Milestones set in 2013 sports season
<p>Wildcat football players, from left, Michael Sandefer, James Dutton, Justice Mcmanus, Mark Hader, Spencer Ross, Blake Arneson, Trevor Houston, Jared Trinastich and Alex Presnell and others, sing the Columbia Falls High School fight song to the student section after they beat Havre in the quarterfinals of the state Class A playoffs 46-7 on Nov. 9.</p>
From an undefeated football team to professional bull riding world finals and three state champion baseball teams, Columbia Falls sports fans had a lot to cheer about in 2013. Here’s highlights from the year in sports:
In January, Laurie Thramer and Norma Finberg were named “super fans” by the Montana High School Association. Thramer has been a scorekeeper for more than 20 years, and Finberg has been attending games for more than 50 years.
The Wildcat speech and debate team won the Northwest Class A divisional title and the very next week won their eighth straight state Class A title. Allison Foust won an individual state title in Lincoln-Douglas debate, and Mason Gedlaman won titles in humorous oral interpretation and impromptu speaking.
In February, the wrestling team won the Northwest Class A divisional title — the first since 2000. The next week, MatCat sophomore Shonn Roberts won his second state Class A title, pinning Billings Central’s Zach Wall. As a team, the MatCats took sixth.
In bowling, Alysha Cantu, 16, bowled an almost perfect game — a 299.
The Columbia Falls boys basketball team won its fifth straight Northwest Class A divisional title, beating Frenchtown 64-54. The girls meanwhile lost to Frenchtown 49-37 in the championship game, but beat Polson 48-38 to earn a trip to the state Class A playoffs.
In college wrestling, Caleb Schaeffer, a former Columbia Falls wrestler, was named the NAIA regional coach of the year. Schaeffer coaches the University of Great Falls wrestling team.
In March, the girls basketball team went 0-2 at the state Class A tournament, losing to Billings Central 61-49 and Butte Central 39-37. The boys took third at state, losing to Laurel in the opener, 59-50, but then returning the favor in the consolation final, beating the Locomotives 48-46.
In May, coach Wes Knutson announced he would retire. Knutson was named to the Columbia Falls Coaches Hall of Fame. He taught and coached at the high school for 30 years and was best known for his 18-year tenure as a wrestling coach, leading the team to a state championship in 1990.
In softball, the girls took third at the state Class A tournament, losing to Polson 4-2 in the their final game. Emily Getts made it to the state Class A tennis tournament as a freshman but went 0-2 in matches. In track, Ty Morgan had the best showing at the state meet, taking second in the javelin with a throw of 175 feet.
In July, the Glacier League All-Stars 13-year-old baseball team won the state tournament, beating Kalispell 3-2. The Glacier Babe Ruth 15U All Stars and 14U All Stars also won state titles. The 15U beat Kalispell 10-4, and the 14U beat Hamilton 10-0.
In October, Columbia Falls alumni bull rider Matt Triplett qualified for the Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas. He took ninth in the prestigious event.
Samantha Mundel won the Northwest Class A cross country title this fall, finishing the race in 18 minutes, 53 seconds. She took ninth at the state Class A meet in Missoula.
The Columbia Falls football team went undefeated in the regular season, going 8-0, the best since 1976. The Wildcats beat Havre 46-7 in the state quarterfinal playoffs, but lost to Billings Central on the road in the semifinals, 33-21.