Wildcats beat Bulldogs for first league win
WHITEFISH — The Columbia Falls Wildcats invaded enemy territory and escaped with their first conference win in a 14-13 victory over the Whitefish Bulldogs at Memorial Field on Friday.
Featuring a young roster that includes 20 sophomores, Columbia Falls (3-3 overall, 1-1 Northwestern A) was pummeled 35-0 in its conference opener, then lost 36-26 in a nonconference contest against Livingston before getting back on track with a win over Whitefish (3-4, 1-2).
“We were all jacked up,” Columbia Falls defensive back Josiah Osborne said. “We needed a win and we played great ball.”
Whitefish entered the game with the top passing game in the conference (235.5 yards per game), while Columbia Falls was second (224.2), but it was the defense that took center stage for both teams. Columbia Falls sacked Whitefish quarterback Luke May seven times and recovered two fumbles, while Whitefish held Columbia Falls’ passing attack to 158 yards.
May completed 15 of 22 passes for 212 yards, but would have had far more attempts had he not been forced to scramble or take a sack because of Columbia Falls’ pass coverage.
“Our defensive backs really had to step up and stay in their coverage, which was tough, but they did a great job,” Osborne said.
The Wildcats rarely blitzed as coach Jaxon Schweikert chose to defend Whitefish’s passing game by rushing three and drop eight back in coverage.
“We played base defense the whole game,” Schweikert said. “Our defense sees our passing game every day in practice, so they were up for it.”
Leading 13-7 three minutes into the third quarter, the Bulldogs had the Wildcats right where they wanted them after a sack and a incomplete pass forced the Wildcats into a third and 17 from their own 26-yard line. But Columbia Falls quarterback Jared Trinastich moved the chains by finding Dyllon Parker deep for a 41-yard gain. A holding penalty and a 3-yard loss on a screen pass backed the Wildcats up to their own 47, before Trinastich hit Trevor Houston with a 14-yard pass bring Columbia Falls back into Bulldog territory. Then Trinastich and Parker connected on another deep ball, a 37-yard strike that was spotted at the Whitefish 2. One play later, Wildcat quarterback Ty Morgan found the end zone on a keeper and Alex Presnell kicked the extra point to give Columbia Falls a 14-13 lead.
Whitefish’s ensuing possession ended with a fumble and the Columbia Falls defense buckled down in the fourth quarter, holding the Bulldogs to 46 yards and no scores on two possessions.
Whitefish had some momentum early in the third quarter after running back Shane Marcial scored on a 6-yard run to finish off a 28-yard drive, but Nathan Boone missed the extra point and Whitefish couldn’t come up with a game-winning drive after the Wildcats answered.
“We made some adjustments in the third quarter that were working, but I give Columbia Falls a lot of credit,” Whitefish coach Chad Ross said. “They could’ve been down but they just kept coming back.”
Columbia Falls had lost three of its previous four games, but Schweikert said his team was beginning to grasp his offense in practice and it was only a matter of time before it showed during a game.
“I feel like we were ready to turn the corner,” Schweikert said. “We’re so much better than we were at the beginning of the year.”
Osborne said the young Wildcats are beginning to come into their own.
“We’ve been waiting to start rolling,” he said. “Today was the first time we really played like a team.”
Trinastich completed 16 of 26 passes for 158 yards while Zach Darling led the Columbia Falls ground game with 77 yards on 25 carries.
Whitefish’s Logan Harwood had a game-high nine receptions for 139 yards.
Both teams are at home on Friday as Columbia Falls hosts Frenchtown and Whitefish hosts Belgrade.
Columbia Falls 0 7 7 0 — 14
Whitefish 7 0 6 0 — 13
Whitefish — Shane Marcial 1 run (Nathan Boone kick)
Columbia Falls — Zach Darling 2 run (Alex Presnell kick)
Whitefish — Marcial 6 run (kick failed)
Columbia Falls — Ty Morgan 2 run (Presnell kick)