Cats have red zone woes in playoff loss

The Columbia Falls football team’s season came to an end last week with a 32-14 loss to the Anaconda Copperheads in the first round of the Class A playoffs.

The Wildcats missed some golden opportunities to win but couldn’t convert three first-and-goal chances in the Oct. 27 match-up in Anaconda.

“We got in the red zone six times and only scored twice,” coach Jackson Schweikert said. “Three times we had first and goal. That was the difference in the game.”

Anaconda shot out to a 6-0 lead after Copperhead quarterback Eric Boyd scored on a 74-yard run on the first play. The Copperheads then scored on a blocked punt to make it 12-0.

But the Cats didn’t give up. Josiah Osborne answered with a 75-yard pass from Jared Trinastich to make it 12-6, and Alex Presnell’s extra point was good. The Cats had a chance to take the lead, driving down to the five yard line, but couldn’t punch it in.

In the third quarter, Dyllon Parker scored on a five-yard pass from Trinastich, making it 20-14. But that’s as close as the Cats got. Columbia Falls had four turnovers in the loss.

Making the playoffs was a nice accomplishment for a team that started one senior, three juniors and seven sophomores on defense.

“The kids improved as much as any team I’ve had over the last 20 years,” Schweikert said.

He said they improved both physically and mentally.

“The last couple of weeks, they really took off,” he said.

Next year’s future looks bright. The team loses seven seniors, but most of the core skill players will return. The Cats ended the year at 4-5.

Columbia Falls 0 7 7 0 – 14

Anaconda 12 8 0 12 – 32

A – Eric Boyd 73 run (kick failed)

A – Ethan Reich 5 punt return (kick failed)

C – Josiah Osborne 75 pass from Jared Trinastich (Alex Presnell kick)

A – Boyd 2 run (Kelly Krumm pass from Boyd)

C- Dyllon Parker 6 pass from Trinastich (Presnell kick)

A – Reich 1 run (fail)

A – Cory Stanberry 50 interception (fail)