Football thumps Frenchtown on the road with big third quarter

After a bit of a slow start, the Columbia Falls football team tore off 28 points in the third quarter to win its season opener Friday on the road against Frenchtown, 42-14.

The Wildcats were up 14-12 at the break on an Alihn Anderson fumble return for a touchdown and a Reggie Sapa 85-yard kickoff return.

But the Cats rattled off four touchdowns in the third to put the game away.

Jace Hill scored on a 76-yard TD pass from Cody Schweikert, then Schweikert rumbled in from a yard out on an ensuing drive for another TD after Chance Miller picked off a Frenchtown pass. Sapa had a 19-yard run and Blaise Cronk had a 4-yard scamper into the end zone to seal the deal.

Kicker Kai Golan was perfect on PATs.

Schweikert completed 15 of 22 passes for 222 yards. Hill had three catches for 93 yards; Lane Hoerner had five catches for 40.

Sapa had 10 carries for 63 yards.

The Cats picked off Frenchtown quarterback Brody Hardy three times.

The Wildcats are at home this Friday against Browning. Gametime is 7 p.m.