Cats face Dogs in driving rainstorm

The red zone woes continue for the Columbia Falls football team. On Oct. 8, the Wildcats dropped a key conference game to Whitefish, 14-6, in a driving rainstorm.

"Our sophomores are stepping up and competing," coach Bill Coleman said. "(But) I was disappointed in our upperclassmen not showing up."

Coleman said some seasoned players are still making the same mistakes as in week one.

"We just have kids not doing their jobs," he said.

Whitefish held a 14-0 advantage at the half after Maximilian Smith ran in from 5 yards out in the second quarter to make it 6-0. Later in the quarter, Bulldog quarterback Christopher Forrest hit Logan Harwood on a 35-yard strike to make it 12-0. The two-point conversion was good.

The Cats had their chances. Sophomore running back Josiah Osborne had a 44-yard run down the Whitefish 8 yard line, but the Cats couldn't punch it in. Sophomore running back Zach Darling rushed for 104 yards on 26 carries.

Defensively, sophomore Brendan Windauer and senior Parker Johnson had good games. But offensively, it was a struggle again. Every time the Cats got close to or inside the Whitefish 20, they had a break down.

The Cats' lone score came when Austin Barth picked off a Whitefish pass and ran it down to the Bulldog's 8 yard line. On third and goal, Barth punched it in on a quarterback keeper.

Columbia Falls is now 2-4 and 0-2 in conference. Coleman said they have to win their last two games to have a shot at the playoffs.

The Cats finish the season on the road next Friday at Frenchtown and then wrap up the regular season against Libby.

Whitefish 0 6 8 0 - 14

Columbia Falls 0 0 0 6 - 6

Whitefish - Maximilian Smith 5 run (kick failed)

Whitefish - Logan Harwood 35 pass from Christopher Forrest (Shane Marcial)

Columbia Falls - Austin Barth 1 run (run failed)