Cats struggle in season opener against the Broncs
Lane Voermans (63) with a tackle against Frenchtown.
Hungry Horse News
They hung in there for the first half, but the Columbia Falls football team had a tough go of it in the second half and lost to Frenchtown 42-12 in the Wildcats’ home opener.
The Broncs got on board first with a 65-yard drive in the first quarter to go up 7-0. But the Cats responded, and sophomore quarterback Banyon Johnston rumbled in from under a yard out with 1:50 left in the first.
The point after was wide and the Cats were down 7-6.
Neither team could get much going with four straight punts between them, but with 4:50 in the second quarter Frenchtown scored on a 21-yard touchdown to go up 14-6.
The Cats responded when Johnston connected with sophomore Jory Hill on a sweet pass down the sideline for a 31-yard touchdown.
The Cats went for two to tie it but the pass slipped out of Hill’s hands. Cats down 14-12.
It was all Frenchtown after that, as the Broncs scored another TD with 21 seconds left in the second quarter to go up 21-12 at the break.
The Broncs added 21 more in the second half and the Cats simply couldn’t get the offense going.
Johnston finished with 165 yards passing; Easton Brooks had three catches for 34 yards. But the Cats only had about 10 total yards rushing.
Frenchtown had 349 yards total offense, with a balanced attack featuring quarterback Brody Hardy.
The Cats had some key players out due to injury, which didn’t help. They wanted to run the ball, but Frenchtown’s line was a tough matchup for the largely young Columbia Falls squad.
The Wildcats will look to get a win this Friday as they travel to Browning.
Frenchtown 7 14 7 14 - 42
Col. Falls 6 6 0 0 - 12
F — Brody Hardy 15 run (Jaxon Haynes kick)
CF — Banyan Johnston 1 run (kick failed)
F — Hardy 21 run (Haynes kick)
CF — Jory Hill 31 pass from Johnston (pass failed)
F — Hardy 3 run (Haynes kick)
F — Bailey Corette 4 pass from Hardy (Haynes kick)
F — 30 fumble return (Haynes kick)
F — Cole Johnson 5 run (Haynes kick)