Loggers roll over Cats, 41-21

By JOE SOVA — Hungry Horse News

Libby's one-two punch of Jeremy Chumley and Joel Fuller was too much for Columbia Falls' defense to handle in the Wildcats' rainy Homecoming game on Friday night as the Loggers posted a 41-21 Northwestern A Conference victory.

While the Loggers go to 2-0 in the conference, the Cats fall to 1-1. CFHS hosts Polson in another league game Friday (Oct. 5) at 7 p.m.

Chumley, a stout 5-foot-8, 205-pound senior, and junior Fuller combined for 354 yards rushing. Chumley was a workhorse, carrying the ball 33 times for 196 yards. He caught five passes from Fuller for another 77 yards. Fuller had 18 carries for 158 yards as the Loggers ran out of a shotgun set that troubled the Cats all night long.

"They did a nice job coming off the ball," Cats head coach John Thompson said of Libby. "They're an experienced team."

Thompson said the Loggers have two returning all-conference players on the line and the others on the Libby line "are playing at the same level."

CFHS defenders had a tough time even getting a hand on Chumley and Fuller.

"We did not do a good job of getting ahold of cloth," Thompson said.

Libby went into the game allowing only 78 yards a game on the ground, and held the Cats to 67 net yards rushing.

The Loggers jumped to an early 13-0 lead. Chumley capped a 55-yard drive on Libby's first possession with a three-yard touchdown run. Michael Hader blocked the kick on the extra point try.

The Cats couldn't move on their first possession and fell behind 14-0 when Zack Rowan took a punt back 65 yards for a touchdown.

Libby's kickoff was short after its first touchdown, but Scott Palmer used a wall of blockers on the kickoff after the second Loggers score, broke it outside and went the distance distance for a 98-yard return for a touchdown — his second of the season.

"The kids on the kickoff return team have done a nice job all year," Thompson said. "Scott finds the hole that the wedge creates."

CFHS got the ball back when Mackey Nolan's kickoff drilled the front man on the Libby return team and the Cats recovered. But the Cats could not mount a drive.

Libby scored twice more before halftime. On a fourth-and-10 play at the CFHS 15-yard line, Chumley caught a Fuller pass and fought his way into the end zone. After another Cats punt, the Loggers drove 54 yards for a touchdown on a two-yard Fuller keeper. Libby nearly scored again before halftime, but ran out of time with the ball inside the CFHS 5-yard line. It was 27-7 at halftime.

After an exchange of punts in the early minutes of the second half, the Cats sustained their only drive of the game. A 52-yard scamper by Josh Wilson — helped by a big downfield block by Chase Grilley — set up Nolan's 14-yard touchdown dash on the next play. CFHS was within 27-14 on Nolan's conversion kick.

Libby responded with a quick scoring drive, keyed by a 53-yard keeper by Fuller, as Chumley dove in from two yards out — a back-breaker for the Cats. The Logger lead was 33-14.

For the second time in the game, a Nolan punt pinned Libby inside its own 10-yard line and the Loggers had to give it back. They did that in an unusual way, as an ill-advised pass by punter Rowan — thanks to pressure from Stephen Baumgartner and other Cats — was intercepted by Mitchell Wassam in the end zone for a CFHS touchdown. The kick by Nolan brought the Cats to within 33-21 with 1:33 left in the third period.

Libby added insurance with a five-yard scoring run by Fuller with 4:30 left in the contest.

"The second half we did a better job of responsibilities," Thompson said of the Cats defense. "I'm proud of our kids' effort in the second half.

"Libby, they did a real good job of playing responsibility football. They didn't give us much of a chance to pass," the coach said.

The Loggers have four returning all-conference players on defense.

Wilson led the Cats ground game with 85 yards rushing. Teamwise, CFHS had just 105 total net yards.

Polson is 1-1 in the conference after a 27-7 win over Bigfork last Friday (Sept. 28). The Pirates rushed for 282 yards.

"We have a chance for a remaining playoff berth and it's going to take some wins to secure that," Thompson said. "Polson is a team that has given us fits. They're a good team, they're very well coached. Their quarterback (Trae Fouty) creates some problems."

Thompson said Polson has two quality running backs, Cody Doyle and Tim Rausch.

On defense, "They bring some pressure with their linebackers," Thompson said.

Libby 21 6 7 8 — 42

Columbia Falls 7 0 14 0 — 21

Lib — Chumley 3 run (kick blocked)

Lib — Rowan 65 punt return (Fuller run)

CF — Palmer 98 kickoff return (Nolan kick)

Lib — Chumley 15 pass from Fuller (Rowan kick)

Lib — Fuller 2 run (kick failed)

CF — Nolan 14 run (Nolan kick)

Lib — Chumley 2 run (pass failed)

CF — Wassam interception in end zone (Nolan kick)

Lib — Fuller 5 run (Rowan pass from Fuller)

Frosh making mark in cross country

Freshmen are making their mark on the Columbia Falls girls cross country team, with four of the five top runners in their first year of high school.

The Kats' top runner at Hamilton last weekend was Nicki Moser, who took 16th with a time of 21:14.3. She was followed by Tessa Cowan (21st), 21:41.6; Madison Stolte (35th), 22:25.3; and Alexas Young, who ran a 22:26.1.

Nicole Mickelson took 29th with a 22.08.2. Addie Houle was 42nd with a 22.45 and Chelsey Marjerrison was 48th with a time of 23.22.5.

The Kats took sixth as a team.

On the boys side, Shawn Whitman continues to run well. He earned sixth place with a 16:56.2, followed by Patric Jessat (12th), 17:29.3; Michael Kruse (19th), 17: 59.6; Tripp Gimbel (23rd), 18:06.8; and Tim Chopper, who placed 51st in a time of 20: 36.7.

It was junior Kruse's second race ever, so his time was pretty strong, according to CFHS coach Steve Gasche.

"This was a tough trip leaving at 6 a.m. after Homecoming. Our kids weathered the weekend well and competed with a lot of heart. I was proud of them," Gasche said.

The JV boys had some strong performances that will result in some runners moving up to varsity. The top JV finisher and fifth fastest Wildcat runner of the day was freshman Michael Pachnik. He placed 13th in a time of 19:21.4. Kodiak Gimbel took 16th place in 19:41.5. Other JV finishers were Jacob Silva (21st) with a 20:12.5; Bruce Bennett (24th), 20:40.6; and Tommy Wright (28th), 21:18.3. The JV boys team placed third overall.

Only two girls ran JV last weekend. The top runner was freshman Whitney Chivers. She placed 23rd with a 27:05.5. Right behind her was Gabriele Freeman, who ran a time of 27: 30.6.

"This weekend we run at Whitefish. This is our closest meet to home and we would like to encourage a lot of fan support," Gasche said.

The meet starts at 11 a.m. Friday (Oct. 6) at Whitefish High School. The Columbia Falls Junior High team will also be competing.

Running varsity for the CFHS boys will be Whitman, Patric Jessat, Kruse, Tripp Gimbel, Pascal Jessat, Chopper, and Pachnik, according to Gasche. The girls team will feature Moser, Cowan, Mickelson, Anna Downen, Stolte, Young and Marjerrison.