Columbia Falls standout football player Trevor Hoerner made it official last week as he signed with the University of Montana football team.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior is slated to play defensive end for the Grizzlies, but he was a linebacker and receiver for the Wildcats. Hoerner is the first Columbia Falls athlete to play football for the Grizzlies in decades, if ever.

Hoerner was one of 10 players from Montana that head coach Bob Stitt signed.

“Montana kids. That’s where we start. We did a very good job of identifying the players with FCS ability in the state very early,” Stitt said. “Our whole recruiting process revolves around the kids in Montana. There was a ton of them this year, and we’ve signed 10 of them we feel can help us win a lot of ballgames.”

Hoener was an all-state team captain for the Wildcats and helped lead them to the state championship game against Dillon this year as the Cats finished the season with a 10-2 record. His parents are Jay and Carisa Hoerner of Columbia Falls. When he’s not playing football, he enjoys hunting and trapping.