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It was close, but the Bulldogs pulled away for a 17-14 rivalry win over the Columbia Falls Wildcats.

It was a slow start for both teams, with the first score of the game coming early in the second quarter.

Whitefish’s Fynn Ridgeway capped off an 80-yard drive with a rushing touchdown from just a yard out to put the Dogs up 7-0. That was the score heading into the half.

Columbia Falls wasted no time in the second half, however. A bad squib kick by the Dogs put the Cats on their own 45-yard-line to start their drive, and quarterback Mason Peters capitalized with a 56-yard touchdown strike on 3 and 11 to tie the game at 7-7.

Whitefish answered. Bodie Smith took the ensuing kickoff back from deep in Bulldog territory all the way out to the Columbia Falls 34-yard line. Ridgeway got his second touchdown of the night with a 13-yard pass to Devin Beale on fourth down to go up 14-7.

An interception by Smith on the Wildcats’ next position set up a Carlitos Bertelsen field goal, putting the Dogs up 17-7.

Columbia Falls got right back on the scoreboard early in the fourth, with Peters connecting to Isaac Balla for a 6-yard touchdown. That cut the lead to just three.

Whitefish managed to run the clock down to 4 minutes on their next drive, but the Wildcats defense came up with a big third down stop to get the ball back on their own 19-yard-line. After a four-and-out, however, they were back on their heels.

The Bulldogs ran the clock down to just 20 seconds before Ridgeway threw his second pick of the night on a 4th and 6 from just 10 yards out. So with 20 seconds to go and a roaring crowd nearby, the Wildcats prepared for a miraculous drive to steal the game.

Whitefish’s Jaxsen Schlauch had other plans, though, and intercepted Peters’ next pass to seal the game for Whitefish.

The Bulldogs will travel to Browning next Friday.