Butte Central too quick for Wildcats

By JOE SOVA

Hungry Horse News

Unbeaten Butte Central gave Columbia Falls a heaping helping of Matt Ritter and Adam Fine on Friday night in the Wildcats' football home opener. Ritter and Fine combined for 232 yards rushing, leading the lightning-quick Maroons to a dominating 40-14 nonconference win.

While Butte Central goes to 3-0, the Cats drop to 2-1. CFHS plays Friday night at Stevensville to wrap up nonconference play.

Ritter and Fine each ran for three touchdowns. In addition to his rushing yards, Ritter — a 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior quarterback — was 13-for-28 passing for 191 yards. He threw one interception.

"We knew how fast they were going to be," CFHS coach John Thompson said. "They didn't surprise us. It was nothing out of their regular game plan."

While the Maroons mounted 425 yards of offense, the Cats managed just 100 — 55 rushing and 45 passing. CFHS' leading rusher, Josh Wilson, was held to 32 yards. He did have a 64-yard touchdown run late in the third period called back due to a motion penalty.

"They have a great 1-2 punch and their receivers block exceptionally well," Thompson added. "The option is always tough to defend. If one guy doesn't take care of his responsibility you're in trouble."

A highlight for the Cats was a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by senior Scott Palmer to start the second half. Thompson credited the kickoff team with doing a nice job of "setting up the wedge" for Palmer.

Wilson's great second effort for a two-point conversion brought the Cats to within 20-14, but it was all-Butte Central after that.

The Cats got on the scoreboard first. After a sack by senior defensive end Chase Grilley forced a Maroons punt, CFHS could not move and Mackey Nolan punted the ball away. The BC return man muffed the punt and the Cats recovered on the Maroons 4-yard-line. Steven Brennan scored on the next play. The kick was blocked, but CFHS led, 6-0.

BC returned the favor late in the first period, blocking a Cats punt — leading to a 16-yard touchdown run by Ritter. Ritter's kick gave the Maroons a 7-6 lead.

BC controlled the rest of the first half, scoring twice more on keepers by Ritter. It was 20-6 at halftime.

Fine, a 5-7, 165-pound senior, owned the second half. His 1-yard run capped a six-play drive after Palmer's kickoff return. Quenton Hegel intercepted a Ritter pass deep in Cats territory, but BC got the ball back and scored on a 31-yard Fine run. Early in the final period, Fine found the end zone again.

The Cats suffered three turnovers and had several penalties.

"We had a couple of costly mistakes. That happens early in season and we'll make some adjustments, defensively and offensively. We need to go back and re-tune our offense."

Nolan was 3-for-12 passing for 35 yards with one interception. Mitchell Wassam was 1-for-3 for 10 yards.

Thompson said that Friday's foe, Stevensville, runs an offense similar to Butte Central. Stevensville doesn't have as much speed at the Maroons, but has much more size.

"They're real physical," Thompson said.

Stevensville topped Bigfork, 37-6, on Friday.

In other nonconference games Friday, Libby rolled past Browning, 48-6; Polson built a 37-0 lead and beat Corvallis, 37-14; and Frenchtown scored two first-quarter touchdowns and edged Whitefish, 14-7.

Butte Central 7 13 13 7 — 40

Columbia Falls 6 0 8 0 — 14

CF — Brennan 4 run (kick failed)

BC — M. Ritter 16 run (M. Ritter kick)

BC — M. Ritter 17 run (M. Ritter kick)

BC — M Ritter 2 run (kick failed)

CF — Palmer 95 kickoff return (Wilson run)

BC — Fine 1 run (run failed)

BC — Fine 31 run (M. Ritter kick)

BC — Fine 2 run (A. Ritter kick)