Wildcats roar into state title game

SIDNEY — The Columbia Falls defense came up big, silencing Sidney in a 17-0 victory in the Class A football semifinals on Saturday to earn a chance to host the state championship game for a second straight season.

The Wildcats got on the board early in the first quarter on a 32-yard touchdown run from Colton McPhee and the defense did the rest.

Columbia Falls held Sidney to 108 total yards and just 30 yards in the second half. The Wildcats stifled every long Sidney drive and blocked a short field goal attempt to keep a clean sheet.

Auguste Emond tacked on a field goal in the third quarter and Austin Green found Drew Morgan for a 32-yard touchdown pass at the start of the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.

The Wildcats will host Hamilton in the state title game, looking for their first ever state football championship. Columbia Falls beat Hamilton 23-20 in the first week of the season.

Columbia Falls 7 0 3 7 — 17

Sidney 0 0 0 0 — 0

First Quarter

CF — Colton McPhee 32 run (Auguste Emond kick)

Third Quarter

CF — Emond field goal

Fourth Quarter

CF — Drew Morgan 32 pass from Austin Green (Emond kick)

Billings Central 7 21 0 0 — 28

Hamilton 7 14 7 7 — 35

First quarter

H — Bridger Bauder 8 run (Bauder kick), 11:36

BC — Chrishon Dixon 40 pass from Joe Byorth (Camden Capser kick), 5:14

Second quarter

BC — Dixon 29 pass from Byorth (Capser kick), 11:53

H — Camron Rothie 60 pass from Carson Rostad (Bauder kick), 10:53

BC — Ben Voss 12 run (Capser kick), 8:26

H — Rostad 1 run (Bauder kick), 6:47

BC — Charlie Parkan 10 pass from Byorth (Capser kick), :11

Third quarter

H — Bauder 6 run (Bauder kick), 1:28

Fourth quarter

H — Rothie 25 pass from Rostad (Bauder kick), 3:04