Top stories of 2008: CFHS football, cross country among highlights

| January 7, 2009 10:00 PM

Columbia Falls High School provided two of the top local sports stories in 2008.

The Wildcat football team earned the first playoff victory for the program in 38 years, edging Corvallis 27-26 in the first round Nov. 1, at CFHS. The season ended with a 27-13 loss to top-ranked and unbeaten Billings Central in the second round.

After winning the conference crown, CFHS’ boys cross country team placed second at the Class A state meet, the highest-ever finish for the program. The Wildkat girls were second at conference.

In youth baseball, Glacier Prep won a state Babe Ruth championship at the tournament in Columbia Falls. The Glacier 14-year-old team was second.

Glacier Emeralds Green U12 won a state softball championship in Kalispell.

In early February, senior Cody Kolodejchuk (140 pounds) and sophomore Kelly Houle (189) earned second place at the State Wrestling Championships. Seniors Michael Hader and Clayton Patterson were third and fourth, respectively. Those four, along with senior Kodie Kenfield, won divisional titles.

For the younger wrestlers, Shonn Roberts, Garrett Joubert, William Webber and RJ Webber captured Little Guy Wrestling titles at the Western Montana Championships in Missoula. Roberts and Joubert had perfect records during the season; teamwise the Mat Cats placed third.

After leading the Wildcat basketball team in scoring, assists and steals, senior Chase Grilley was named to the All-State team. He also had All-Conference first team honors.

Grilley, Hader, Sarah Marcille and Chase Fairbank were elected to the Columbia Falls High School Hall of Fame.

Matt Triplett, a CFHS sophomore, won the high school bull riding state championship in mid-June, qualifying for nationals in New Mexico.

Erik Anderson led the Columbia Falls Swim Team at the state meet, breaking Montana Federation records in the 50- and 100-meter butterfly.

The Columbia Falls seventh grade football team went unbeaten in 2008, and the eighth grade squad finished with a 5-1 record.