play on special teams against Ronan as Baumgartner broke through and blocked a Levi Walchuk punt on the Chiefs' first possession. Baumgartner scooped up the ball and returned it to the Ronan 14-yard line. A personal foul penalty on the play on Ronan moved the ball to the 7. Baumgartner scored on the next play. Nolan kicked the conversion after both scores for a 14-0 Columbia Falls lead.
Lefty quarterback Mike Fisher returned the kickoff to near midfield for great field position for the Chiefs, but Mitchell - the Wildcat linebacker and quarterback - sacked Fisher and two plays later Ronan had to punt.
With the door of opportunity wide open, the Wildcats stormed through. Lanky 6-foot-3 sophomore Kaleb Johnson returned a Walchuk punt to the Ronan 47. Four players later, Wassam lofted a perfect aerial to Johnson at the goal line for a 25-yard scoring play with 1:39 left in the opening period.
Later in the second quarter, a 29-yard punt return by Johnson had the Wildcats in business again. An 11-yard swing pass to Nolan set the stage for a 1-yard touchdown dive by Baumgartner. Nolan converted and Columbia Falls carried a 28-0 into halftime.
In that first half, the Wildcats defense held Ronan to 25 yard of offense, while Columbia Falls amassed 78 rushing and 101 passing for 179.
Ronan marched to the CFHS 37 to start the third period, but Houle recovered a Chiefs fumble on fourth and long.
A 60-yard drive was capped by a 9-yard Baumgartner run and Nolan's kick made it 35-0.
The Wildcat defense remained relentless, and Baumgartner and Macijunas sacked Fisher again. Taking the ball at midfield, CFHS put another six on the board as Chris King carried two tacklers into the end zone from nine yards out. John Woody had a key 26-yard run during the drive.
Ronan avoided a shutout when Cory Hardy scored on a 2-yard run with 2:48 remaining in the game.
While Ronan lost two fumbles, CFHS did not have a turnover. Eliminating mistakes was a focus for the Wildcats against the Chiefs.
Columbia Falls travels to Libby next Friday night for its second conference game.
Ronan 0 0 0 6 - 6
Columbia Falls 21 7 7 7 - 42
CF - Stephen Baumgartner 3 run (Mackey Nolan kick)
CF - Baumgartner 7 run (Nolan kick)
CF - Kaleb Johnson 25 pass from Mitchell Wassam (Nolan kick)
CF - Baumgartner 1 run (Nolan kick)
CF - Baumgartner 9 run (Nolan kick)
CF - Chris King 9 run (Nolan kick)
Ronan - Cory Hardy 1 run (kick failed)
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Ron CF
First downs 8 12
Rushing yards 159 180
Passing yards 21 101
Passing (com/att/int) 2-5-0 7-17-0
Fumbles/Fumbles lost 3-2 0-0
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Individual
Rushing - Ronan, NA; CF, Nolan 10-66, John Woody 4-41, Baumgartner 10-36.
Passing - Ronan, Fisher 2-5-0-21; CF, Wassam 7-17-0-101.
Receiving - Ronan, Jamie Engeldrum 1-15, Levi Walchuk 1-6; CF, Johnson 2-38, Nolan 3-29, Quenton Hegel 1-18, Woody 1-16.