Class A football playoffs: Hamilton knocks off Columbia Falls

COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls’ potent offense stalled in the Hamilton red zone four times in the second half, leaving the door open for the Broncs to win 27-21 in an opening round Class A football playoff game on Saturday at Satterthwaite Field.

Trailing 20-14 at half, the Wildcats looked to take the momentum early in the third quarter with Trevor Houston intercepting a Hamilton pass deep in the Broncs end of the field. Houston hauled in passes of eight and 27 yards on the next two plays to move the Wildcats to the Hamilton 2-yard line.

Then the offense stalled. Three straight runs out of the Wildcat formation were stopped and a fourth down passing attempt knocked away.

After Houston intercepted a pass on the next drive, the same results. Two runs from the 3-yard line were stopped and a pass knocked away before a 34-yard field goal attempt went wide left.

Hamilton scored on its next possession to take a two-score lead at 27-14, enough to eventually ride out the win.

Columbia Falls stalled on its next trip to the red zone, a pass batted away in the end zone on fourth-and-four from the Hamilton 14-yard line. The Wildcats were intercepted deep in Hamilton territory on their next drive before scoring on an 8-yard pass from Dakota Bridwell to Sean Hoerner with 1:34 to play.

An onside kick attempt never traveled the 10 yards needed to recover and Hamilton kneeled out the game.

“Usually we’re really good in the red zone,” Columbia Falls coach Jaxon Schweikert said. “This is the first time in a long time we weren’t good in the red zone. For whatever reason, we just didn’t quite execute. We usually get that done.

“I knew the kids would settle down and play better in the second half and they did,” Schweikert said. “We just shot ourselves in the foot in the red zone and you can’t do that.”

The Wildcats offense seemed to be unstoppable in the first half, scoring on its first two drives. Even with a touchdown pass called back on its first drive, Columbia Falls drove 65 yards for a score, capped by a 1-yard run from Ike Schweikert. Stephen Lindsey scored from 32 yards out on the next drive, slipping through three tackles on his way to pay dirt to give the Wildcats a 14-6 lead.

But, it was a Hamilton offense that continually found extra chances that won the game.

The Broncs converted a pair of third-down conversions on its first drive, scoring a touchdown on the second from 5 yards out. Hamilton completed six third- or fourth-down conversions in the first half and three more in the second half. The Broncs were 9 for 15 on third downs in the contest and 2 for 4 on fourth down.

With that ability to gain yards, especially from running back Alex Draper and quarterback Bret Huxtable, the Broncs scored touchdowns on three of their four first-half drives, missing a field goal on the only other drive.

“(Draper) is as good a running back there is,” coach Schweikert said. “We put some licks on him and he kept fighting.”

Columbia Falls outgained Hamilton 392-248 and had 268 yards passing from Bridwell. Hamilton finished with 169 rushing yards, including 101 in the second half.

The Wildcats finished the season 7-2. Hamilton advances to play at Billings Central, the Eastern A champion, next week in Billings.

Hamilton    6    14    7    0    —    27

Columbia Falls    7    7    0    7    —    21

First quarter

H — Bridger Bauder 5 run (kick blocked),

CF — Ike Schweikert 1 run (Trevor Hoerner kick)

Second quarter

H — Bret Huxtable 16 run (Karill Apedaile)

CF — Stephen Lindsey 32 run (Hoerner kick)

H — Ty Bert 18 pass from Huxtable (Apedaile kick)

Third quarter

H — Huxtable 13 run (Apedaile kick)

Fourth quarter

CF — Sean Hoerner 8 pass from Dakota Bridwell (Hoerner kick)