Wildcats fly past Libby in Northwest A clash

COLUMBIA FALLS — The battle of philosophies didn’t turn out as tight this time.

Isaiah Roth scored three touchdowns, Cody Schweikert threw for two and the wide-open Columbia Falls Wildcats took a surprising 48-0 football win over run-first Libby Friday night.

The Loggers were looking to go 2-0 in Northwest A games by knocking off the Wildcats — conceivable, since Columbia Falls took a 35-33 decision a year ago.

But with Ryder Davis only able to play one series at quarterback because of a bad ankle, and a few linemen out, the Loggers were bogged down early and often.

Three of their first four series were three-and-out; on the other hand, Schweikert, playing middle linebacker, picked off a pass by Trevor Collins to set the Cats up first-and-goal at the 6-yard line.

They capitalized with a 3-run outside run from Roth to go 14-0, and the rout was on.

“They’re huge up front and we’re not very big,” Columbia Falls coach Jaxon Schweikert said of the Loggers. “We worked hard on their run game and knew we were going to have to bring it at them.

“Our linebackers, Rowdy (White) and Cody inside, were loaded up and our D-line was loaded up. We brought the wood to them. That kind of set the tone.”

The Wildcats led 7-0 when Schweikert hooked up with Mark Robison on a 31-yard bubble screen; the gap grew to 21-0 when Roth fielded a short punt, cut toward the Libby sideline and danced 42 tackle-breaking yards to paydirt.

The Wildcats’ next two possessions saw touchdowns get called back by penalty. Kai Golan went 1-for-2 on field goals to make it 24-0.

Libby, which managed 43 yards of offense, didn’t spend any time in Wildcat territory the first half. Columbia Falls almost didn’t either, getting short fields all night until a drive that started at its own 10 with 2:58 left in the first half.

Schweikert completed passes of 31 yards to Cade Morgan, 21 to Mason Peters and 27 to Morgan again to set up Roth’s second rushing TD from 1 yard out.

It was 31-0, and then disaster: Libby bobbled the exchange on its next snap and Zane McCallum recovered for the Cats.

On the next play, Peters took a pitch and lofted an 18-yard option pass to Jace Duval.

Columbia Falls took a 38-0 lead into halftime, setting off the running clock. It got to 45-0 early in the second half when Duval ran out an out-and-up and hauled in a Schweikert pass for a 65-yard score.

“We run that quite a bit,” Roth, who ran for 52 yards, said. “The pitch-pass was a first. The pump-and-go, we run often.”

“We practice those every day,” said Cody Schweikert, a sophomore who threw for 246 yards on 11-for-18 passing. “Jace Duvall — he’s a really fast kid, really good in the 100 meters. We always think our receivers are the best in the state, so they all can get open.”

Morgan had six catches for 123 yards for the Wildcats, who rolled up 342 yards of offense.

Libby brought the wood at times with Jace DeShazer and Cy Stevenson, and Stevenson had some noise tackles. The Loggers defenders were on the field a ton, though.

“We kept softening them up,” Jaxon Schweikert said. “We kept attacking them inside until they got tighter and tighter in the box, and then we’d use Isaiah’s speed to bounce it outside. And our receivers did a tremendous job blocking their outside backers.”

Columbia Falls is idle next week, then plays at Polson on Oct. 1.

Libby 0 0 0 0 - 0

Col. Falls 24 14 7 3 - 48

CF — Mark Robison 31 pass from Cody Schweikert (Golan kick)

CF — Isaiah Roth 2 run (Golan kick)

CF — Roth 42 punt return (Golan kick)

CF — Golan 25 FG

CF — Roth 1 run (Golan kick)

CF — Jace Duval 18 pass from Mason Peters (Golan kick)

CF — Duval 65 pass from Schweikert (Golan kick)

CF — Golan 31 FG