They knew the run was coming, they just couldn’t stop it. Frenchtown blew out the Columbia Falls football team 42-6 at home Oct. 12, racking up 283 yards of offense in the first half alone.

The Broncs shot out to a 20-0 lead and never really looked back, running the ball at will. The Wildcats had a glimmer of hope in the second quarter when Josiah Osborne grabbed a 15-yard pass from Jared Trinastich to make it 20-6.

But Frenchtown opened with a 69-yard drive, a 55-yard touchdown run and a 60-yard pass against the Cats. Columbia Falls also had four turnovers.

“As a whole, this was the worst game we played,” coach Jackson Schweikert said.

The young Cats team played better defense in the second half, holding the Broncs to a touchdown, but by then it was too late.

“We were dramatically better defensively,” Schweikert said.

Trinastich was 18-for-36 for 158 yards. The Cats will try to regroup against Libby this week at home. If they can get a win against the Loggers, they have a shot at a playoff berth, as three teams from the conference go to the playoffs this year.

Whitefish plays Frenchtown. If they beat the Broncs, they would win a tiebreaker.

Schweikert likes the Cats’ chances against the Loggers, noting the team usually bounces back well after a loss. He said they have to contain the Libby quarterback, stay in coverage longer and watch for the option play. The game starts at 7 p.m.

The boys are now 1-2 in conference and 3-4 overall.

Frenchtown 20 14 0 8 - 42

C. Falls 0 6 0 0 - 6

F - Kyle Cyr 27 pass from John Chapman (kick blocked)

F - Dan Lebsock 10 (kick blocked)

F - Matt Price 50 run (Lebsock run)

CF - Josiah Osborne 15 pass from Jared Trinastich (kick failed)

F - Cyr 50 pass from Chapman (run failed)

F - Lebsock 2 run (Cyr pass from Chapman)

F - Price 5 run (Jack Nerison run)