Wildcats pound Broncs

The Columbia Falls Wildcats will board an eastbound bus on Friday for a playoff game Saturday afternoon, its second post-season road trip in two years, after roughing up the Hamilton Broncos 15-8 at home last Saturday.

Last year, the Cats ended a 38-year streak without a playoff victory, beating Corvallis. They fell on the road the next week to Billings Central. This season, the Cats will play the Central A champion Butte Central Maroons (7-2 overall, 5-0 conference). The Maroons earned a first-round bye and did not play last weekend.

Against Hamilton, the Cats avenged a loss to the Broncs in September, overcoming a size and weight disadvantage with physical discipline and quickness that produced several key defensive plays, including blocked passes, two timely intereptions and a tackle that flattened a Bronc receiver for several minutes.

"That's as physical a game as I've seen in 15 years," said Mike Nicosia, superintendent of District 6 schools, while pacing the Wildcats sideline.

Coach Bill Coleman agreed.

"We've been talking about blocking and tackling for the last three weeks — taking on blocks, finishing blocks," Coleman said. "That's been our focus since (a regular season loss to) Polson. We want to be the most physical team on the field and dictate the tempo."

Quarterback Mitchell Wassam put on another strong performance in less-than-ideal conditions, throwing for the Wildcats' only touchdowns. Wassam's passing in a chilly drizzle beat rival Whitefish a week earlier.

"Mitch has done a great job managing our games, being real smart, knowing when to throw the ball away from defenders, when to pull it down and run," Coleman said. "He's a large part of our improvement week to week."

The Broncs led 8-0 after catching Cats wide receiver Kaleb Johnson in the end zone for a two-point safety, and scoring its only touchdown on a three-yard run with 1:20 minute remaining in the first quarter. Hamilton did not score the rest of the game.

The Cats began their comeback when they tackled Hamilton running back Paul Davidson for a safety, and Kyle Howell ran in a Mitchell Wassam pass for a touchdown from just outside the 10 yard line on fourth down. On the ensuing kickoff, Howell stopped Hamilton at its own 17 with an open-field tackle that brought the chilled, rain-soaked home crowd to its feet.

The hit of the game came just before halftime when 185-pound Johnson, playing defensive back, leveled 200-pound Hamilton wide receiver Tyler Pgman on his back, dislodging the ball. Johnson stopped the Broncos opening drive in the second half by grabbing a Hamilton pass with this right hand at the Wildcats 43, and caught a Wassam pass for a touchdown on 3rd downdown at the Bronc 8.

Hamilton threatened late, driving downfield and eating up yardage on precision passing. Then Wildcat linebacker Chris King intercepted a Bronc pass, the third pick of the game, allowing Columbia Falls to run out the clock.

So what can the Wildcats expect in Butte?

"They're a spread option type team. They have some athletes, and so do we," Coleman said. "We like how we match up. It's better than last week."