Football suffers rare OT loss to Whitefish, 20-14

The Columbia Falls football team lost to Whitefish 20-14 in overtime on the road Friday.

It was the first time the Wildcats played an OT football game in decades, if ever, and like the week before against Dillon, mistakes and penalties hurt Columbia Falls in the loss.

The game started out on a bright note, as the Wildcats were in the end zone for their first score of the game at the 6:48 mark of the first quarter as quarterback Cody Schweikert rumbled in after a nice drive from 2 yards out.

But the Bulldogs answered with a drive of their own scoring at the 3:58 mark of the second quarter.

The Cats would drive down into the Bulldogs’ red zone at the end of the half, but a field goal attempt by Kai Golan hit the upright from about 35 yards out and bounced right.

So the game stay tied at the break.

In the second half quarterback Schweikert hit Lane Hoerner on a 25-yard pass down the sideline. Hoerner sprinted into the end zone at the 6:17 mark of the third and the Cats were up 14-7 after Golan’s point-after was good.

But in the fourth Whitefish quarterback Carson Gulick connected with wide receiver Mason Kelch on fourth and eight.

Kelch was off to the races and scored a TD on the 67-yard play.

Neither team could put together a drive after that and a last gasp 57-yard field goal attempt by Golan, while a noble effort, was wide right with about 3 seconds to play.

In Montana high school overtime, each team gets the ball on the 10-yard line with four downs to score.

The Wildcats won the toss, but couldn’t gain much on three downs and opted for a Golan field goal attempt. The kick was off the mark, so Whitefish had its chance.

Gulick connected with Kelch in the corner of the end zone and the Bulldogs pulled off the upset.

The Cats racked up more than 450 yards in offense, but penalties and untimely turnovers hurt them. They had a fumble and interception that killed drives and like last week, they had some errant snaps and miscues that didn’t help, either.

Coach Jaxon Schweikert said the team is doing some really good things. They’ve been playing stellar defense most of the time, but the miscues are costing them.

They could just as easily be 4-0, he noted. But they’re now 2-2. He has confidence in the squad being able to right the ship.

“They need to stay more disciplined, stay within themselves,” coach Schweikert said. “Our coaches have 100% confidence in them.”

They face Polson at home Friday for homecoming.

The team needs to take care of the ball, reduce the penalties and finish drives and finish games, Schweikert said.

Gametime is 7 p.m.

C-Falls 7 0 0 7 0 - 14

Whitefish 0 7 0 7 6 - 20

CF — Cody Schweikert 2 run (Kai Golan kick)

W — CJ Thew 25 pass from Carson Gulick (Ryder Barinowski kick)

CF — Lane Hoerner 25 pass from Schweikert (Golan kick)

W — Thew 67 pass from Gulick (Barinowski kick)

W — Mason Kelch 10 pass from Gulick (no PAT)