Home turf on the line for Wildcats

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

With an opportunity to clinch a Class A football playoff berth, Columbia Falls took care of business Friday at home as the Wildcats built a 21-0 first-quarter lead and posted a 48-12 victory over winless Bigfork.

The Cats are 3-1 in the Northwestern A Conference heading into Friday's big game at Whitefish. The Bulldogs suffered their first league loss last week, falling to conference champ Polson 41-24. CFHS is 4-3 overall, and Whitefish is 4-4. Polson (4-0, 6-2) has a first-round bye in the playoffs.

There is plenty of incentive Friday. The winner hosts the No. 3 team from the Southwestern A in the first round of the playoffs while the loser is on the road to face the second seed from that conference.

Dillon is the only unbeaten team in the Southwestern A and plays Corvallis on Friday. Corvallis and Frenchtown are both 3-1 in the league, but Hamilton at 2-2 is still in the playoff picture.

The Bulldogs dominated the rivalry with 13 straight wins through 2004. The teams have alternated wins since then. The Cats beat the Dogs 20-7 last year to earn their first home-field playoff game in 17 years.

"It's a great rivalry," Cats head coach John Thompson said. "It's fun for the kids. It's straight-up football."

By that Thompson said it is a spirited yet healthy rivalry, with both teams playing a clean game and respecting each other.

While the Cats cruised past outmanned Bigfork, Whitefish led Polson 24-21 in the third quarter, but the Pirates scored three unanswered touchdowns to pull away to the win. All three of those scores were on runs by Tim Rausch.

It took Columbia Falls just four plays to get on the scoreboard against Bigfork. Kaleb Johnson returned the opening kickoff to midfield. A 41-yard run by Mackey Nolan set up John Woody's nine-yard run for a touchdown.

After a Bigfork punt later in the period, Nolan rambled 67 yards for a Cats score — carrying three Vikings into the end zone.

A sack shared by Nolan and Chris King on a fourth-down play by Bigfork gave the Cats the ball at the Vikings 35-yard line. Three plays later, it was Nolan scoring again — on a 17-yard run with a minute remaining in the first quarter. Nolan kicked the conversion after each touchdown.

Bigfork drove 72 yards for a score on its next possession as Christian Ker connected with Cheyne Valentine on a 13-yard touchdown pass.

Nolan avoided disaster on a punting play, scrambling before his kick bounced to the Bigfork 6-yard line. On a second-and-9 play, Woody picked off a Ker pass and returned it six yards for a Cats touchdown. Later in the second period, Kyle Howell caught a pin-point pass from Mitchell Wassam in stride and raced to the end zone to complete a 56-yard touchdown play. Wood ran for the conversion.

The Cats scored again before halftime on a 5-yard run by Nolan after runs of 26 and 13 yards by Stephen Baumgartner. Nolan's kick gave CFHS a 42-6 halftime lead.

In that first half, the Cats amassed 296 yards of offense — 237 yards on the ground, 175 by Nolan.

Nolan scored on a 4-yard run near the midpoint of the third period before the Cats finished the game with mostly junior varsity players. In the fourth period, Donny Tudahl scored on a 6-yard run for Bigfork.

For the game, the Cats had 304 yards rushing. Nolan had 179 and Baumgartner added 88. Wassam was 2-for-7 passing for 59 yards.

The Cats did not have a turnover in the game and had only one penalty.

"In order to win the big games those are the things we have to make sure we continue to do," Thompson said.

The coach spoke about Friday's game against Whitefish.

"One of the keys is to protect the football. We definitely have to be consistent on offense. We have to move the football," Thompson said. "Our defense has been on the field too much."

Thompson said Whitefish has a very good team.

"They have a strong, young quarterback," he said of Mac Roche, who threw three touchdown passes against Polson. Alex Elespuru caught seven passes for 130 yards. "They have great balance between the running and passing game. Their ability to throw creates some match-up problems for us."

Spikers top Stevi, fall to Dillon

By JOE SOVA

Hungry Horse News

Columbia Falls turned in some of its best volleyball of the season Friday during a 20-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-18 non-league victory over Stevensville, but the Wildkats could not knock off Southwestern A Conference leader Dillon and took a 25-20, 25-7, 22-25, 25-22 loss Saturday, both at home.

"I'm pleased with the girls to come out with a win," Kats coach Addy Hines said.

CFHS had 40 kills in the match, twice as many as Stevi. Amanda Milliard led the Kats with 13 kills, and Brooke Cady added eight.

Kayla DeWit had five blocks, and Cady had two.

Cassidee Skiles had 37 set assists. Milliard had 17 digs, and Alyssa Ladenburg added 16.

"With them being the No. 1 team (in the Southwestern A) I was very pleased," she said of Dillon.

Ladenburg paced the Kats in kills with nine and digs with 22. Cady had eight kills and two blocks. Skiles dished out 28 assists. Smith had 17 digs and two aces.

CFHS plays today (Thursday) at Ronan. The Kats play seven two-game matches in pool play in the Missoula tournament Friday, then they go into bracket play Saturday.