Wildcats gear up for opener

Hungry Horse News

With the high school football season slated to kickoff this weekend, the relatively young Columbia Falls Wildcats will rely on several returning seniors along with some new and untested talent.

Head coach John Thompson said that a variety of players will see time at a number of positions in an effort to evaluate the talent on hand as well as dole out some well-deserved playing time.

At quarterback, Thompson said a sophomore will start, but that others could see time at signal-caller.

"Chase Fairbank is going to start for us Friday night," he said. "There are other kids that have the possibility of getting in the game."

Thompson declined to name a starter at running back, but did say that a talented group of runners would split time in the backfield.

"As far as running back goes, we have a good group ," he said. "We have a couple of seniors, a couple of sophomores, a junior and a freshman."

Thompson said senior Paul Geis would return at tight end and that several players would rotate at wide receiver.

Along the offensive line, Thompson said returning seniors Greg Macijunas and Daniel Byrd would start, along with transfer student Keith Catt.

Macijunas, Byrd and Catt will also start as the three down lineman on defense, with Byrd holding down the nose tackle position.

"We'll have a number of kids that will play both ways," he said.

For the linebackers, Thompson said that a rotation will be used and did not name any starters

"The linebackers, it's kind of like the running back position," he said.

The Wildcats begin their season Friday at Corvallis at 7 p.m.

McCaffree shines in Missoula

The Columbia Falls High School rodeo team opened its season last weekend at the Missoula Valley High School Rodeo, with one team member capturing second in the two-day average.

Shane McCaffree was the only CFHS team member entered in the Missoula Rodeo, but was joined by four members of the joint Flathead Valley High School Rodeo Team to anchor an outstanding performance.

McCaffree placed seventh in both days of calf roping and finished second in the two-day average.

He was also entered in the ream roping with his new partner, Casey Weekes of Babb, a member of the Browning High School Rodeo Team.

In Saturday's rodeo, the pair placed third with a time of 12.8, but were unable to place in Sunday's round.

McCaffree and other CFHS team members will resume competition following a Labor Day weekend break. They will be competing September 10-11 in Whitehall.

At this time, the CFHS team consists of Clayton Patterson, Montana State High School Rodeo qualifiers McCaffree and Kari Moran-Patton, and National High School Rodeo Barrel Racing qualifier Rachel Thomson.