Another great year in sports
The past year was definitely a memorable one for the Columbia Falls High School sports teams.
With two state championships and a bevy of great performances, both the Wildcats and Wildkats gave Columbia Falls reason to cheer in 2005.
Among the highlights:
€ The 20-3 season that resulted in the 2005 Class A state basketball title for the boys basketball team, their second in three years.
It was a season of high drama, with last-second wins against Libby and Bigfork, although no shot was bigger than Guy Smith's game winning basket against Butte Central in the title game with 2.7 seconds left, giving the Cats an emotional 52-50 win.
In heart-wrenching fashion, the Cats played close games throughout the year, but were 7-1 in games decided by three points or less, including the state tourney.
Seniors Anthony Minson and Drew Perry were instrumental in the season's success, as were fellow seniors Jace Ladenburg, Justin Heinrichs and J.D. Fields.
€ The overtime victory against Billings Central that gave the boys soccer team its third state championship in the past five years.
After leading the match for 79 minutes, the Cats gave up a tying goal with 40 seconds left, only to win on a Jake Bengtson free kick in overtime.
Guy Smith, the basketball hero as a junior, scored the first goal of the match as a senior to give the Cats the advantage, before strong play from the defense kept the match tight.
Led by seniors Smith, top scoring threat Cory Pete, and stalwart goalkeeper Lee Kizer, the Cats battled throughout the season, and had enough in the tank at the end to take home the title.
Seniors Bengtson, Alex Branch, Bobby Opp and Andrew Dahlen all contributed to the title as well.
€ The girls soccer team reaching the playoffs as the defending state champions.
Although the Kats lost in the first round to Belgrade in overtime, it was a fantastic season for the team, with timely goals and an explosive offense that led them to the conference title.
Senior goalkeeper Vanessa Almanza came up with save after save, while senior Michelle Valov played strong defense, despite missing time with illness.
The real story, however, was senior Lisa Carter, who finished her senior season with a Class A leading 26 goals.
€ The retirement of longtime wrestling coach Wes Knutson.
Knutson was at the helm of the Mat Cats for 18 years, landing the 1990 state championship as well as three divisional titles.
A former wrestler at Polson High School and the University of Montana, Knutson said he tried his best to pass on to his teams all the skills he learned while wrestling in college.
Along with the state title in 1990, he led the Cats to second-place finishes in 1994 and 1997.
The zenith of his career, however, came in his last regular season match, where he picked up his 200th career win against rival Whitefish.