Prep football playoffs: C-Falls on the road again; another home contest for Eureka
Like the Willie Nelson song, the Columbia Falls Wildcats (9-1) are rolling out of town again this weekend on another football playoff quest.
After their victorious odyssey across the eastern plains to defeat Sidney 35-20 last Saturday, they only had cross the divide to Belgrade to face the Panthers (7-2) for today’s Class A semifinal clash.
The Wildcats traveled to Butte late Thursday night, practiced at Montana Tech Friday, and stayed in Bozeman last night to rest up for today’s 1 p.m. kickoff.
“Our kids are very confident right now,” Columbia Falls head coach Jackson Schweikert said of his road warriors. “But they’re not cocky. They have worked really hard for four years, they’ve done everything we’ve asked them to. It’s great for them to see it paying off.”
According to Schweikert, Belgrade is a very physical run team with lots of guys that will “pack the rock.”
“They will run the ball over, and over, and over, and over,” he said, as they have done to the tune of 250 yards per game or more this season.
The Panthers, however, will have to rely on a new quarterback after starter Zach Spady broke his collarbone in the first half of a 38-35 win over Hamilton last Saturday. Junior fullback Jemal Williams, who finished the game, is expected to start and call his own number often in their run-heavy scheme.
“He’s big, strong and elusive,” Schweikert said. “He’s a quarterback who does everything.”
The other half of the Panther ground game is senior Hayden Van Winkle, who’s run for over 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.
“We’ve played a lot of running quarterbacks and physical backs this year,” Schweikert said, referring to Hamilton, Polson and Dillon. “We’ve been there, done that on defense. It’s going to be a matter of doing what we know how to do.”
On the offensive side of the ball, the Wildcats are “clicking at a high level” behind the arm of senior Dakota Bridwell, who has slung the ball for more than 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns this season in their freewheeling spread offense. Sixty-one of Bridwell’s 204 completions have been to senior wideout Braxton Reiten, 19 of those for scores.
Schweikert said the effectiveness of the Wildcat passing game has allowed the ground game to open up as the season has progressed, forcing defenses to stay honest against the run. The balancing act has proven successful. Junior Seth Gossett and senior Wyatt Green have together amassed more than 600 yards and six scores, and bruising junior back Logan Kolodejchuk had five touchdowns on the season before an injury sidelined him.
As for the traveling, the team is enjoying the extra time together on the road, a bonus for extending their dominant 2016 campaign well into November.
“These kids are really close and tight-knit. It’s a family,” said Schweikert. “They’ve been playing together for years. They have great sportsmanship, and have represented the community with class and pride. And we’re going to see a clean, hard-hitting game.”
And, should the Wildcats win in unfriendly territory again, it will be home sweet home for the Class A state championship next Saturday to face the winner of Billings Central (8-2) and Dillon (8-1).
Eureka vs. Whitehall
The matchup of Eureka’s punishing running attack and upstart Whitehall’s aerial circus promises to be an offensive showcase when they square off at 1 p.m. today in Eureka in the Class B semifinals.
But, given that the Lions (9-1) have allowed only 8.9 points per game and the Trojans (10-1) have given up only 11.7, it could come down to which defense blinks first.
“It’s going to be a great game,” Eureka head coach Trevor Utter said. “We’re really rolling right now. We’re seeing the results of hard work and the team believes they belong here.”
Coming off a 43-8 home thumping of Shelby last week that avenged the Lions’ only loss of the season, the squad — with 11 seniors — is playing with a high level of confidence. Not only is this Eureka’s first Class B semifinal appearance since 2008, it is the first to be played at home since 1990, long before any of the current Lions were around.
As far as the opponent, Whitehall is as good as the stat sheet says, according to Utter.
Trojan senior quarterback Braden Larsen has thrown for more than 3,000 yards this season, racking up 37 touchdowns with only nine picks. Not only that, he is also their leading rusher, rolling up 793 yards and 10 scores.
“He’s the best Class B quarterback in the state,” Utter said.
“He’s a leader, super athletic, fast and shifty, a dual threat in their spread offense. And he has good receivers that can get the ball. We’ve definitely been working on our coverages this week.”
Larsen’s runs, he added, are often the result of him scrambling and finding open space to slip through.
“Our defense has been solid all year, though,” Utter added. “We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Offensively, expect the Lions to do what’s worked for them all year — trusting their powerful O-line to plow open lanes for senior running backs Cannan Smith and Matt Anderson and junior quarterback Garrett Graves.
“It’s no secret we’re going to run the ball,” Utter said. “The offensive line has been dominating our opponents.”
If the Lions can control the tempo and wear them down and force the Trojans to stack the box, Utter expects the play-action game to be effective. However it shakes down, he expects a tough game from start to finish.
“This has been exciting for the school and community and everyone,” he said.
“No one wants it to end. Especially these seniors.”
The Eureka/Whitehall winner will advance to the Class B championship against the winner of Loyola Sacred Heart (10-0) and Fairfield (10-0).