Cowboys herd Cats in playoffs

For a half, it was a heckuva football game. But the Miles City Cowboys, behind a big offensive line, ground down the Columbia Falls football team in the second half en route to a 34-13 playoff victory.

“They just wore us down in the third quarter,” said Columbia Falls coach Bill Coleman. “I was proud of the way our kids played. Proud of the way they represented us, the community. They did something that hadn’t been done in a long time. We’ve just got to figure out how to be good in this week.”

This year the Cats (4-5) won the Northwest A conference championship for the first time in 34 years.

“Now we have a new standard,” Coleman said.

The Cats have made the playoffs several times in this decade, but haven’t advanced past the quarterfinals. The loss against Miles City ended their season.

The game started out in favor of Columbia Falls after junior quarterback Austin Barth connected with wide receiver Devyn Rocker on a long pass into Miles City’s red zone. A few plays later at the 5:22 mark Barth found Rocker again in the end zone on a 4-yard throw.

The point after attempt was good, Cats up 7-0.

But Miles City answered after the Cats had a short punt. Cowboys’ quarterback Shane Cooley ran 52 yards to tie the game with 25 seconds left in the first. In the second quarter, the Cowboys squibbed the ensuing kickoff and recovered the ball. The Cowboys drove the short field and Cooley ran in from four yards out. The point after was good and the Cowboys took a 14-7 lead.

The Cats would answer after Kaleb Johnson returned a Cowboys’ fumble back to the 29-yard line. A few plays later, Barth found Johnson in the corner of the end zone. The point after attempt was blocked and the Cats were down just 14-13 at the half.

But in the third quarter Miles City set up behind its massive offensive line, which averages about 230 pounds per player, and simply ground down the Cats with a ball-control offense.

The Cowboys engineered a 68-yard touchdown drive to start the third quarter. Cooley scampered in from 5 yards out to make it 20-13. The Cats punted and the Cowboys drove again. Cooley ran 25 yards for another touchdown to make it 27-13.

The Cowboys would intercept a Barth pass with five seconds left in the third and put on a 53-yard drive to go up 34-13. But the Cats still had their chances. They drove to the Miles City 13 on a long pass to Johnson, but couldn’t punch it the end zone.

Miles City punted on the ensuing possession and the Cats drove to the Cowboys’ 27, but turned it over on downs.

After the game, the Wildcat seniors marched down the field hand-in-hand to the applause of fans and fellow players.

Miles City officially rushed for 398 yards and had 34 passing. The Cats had 53 rushing yards and 201 passing.