Wildcats crush Bulldogs, 21-0

It was a good old-fashioned beat down. Columbia Falls hammered rival Whitefish 21-0 in their homecoming football game at Satterthwaite Field on Sept. 27.

The Cats, who have been showcasing an aerial attack the past couple of weeks, utilized a ground attack to grind the Dogs down.

Columbia Falls rushed for 187 yards — most of those yards from senior Zach Darling, who had 107 yards on the ground. Columbia Falls quarterback Jared Trinastich was 7-for-18 for only 84 passing yards, but the passes he threw came up big for the Cats.

In first quarter, Trinastich hit Ty Morgan on a 34-yard strike to put the Cats up 6-0. With 2:47 left in the half, he connected with Josiah Osborne on a 45-yard touchdown play.

Osborne bounced off tacklers and hammered his way into the end zone and the Cats were up 14-0 at the break.

In the second half, Trinastich hit Osborne again from six yards out to make it 21-0. That play was set up by a 28-yard run by Darling.

Alex Presnell made all of his extra-point kicks.

The Cats defense had a stellar game, never allowing Whitefish in the red zone. They hounded Bulldog quarterback Luke May — sacking him several times and causing two interceptions. The Bulldogs’ most successful play from scrimmage was a fake punt, but while it gave them a first down, the Cats quashed them after that. Whitefish had 94 yards total rushing and 75 yards passing.

“We did exactly what we thought we could do,” coach Jackson Schweikert said. “We came downhill at them. It was our game plan to be real physical.”

Schweikert had kudos for the Cat defense.

“Our defense has been spectacular,” he said. “We can get pressure without the blitz. We’re disciplined and we’re fast.”

The Cats are now 5-0, a record they haven’t matched since the 1970s. They’re also ranked No. 2 in state Class A polls.

Columbia Falls has a bye week this week and then faces Frenchtown on the road Oct. 11 as they continue their conference schedule. The Broncs are 1-3 and lost to Polson last week, 32-22.

Whitefish 0 0 0 0 – 0

Col. Falls 7 7 7 0 – 21

CF –Ty Morgan 34 pass from Jared Trinastich (Alex Presnell kick)

CF – Josiah Osborne 42 run (Presnell kick)

CF – Osborne 6 pass from Trinastich (Presnell kick)