On a perfect August Friday night in Columbia Falls, things got downright offensive – but Jaxon Schweikert, coach of the host Wildcats, submits that his team played excellent D.

“Except for about four plays,” he said of the 48-28 Columbia Falls win.

In the aftermath we’ve figured out, with an assist from Class A historian Brian Reed, that Polson sophomore quarterback Jarrett Wilson threw for the fourth-most yards in the history of Montana’s second-highest classification - 444.

He had 193 of those yards on three TD passes – of 65, 48 and 80 yards to Colton Graham. Graham’s totals of 12 receptions and 251 yards are school records as well.

The duo had Columbia Falls in a tight spot for a time: Schweikert knew Wilson was a talent, had senior linebacker Lucas Thacker set to spy on the QB and expected the Pirates, with their two tight ends, to be as run-heavy as they were in 2019.

Polson lined up tight on the first play - and ran a flea-flicker pass for a touchdown.

“We had four meltdowns, defensively,” Schwiekert said. “But the good thing is our kids adjusted really well.”

Schweikert is a proponent of the no-huddle offense and the idea that his Wildcats will wear down opponents. That seemed to happen Friday, because Columbia Falls scored the last 34 points.

“I thought both teams were in shape,” Schweikert said. “But at the end I felt we were still strong and they never got their second wind.”

Kaden Glinsmann, Polson’s second-year head coach, noted a momentum switch when – after Wilson ran for a TD that put the Pirates up 28-14 in the third quarter – Columbia Falls got an 85-yard kickoff return from Isaiah Roth.

“I attribute that also to, No. 1, Columbia Falls finishing the game,” Glinsmann said. “They have a load of seniors who know how to finish and did a great job, because we were pretty much after them all night.”

Polson went 4-5 a year ago but had to replace nine starters on offense. One of the few starters back moved from receiver to quarterback. That’s Jarrett Wilson.

“We threw the ball around the yard,” Glinsmann said. “It really comes down to the players we have. We have basketball players and baseball players and I want to make football as fun as we can to play. We can recruit the whole building when we make football fun for the players.”

Coming off a 2-7 injury-plagued season, Schweikert hoped the experience gained last year by underclassmen would pay off for the 2020 Wildcats. He also has a seasoned quarterback in Mason Peters, who threw for four touchdowns against the Pirates.

Peters was 23 of 41 passing for 347 yards, and ran another eight times for 104. According to Reed – we crossed paths a long time ago in the Billings Gazette newsroom – that’s the fifth 300/100 game in Class A history. Peters is the latest in a line of solid QB’s that have helped Schweikert go 55-22 as the Wildcats’ coach.

The Wildcats couldn’t do it with offense alone, and touchdowns aside Wilson was a more pedestrian 29 of 50 passing for 251 yards. Schweikert was impressed with Wilson’s throwing ability and the speed of the Pirates receiving crew.

“When they got a ball on top of us, we didn’t lock them down at all,” he said.

After a while the Wildcats were able to keep the passes underneath and pull out a win that turned on special teams and a resilient defense. Not many of us got to be there for it, but it was quite a game.

Here’s hoping for a few more.

Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 406-758-4463 at via email at fneighbor@dailyinterlake.com.