Columbia Falls downs Whitefish 42-0 in playoffs

Columbia Falls quarterback Cody Schweikert (9) picks up yardage on a run in the second quarter against Whitefish at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls linebacker Chance Miller (15) strips the ball from Whitefish quarterback Carson Gulick (2) on a run in the third quarter at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls wide receiver Mark Robison is brought down by Whitefish defensive back Carson Gulick (2) in the first quarter at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls defenders put a stop to a run by Whitefish's Cole Moses in the first quarter at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls running back Alihn Anderson (13) picks up yardage on a run in the first quarter against Whitefish at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Whitefish quarterback Carson Gulick (2) drops back to pass in the third quarter against Columbia Falls at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Whitefish wide receiver Mason Kelch (10) picks up yardage on a reception in the third quarter against Columbia Falls at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Whitefish wide receiver Dane Hunt (4) looks for running room after a reception in the third quarter against Columbia Falls at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls wide receiver Jace Hill (14) picks up yardage after a reception in the first quarter against Whitefish at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls quarterback Cody Schweikert runs for a touchdown in the second quarter against Whitefish at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls wide receiver Mark Robison (3) scores a touchdown on a reception in the first quarter against Whitefish at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by FRITZ NEIGHBOR
Daily Inter Lake | October 28, 2023 1:55 PM

COLUMBIA FALLS — Whitefish’s 20-14 overtime win over neighboring rival Columbia Falls in September gave the Bulldogs a big boost in reaching the State A football playoffs.

Their reward was a 15-minute drive to face a motivated Columbia Falls squad for a first-round rematch. Cody Schweikert threw for two touchdowns and ran for three, and the host Wildcats rolled 42-0 on a chilly Friday night.

A stout defense did part of the work and the Wildcats’ possession passing game, with the 6-foot-4 Schweikert at the controls, did the rest. They scored on their first two possessions — sandwiched around a Whitefish three-and-out — to lead 14-0 and stayed in command.

“We knew if we executed it was going to be a good game,” said Schweikert, who completed 18 of 20 passes for 216 yards. “Luckily we got some points on the board early. Then we had all the momentum, all the fire — and we had anger.

“We didn’t care how cold it was. We knew it was going to be a good defensive game, and the offense just killed it.”

The first two possessions ate up almost 12 minutes of clock, and by halftime it was 21-0.

“Our linebackers and D-line played outstanding tonight,” said defensive tackle Lane Voermans, who forced a late fumble. “I think they only got one or two first downs the whole first half.”

Whitefish committed the first of its two turnovers on the second play of the second half: Carson Gulick fired a pass that Chance Miller appeared to deflect before Schweikert — who played a ton of snaps at middle linebacker — intercepted at the Whitefish 33.

Two plays later Schweikert found Jace Hill at the end of a double move for a 22-yard touchdown and a 28-0 lead at 10:40 of the third quarter.

“We hit them with the short game and finally took a shot, and got it,” the senior quarterback said.

A series of screen passes provided most of the Wildcats’ 338 yards of offense. Mark Robison took one 19 yards to put them up 7-0 at 7:03 of the first quarter.

Schweikert also tore off a tackle-breaking, 15-yard touchdown run for the 14-0 lead at 10:35 of the second. Resembling a throw-back single-wing QB, he piled up 76 rushing yards.

“A lot of those runs are just right over my middle three guys,” Columbia Falls offensive line coach Kelly Houle said. “(Left guard) Tristan Crane, my center Carson Reid and Lane Voermans. We just step our tackles out and push.”

Crane and left tackle Hunter Goodman have started since they were sophomores.

“We just tried to get (Whitefish) into the defensive boxes we want and my offensive linemen, they’re just students of the game,” Houle said. “Our game plan changes from game to game and they adjust well to what we want to do. I’m really proud of them.”

It was Voermansr who finally got to the slippery Gulick in the fourth quarter, getting a strip sack. Goodman recovered.

Gulick, a junior, had a couple nice scrambling throws and Mason Kelch had nine catches. But penalties and negative plays had the Bulldogs behind the chains all game.

“We did a fair amount of things to hurt ourselves tonight,” Whitefish coach Brett Bollweg said. “I’m proud of the seniors and grateful for all the work they’ve put into the program.

“Hats off to Columbia Falls. They played a great game and they were the better team tonight.”

The 7-2 Wildcats’ reward is a 7-hour drive to play 9-0 Billings Central in the quarterfinals. They’ll take a confident, scrappy team on the road — exemplified by Robison, perhaps generously listed at 5-9. He had all nine of his catches (for 85 yards) in the first half.

“Absolute competitor,” Schweikert said. “He probably loves football more than anything. Not the biggest guy and not the strongest but he plays with heart and plays as hard as he can.”

Whitefish 0 0 0 0 - 0

Col. Falls 7 14 14 7 - 42

CF — Mark Robison 19 pass from Cody Schweikert (Kai Golan kick), 7:03-1Q

CF — Schweikert 15 run (Golan kick), 10:35-2Q

CF — Schweikert 2 run (Golan kick), 2:33-2Q

CF — Jace Hill 22 pass from Schweikert (Golan kick), 10:40-3Q

CF — Schweikert 2 run (Golan kick), 4:16-3Q

CF — Banyan Johnston 3 run (Golan kick), 6:03-4Q

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Whitefish (10-6) — Carson Gulick 7-13, Dan Hunt 2-0, Team 1-minus 7. Columbia Falls (32-122) — Schweikert 15-76, Banyan Johnston 9-27, Alihn Anderson 8-19.

PASSING: Whitefish — Gulick 12-26-1 for 130 yards. Raymond Zonich 4-5-0 for 14 yards. Columbia Falls — Schweikert 18-20-0 for 216 yards.

RECEIVING: Whitefish — Mason Kelch 9-85, Carson Krack 2-28, Hunt 3-21, CJ Thew 2-6, Carson Eisenbarth 1-4. Columbia Falls — Robison 8-79, Anderson 3-54, Lane Hoerner 3-37, Hill 3-35, Chance Miller 1-11.

EDITORS NOTE: The name of a Columbia Falls' two-way lineman has been corrected to Lane Voermans.

Friday's Scores

Class AA

Billings West 28, Missoula Big Sky 10

Butte 42, Billings Senior 29

Helena 48, Billings Skyview 14

Missoula Sentinel 28, Great Falls 7

Class A

Columbia Falls 42, Whitefish 0

Hamilton 34, Bigfork 21

Havre 38, Lockwood 0

Laurel 35, Glendive 7

6-Man

Harlowton 59, Bridger 14

Columbia Falls defenders put a stop to a run by Whitefish's Cole Moses in the first quarter at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Whitefish quarterback Carson Gulick (2) drops back to pass in the third quarter against Columbia Falls at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls quarterback Cody Schweikert runs for a touchdown in the second quarter against Whitefish at Satterthwaite Field on Friday, Oct. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider