Class A football: C-Falls makes short work of Cowboys

COLUMBIA FALLS — One year after a 21-20 loss to these same Miles City Cowboys on this same field, the Columbia Falls Wildcats came out ruthless Saturday.

Ruthlessly efficient.

Junior quarterback Cody Schweikert ran for three touchdowns, threw for two and had just three incompletions in the Wildcats’ 48-0 win, in a State A first-round playoff game. Columbia Falls outgained Miles City, 451 yards to 126.

Last year the Wildcats lost five second-half fumbles. This year they had seven possessions, and scored on all seven. They’ll take a 7-2 record into a quarterfinal game at unbeaten Lewistown next weekend.

“We just came out hot,” said Schweikert, who threw for 249 yards (on 20 of 23 passing) and ran for another 87. “We knew last year we let a lot of seniors down. We just came out hot and … our seniors stepped up to make sure what happened last year didn’t happen again.”

It was, in a literal sense, quick work. Columbia Falls took the opening kickoff and marched 53 yards in seven plays.

Schweikert called his own number three times, starting with a 13-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. One play after Alihn Anderson trucked a Cowboy on a 9-yard reverse, Schweikert’s 6-yard run gave the Wildcats a 6-0 lead at 8:46 of the first quarter. It turned out to be all the points they needed.

Miles City (5-5) responded with a march of its own, with Charlie Lang completing passes covering 21 and 14 yards. But from the Wildcat 24-yard line he threw down the seam and Wildcat Anderson, playing corner, made an end zone interception.

Columbia Falls then marched 80 yards in 10 plays — Schweikert hit Justin Windauer for 22 yards and ran five times for 30, including a 2-yard TD — and that was pretty much that.

“Our big thing in the game, both offensively and defensively, is we wanted to win first down,” said Jaxon Schweikert, Cody’s dad and the Wildcats’ head coach. “That was a big part of the game plan. We had to be super efficient. We didn’t want to be in second-and-long, third-and-long. We felt like everything was at our disposal if we could win first down. And we did, all day long.”

The Cowboys punted on their next two possessions and Columbia Falls cashed in: First with a 25-yard TD pass to Windauer, then with a 2-yard scoring run from Schweikert with 1:00 left in the half. It was 27-0 at intermission.

The second half was more of the same. Columbia Falls sniffed out the Cowboys’ screen plays, bottled up sophomore running back Andy Bundy and got a second Anderson interception at 11:12 of the fourth quarter. Cody Schweikert hit Jace Hill with a 33-yard TD pass on the next play.

“Just doing what I was taught; what the coaches want you to do,” Anderson said. “We kind of knew what to look for.”

“We wanted to show them we were physical,” Jaxon Schweikert said. “Week-in and week-out we’re dealing with spread offenses that throw the ball all over. Our corners have gone against some of the best in the state, so we got right in their mug and pressed them man-to-man. Alihn and Ty Gilfry were just lights out all day.”

There was a bit of a revenge factor for Anderson, a junior.

“Me personally, it kind of was,” he said. “Because I went out with a concussion that (2021) game. I just figured to leave it on the field today, remembering what they took from us last year.”

Windauer scored a second TD on an end-around late in the third quarter for the Wildcats. Reggie Sapa took over at QB late and scored on a 17-yard run with 1:58 left.

About the only blemish was place-kicker Kai Golan getting all tee on two PATs (his best moments came later Saturday). Windauer had nine catches for 100 yards. Sapa picked up 53 yards on seven carries. Cody Schweikert was efficient

“In my eyes he’s the best quarterback in the state,” Anderson said. “He can throw it, he can run it. Six-foot-4, 225, as a junior. That’s pretty legit. I like it.”

Miles City 0 0 0 0 - 0

Columbia Falls 14 13 7 14 - 48

CF — Cody Schweikert 6 run (kick failed), 8:46-1Q

CF — Schweikert 1 run (Jace Hill pass from Schweikert), 1:27-1Q

CF — Justin Windauer 25 pass from Schweikert (kick failed), 8:07-2Q

CF — Schweikert 1 run (Kai Golan kick), 1:00-2Q

CF — Justin Windauer 5 run (Golan kick), :57-3Q

CF — HIll 33 pass from Schweikert (Mark Robison kick), 11:04-4Q

CF — Reggie Sapa 17 run (Robinson kick), 1:58-4Q

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Miles City — Deegan Tvedt 8-40, Andy Bundy 10-28, Charlie Lang 13-15, Jackson Whicker 1-minus 2. Columbia Falls — Schweikert 16-87, Sapa 7-53, Tyler Gilfrey 5-24, Blaise Wunderlich 2-18, Align Anderson 1-9, Branden Torpen 2-6, Windauer 1-5, Robison 1-0.

PASSING: Miles City — Lang 6-16-2 for 45 yards. Columbia Falls — Schweikert 20-23-0 for 249 yards.

RECEIVING: Miles City — Bundy 3-23, Whicker 3-22. Columbia Falls — Windauer 9-100, Sapa 4-43, Robison 3-39, Hill 1-33, Gilfry 1-21, Anderson 2-13, Jace Duval 0-0.