FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: Columbia Falls flies past Belgrade, into Class A title game

BELGRADE — Columbia Falls continued its barrage on opposing defenses, connecting on four touchdowns of at least 43 yards in a 38-7 blowout of Belgrade in the Class A football semifnials on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats wasted little time as Dakota Bridwell found Braxton Reiten for a 57-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the game. The next time they got the ball, Bridwell found Trey Gates for a 76-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into play.

Belgrade scored on a long run from Trey Mounts in the second quarter, but Columbia Falls answered on its next drive, Bridwell finding Reiten for a 43-yard touchdown. Tacking on a field goal late in the quarter, the Wildcats led 24-7 at half.

Bridwell found Miller for a 61-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to put the game out of reach and capped the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Reiten in the fourth quarter.

Bridwell was 13 for 38 for 360 yards passing to go with five touchdowns in the victory. Miller had two catches for 118 yards and Reiten five catches for 108 yards and three touchdowns.

Columbia Falls will host the Class A state championship game at Satterthwaite Field next week in a rematch with Dillon, which beat Billings Central 33-14 on Friday night. Columbia Falls beat Dillon 28-21 at home in September.

Columbia Falls 14 10 7 7 — 38

Belgrade 0 7 0 0 — 7

CF – Braxton Reiten 57 pass from Dakota Bridwell (Brandon Karberg kick)

CF – Trey Gates 76 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick),

Bel – Trey Mounts 13 run (John Mears kick)

CF – Reiten 43 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick)

CF – Karberg 20 FG

CF – Sean Miller 61 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick), 7—18

CF – Reiten 17 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick), 9—14

Friday Night’s Semifinal

At Billings Central

Dillon 33, Billings Central 14

Dillon 7 0 14 12 — 33

Central 0 0 0 14 — 14

D— Troy Andersen 6 run (Todd Nordahl kick)

D— Andersen 14 run (Nordahl kick)

D— Andersen 4 run (Nordahl kick)

BC— Ben Voss 18 pass from Jet Campbell (Josh Kraft kick)

D— Andersen 60 run (kick failed)

D— Jamey Richardson 45 fumble return (kick failed)

BC— Chrishon Dixon 63 pass from Campbell (Kraft kick)

Class C 6-Man

Saturday’s Semifinals

Westby-Grenora 0 12 0 7 — 19

Bridger 14 0 8 8 — 30

WG— Jeff Whitlow 1 run (pass failed)

WG— Kade Guenther 29 pas from Jeremiah Paine (Paine kick)

B— Colby Zentner 8 pass from Russel Zentner (pass failed)

B— Ryan Zentner 60 pass from Colter Zentner (kick failed)

WG— Brian Field 2 run (Paine kick)

B— Colter Zentner 5 run (pass good)

WG— Field 14 fumble recover (Paine kick)

Valier 16 20 8 14 — 58

Hot Springs 8 0 0 0 — 8

HS— Trevor Paro 11 run (Marco Degel kick)

V— Colton Wheeler 60 kickoff return (RJ Weickum kick)

HS— Paro 42 run (Degel kick)

HS— Kane Lawson 18 pass from Paro (kick failed)

HS— Sean Shea 27 pass from Degel (kick failed)

HS— Shea 15 pass from Degel (Degel kick)

HS— Paro 39 run (Degel kick)

HS— Paro 1 run (James Detienne pass from Degel)

HS— Lawson 21 fumble return (Luke Waterbury run)

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