Cats drop Loggers, secure playoff berth

The Columbia Falls football team hammered the Libby Loggers last week 55-31 to secure a state Class A playoff berth.

The Wildcats racked up more than 450 yards of offense and forced three Libby turnovers in the first half of the Oct. 19 home game.

The Cats (2-2, 4-4) will face Anaconda this Saturday away at 1 p.m.

“It’s a pretty big accomplishment for this team,” coach Jackson Schweikert said. “They’re so young.”

The Cats often start as many as nine sophomores on defense, and this year they’ve had to learn an entirely new spread offense under the first-year head coach.

The team was coming off a drubbing by Frenchtown the week before, but you’d never know it Friday night.

Zach Darling had 88 yards rushing on 23 carries and scored four touchdowns.

All told, the Cats had 178 yards on the ground.

The game started out well for the Cats. They pinned Libby in their own end zone and got a safety to make it 2-0. On the ensuing drive, Darling ran it in from four yards out to make it 9-0.

The Cats put together two more drives in the half, with Darling scoring on short runs. Meanwhile, the defense caused a Libby fumble on the one-yard line to stop what appeared to be a sure Logger touchdown.

Libby did have a bright spot in the first half — kicker Patrick Valentine hammered a 52-yard field goal, a kick that likely would have been good from 60 yards out.

The Cats wrapped up the half with a Jared Trinastich pass to Colin King with less than five seconds left to make it 31-3 at the half. Libby racked up some points in the second half, but it was too little, too late as rain poured down in the fourth quarter and coach Schweikert all but emptied the bench.

Darling rumbled in for his fourth touchdown, Alex Presnell caught a touchdown pass and kicked a field goal, and Ty Morgan had a 40-yard touchdown run to ice the game. Trinastich went 15 of 32 for 227 passing yards.

The Cats needed some help to make the playoffs. If Whitefish had beaten Frenchtown, the Bulldogs would have gone instead, but Frenchtown took care of that, dropping the Bulldogs, 28-7.

The Cats will look to utilize their quickness against the Anaconda Copperheads this Saturday.

“If we hold up front, we’re pretty dangerous,” Schweikert said. “This team has gotten dramatically better.”

Anaconda has a big line, two good running backs and a dangerous quarterback. The Cats will have to limit their own mistakes and use their athleticism to wear down the Copperheads.

“We need to keep the pressure up and play fast,” Schweikert said.

For those that can’t make the trip, the game will be broadcast live on radio at 103.9 FM.

Libby 0 3 8 20 – 31

Columbia Falls 9 22 14 10 – 55

C – Safety

C – Zach Darling 4 run (Alex Presnell kick)

L – FG Patrick Valentine 52

C – Darling 3 run (Darling pass from Jared Trinastich)

C – Darling 1 run (Presnell kick)

C – Colin King 24 pass from Trinastich

C – Darling 1 run (Presnell kick)

L – Barak Lapka 17 pass from Jared Winslow (Winslow run)

C – Presnell 2 pass from Trinastich

L – Danny Leggins 21 pass from Winslow (conversion failed)

C – FG Presnell 32

L – DJ Maefau 55 pass from Winslow (conversion failed)

L – Will Reichel 25 pass from Winslow (Winslow run)

C – Ty Morgan 40 run (Presnell kick)