The Columbia Falls Wildcats boys soccer team was supposed to play Bigfork for their Homecoming match on Saturday, but due to a forfeit, took on the 8-0 undefeated Stillwater Christian School Cougars in their place. After an intense, hard-fought game, the Cats walked off the field with a 2-1 victory.

Coach O’Brien Byrd explained that while the Stillwater game was non-conference as opposed to Bigfork, it would not affect the Wildcats’ conference position negatively; the forfeit counted as a 3-0 win for the Cats. He was proud of his young team’s performance against a team with nine starting seniors, and excited for the opportunity to play so competitively.

In the first half, Traic Fainter pulled a penalty and Kai Golan buried the resulting penalty kick. The Cougars caught up, and the teams fought at 1-1 until there was no time left on the clock. In stoppage time, freshman Brady Bell passed to Golan, who “took matter into his own hands” and scored the winning goal.

“It was exactly the push that we needed,” Byrd said of the win, noting that the leadership, intensity and communication the Cats have been working to build all season were at work whistle to whistle

Last Tuesday, the Cats dropped Polson 3-2. Golan and River Wolford scored in the second half in the win. Wolford had two goals, Golan one.

After press time on Tuesday, the Wildcats took on Libby at home for their senior night game, check for updates online. On Oct. 5, they will take on their top conference competitor, Whitefish, in the last match before playoffs at 5 p.m. in Whitefish.