Cats clobber Belgrade to punch ticket to championship
Senior quarterback Dakota Bridwell threw five touchdown passes and Ben Windauer had two interceptions as Columbia Falls steamrolled Belgrade to make it to the state A championship game, 38-7.
Bridwell found his receivers early and often against the Panthers in Belgrade Saturday, hitting Braxton Reiten and Bryce Fagerland on a 57-yard and 77-yard strike respectively to put the Wildcats up 14-0 just five minutes into the game.
Bridwell then hit Reiten on a 43-yard pass and Brandon Karberg kicked a 20-yard field goal to put the Cats up 24-7 at the break.
In the second half, Bridwell hit Sean Miller on a 61-yard strike and Reiten again on a 17-yarder to cap off the scoring.
Windauer had two interceptions in the second quarter to kill Panther drives.
Bridwell was 15 of 30 for 351 yards. The Cats also ran the ball well, with 26 carries for 126 yards. Bridwell has 47 touchdown passes on the season — hitting Reiten 22 times.
The Cats host Dillon in the championship game. The Beavers beat Billings Central 33-14 in its semifinal game.
Columbia Falls beat Dillon, 28-21 earlier this season at home.
In that contest, the team played some of the best defense of the season, squashing the Beavers comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. They’ll need a similar effort this time around.
Coach Jaxson Schweikert said in the last game, Dillon brought the house, blitzing on almost every down, but getting just one sack. The only difference this time around will be if Dillon decides to blitz or not. The Cats aren’t changing their game plan at this point.
“We are what we are,” Schweikert noted. The team is just going to keep working on its own game and refining its plays. He gave credit to the offensive line and the team’s running backs, which held off Belgrade’s blitzes, giving Bridwell time to throw.
This will be the first time in 46 years Columbia Falls has hosted a state championship game. They have never won one.
Schweikert said there is pressure, but it’s internal pressure. It’s not history, or the fans. It’s the team working on getting better every day.
“We’re never satisfied,” he said. “We’re always trying to be better as coaches.”
Game time is 1 p.m. Saturday.
Columbia Falls 14 10 7 7 — 38
Belgrade 0 7 0 0 — 7
CF – Braxton Reiten 57 pass from Dakota Bridwell (Brandon Karberg kick)
CF – Bryce Fagerland 77 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick),
Bel – Trey Mounts 13 run (John Mears kick)
CF – Braxton Reiten 43 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick)
CF – Karberg 20 FG
CF – Miller 61 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick), 7—18
CF – Reiten 17 pass from Bridwell (Karberg kick), 9—14