FOOTBALL: Big second quarter sparks Columbia Falls romp

COLUMBIA FALLS — After a slow first quarter, Columbia Falls found the gas pedal for its potent offense, blowing out Corvallis in a 48-14 nonconference football game on Friday night at Satterthwaite Field.

Held scoreless in the first quarter, the Wildcats (1-0) roared to life early in the second when senior quarterback Dakota Bridwell found Sean Miller on an underneath route, Miller juking a pair of defenders for a 22-yard touchdown.

The Columbia Falls defense struck on the next play, forcing and recovering a fumble to put its offense immediately back in the red zone. It capitalized two plays later on a pass from Bridwell to Trevor Hoerner, who scored his first of three touchdowns after leaping over a diving defender and strolling 18 yards into the end zone.

Miller made his second big catch of the game on the next play from scrimmage, intercepting a pass from Corvallis’ Ridge Albright to get another quick turnaround for the Wildcat offense. Braxton Reiten then scored on a 55-yard pass from Bridwell over two defenders to put the Wildcats up 20-0 with three touchdowns in 60 seconds of game time.

“We started out a little slow with penalties and dropped balls,” Wildcats coach Jackson Schweikert said.

“Then we got in the flow of the game, executed really well and scored quickly in that second quarter.

“Our jailbreak screens and solid screens were really good. That has a lot to do with our offensive line coming out and picking up people and out receivers did a great job.”

Columbia Falls piled on for the rest of the quarter, Reiten scoring on a receiver screen on the next possession and Hoerner weaved around two defenders to stretch the score to 34-0.

Corvallis caught fire just before half, catching the Wildcats sleeping on speedy receiver Cole Wohltman, who got behind the defense for a 78-yard touchdown with 42 seconds left.

However, Columbia Falls deflated any thoughts of a comeback on the ensuing kickoff when Reiten got to the left sideline and streaked 80 yards for a touchdown and a 41-6 halftime lead.

Hoerner added one last Wildcats’ score on the first possession of the second half, dragging a defender the final three yards into the end zone on a 35-yard haul.

Columbia Falls played with its backups for the remainder of the game.

“We have a good team,” Bridwell said. “I knew we’d come out and look good.

“(The receivers) looked really good today for sure.”

Columbia Falls finished with 354 yards of total offense. Bridwell was 27 of 42 passing for 261 yards and a school-record seven touchdowns in the win. Reiten had six catches for 99 yards. Hoerner had four catches for 62 yards, catching touchdowns on three of them.

“We have a bunch of returning people and good chemistry, the team played awesome,” Hoerner said.

“We pulled it together and started playing like we practice.”

The Wildcats will continue their jaunt through the Southwestern Conference next week with a home game against Stevensville (1-0). The Yellowjackets won their first game by forfeit over Livingston.

Corvallis 0 6 0 8 — 12

C. Falls 0 41 7 0 — 48

CF—Sean Miller 22 pass from Dakota Bridwell (kick failed)

CF—Trevor Hoerner 18 pass from Bridwell (Brandon Karberg kick)

CF—Braxton Reiten 55 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick)

CF—Reiten 14 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick)

CF—Hoerner 8 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick)

C—Cole Wohltman 78 pass from Ridge Albright (conversion failed)

CF—Reiten 80 kickoff return (Karberg kick)

CF—Hoerner 35 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick)

C—Wohltman 22 pass from Albright (Liang Liedle run)