Defense was the difference. The Columbia Falls football team improved to 2-0 last week after it downed Hamilton 14-9 away Sept. 6.

The Wildcats opened the scoring with a safety by Trevor Hoerner in the first quarter against the Broncs to make it 2-0. Hamilton answered with a field goal to close the half at 3-2.

But the Cats answered with a touchdown in the third quarter after Ike Schweikert punched it in from three yards out to take an 8-3 lead. Hamilton followed up with a 27-yard field goal in the third to make it 8-6.

In the fourth, the Broncs added another field goal to go up 9-8, but Wildcat quarterback Dakota Bridwell connected with Trevor Houston on a 46-yard strike to take the lead, 14-9.

Hamilton drove down into the Wildcat red zone, but the Cat defender Ty Morgan saved the day by picking off Bronc quarterback Brett Huxtable in the end zone to stop their scoring drive with just 14 seconds left in the game. Bridwell went 14 for 24 passing for 167 yards and rushed for an additional 58 yards. Stephen Lindsay had 15 carries for 69 yards. Houston had seven catches for 100 yards receiving.

The Wildcats host Browning for their first home game of the season this Friday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Coach Jackson Schweikert was pleased with the team’s defensive play.

“We dominated up front,” he said.

But he also said the team has plenty of work to do.

“We just have to clean up some stuff. We can play much better. Much cleaner.”