Wildcats edge rival Bulldogs

The game had all the promise of a shootout between cross-valley rivals, but it boiled down to defense and special teams play as the Columbia Falls football team edged Whitefish 14-13 in an away game Oct. 6.

The Wildcats special teams and defense played fantastic. Trevor Houston had two blocked kicks that ended up being the difference in the game. At the end of of the first half, he blocked a Whitefish field goal attempt. He also blocked a point-after attempt. Both blocks ended up securing the win for the Cats.

“We had worked pretty hard on (blocking kicks) that week in practice,” coach Jackson Schweikert said. “It paid off.”

The Cats were down 7-0 in the first quarter when Zach Darling scored on an option play at the 9:20 mark. The Cats made the extra point to tie it.

Just before the half ended, Whitefish had another opportunity for a field goal from about 30 yards out, but Houston blocked that, too, as time expired in the first half. Whitefish responded with another touchdown in the third, but Houston blocked the point-after attempt.

In the third quarter, Ty Morgan ran in from two yards out at the 5:34 mark to make it 13-13. Morgan’s run was set up by a 70-yard reception by Dyllon Parker. Alex Presnell hit the extra point, even after a procedure penalty backed the kick up another five yards.

The game went back and fourth in the fourth. The Cats drove down to the Bulldog 20 yard line but couldn’t score.

With 2:30 left in the game, Whitefish got the ball back, but the Cats defense held the Dogs to a four-and-out, and the Cats took over on downs. From there, Whitefish was out of timeouts, and Columbia Falls ran out the clock.

“The big thing is we played fast defensively,” Schweikert said. “We were also able to get the run going.”

Zach Darling ran for more than 100 yards, and the team had more than 350 yards offense.

The Cats now face Frenchtown at home Friday. Schweikert said the Broncs run the double dive play well, and the Cats will have to find a way to stop it.

“We’ve got to find a way to stop that play,” Schweikert said.

The Broncs also have a solid defense in a 4-2-5 set.

“We’ve got to be disciplined on offense,” he said.

Columbia Falls 0 7 7 0 - 14

Whitefish 7 0 6 0 - 13

W - Shane Marcial 1 run (Nathan Boone kick)

CF - Zach Darling 2 run (Alex Presnell kick)

W - Marcial 6 run (kick failed)

CF - Ty Morgan 2 run (Presnell kick)