Stevi has way with Cats, 41-14

The Stevensville Yellowjackets stung the Columbia Falls football team 41-14 in an away game Sept. 7. The Yellowjackets defense put good pressure on Wildcat quarterback Jared Trinastich and forced six Cat turnovers — five in the first half alone.

Stevi made mistakes of its own — they had three turnovers — but the Cats were unable to capitalize on the Yellowjacket mistakes. Stevi’s big receivers also had a height advantage over the Cats defense.

Columbia Falls coach Jackson Schweikert said the team needs to be patient.

“We have a complex system going on here,” he said. “We feel like we’ll bounce back.”

Josiah Osborne gave the Cats a glimmer of hope in the third quarter on a 65-yard reception to make the game 28-7 early in the third, but Stevi answered with another touchdown of its own shortly thereafter.

Schweikert said he saw some good things — the Cats would have a good play or two, but then a bad one to kill a drive.

“We were thinking too much,” he said. “We played slow.”

The Cats will face a scrappy Browning team this Friday at home. The Indians are much improved — Whitefish barely beat them last week on a late touchdown in the last minute of the game.

Schweikert said he expects Browning to try to put pressure on the quarterback. On the defensive side, the Cats will need to shore up the Indians’ rushing game. Game time is 7 p.m.

Columbia Falls 0 0 7 7 - 14

Stevensville 14 14 7 6 - 41

S - Jared Schultz 6 run (Chris Bergman kick)

S - Austin Lords blocked punt return (Bergman kick)

S - Dylan Reed 26 pass from Schulz (Bergman kick)

S - Jess Sims 1 run (Bergman kick)

CF - Josiah Osborne 65 pass from Jared Trinastich (Colin King kick)

S - Schultz 14 run (Bergman kick)

S - Bergman 3 pass from Schulz (kick failed)

CF - Ty Morgan 1 run (King kick)