Cats pluck Golden Eagles, 43-13

Just eight seconds into the game against Lewistown last week, Columbia Falls quarterback Jared Trinastich dropped back to pass and Thad Kucera jumped the route, running back the interception for a pick six.

Was an upset in the works? Not a chance. Trinastich made no mistakes after that, as he threw for 329 yards and five touchdowns en route to a blowout of the Golden Eagles, 43-13 at home Aug. 31.

Ty Morgan caught three touchdown passes and had 116 yards. Trevor Houston also caught a 19-yard touchdown pass as Fergus County High School had no answer for the Wildcats’ spread offense.

Cats running back Zach Darling also had a stellar game, rushing for 113 yards on 13 carries. He had two touchdowns, one on a four-yard run in the second quarter and another on a 45-yard pass from Trinastich in the first quarter when he weaved through the Lewistown defense for the Cats’ first touchdown.

Alex Presnell added to the Cats scoring with a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. All told, Columbia Falls had 509 yards of offense to 214 for Lewistown.

The Cats played very well defensively, giving up just one touchdown in the third quarter when Lewistown quarterback James Derheim hit Brock Butcher on a 38-yard pass. The Cats forced two Golden Eagle turnovers in the game.

Columbia Falls took advantage of mistakes, too. After the first Lewistown fumble, the Cats drove deep into Golden Eagles territory. On fourth down and five, Trinastich threw a strike in traffic to Morgan in the end zone. Sandwiched between two defenders, Morgan somehow came down with the ball to make it 14-7 in the first quarter.

A couple of possessions later, the Golden Eagles fumbled a punt return, the Cats recovered, and Trinastich hit Houston for a 19-yard touchdown to go up 21-7.

“I felt like we played hard in the first half,” coach Jackson Schweikert said. “I’m really pleased with the effort.”

There was a lack of urgency by the Cats in the second half, Schweikert said. That might have been expected, however — the Cats were up 34-7 at the half and it was hot, in the 80s.

The Wildcats face Hamilton at home this Friday night. Game time is 7 p.m. Schweikert expects an up-tempo game.

“They’re a lot like us,” he said. “They’re pretty good.”

Hamilton beat Salmon, Idaho, 56-26 in its opener.

Lewistown 7 0 6 0 — 13

Columbia Falls 21 13 6 3 — 43

First Quarter

LEW - Thad Kucera 25 interception return (Dylan Stenseth kick), 11:52

CF - Zach Darling 45 pass from Jared Trinastich (kick missed), 9:47

CF - Ty Morgan 21 pass from Trinastich (Morgan pass from Trinastich), 5:56

CF - Trevor Houston 19 pass from Trinastich (Alex Presnell kick), 3:05

Second Quarter

CF - Darling 4 run (Presnell kick), 7:22

CF - Morgan 17 pass from Trinastich (kick blocked), 2:40

Third Quarter

CF - Morgan 11 pass from Trinastich (kick missed), 3:42

LEW - Brock Butcher 38 pass from James Derheim (bad snap), 1:55

Fourth Quarter

CF - Presnell 27 field goal, 5:46