Standout athlete, high school teacher Drew Morgan dies

Drew Morgan, a former Columbia Falls standout athlete and Belgrade High School science teacher has died.

Morgan, 25, graduated from Columbia Falls in 2019 and was a member of the Columbia Falls High School Athletic Hall of Fame. 

He taught science at Belgrade High School and also coached track and field at Belgrade Middle School. 

In high school he was a standout multi-sport athlete. As a senior he led the Wildcat football team to a conference title and the semifinals in the state A playoffs as the team's quarterback in fall of 2018. He was also a key wide receiver on the state championship football team as a junior in 2017. 

In track, he set a school record at the time as a senior at the state A track meet, taking second with an 11:06. In addition, he was third in the javelin and a member of the 400 meter relay team that won the state title and set a new school record. He also was an excellent basketball player for the Wildcats. Early in his youth, he  was part of the baseball team that went to the Babe Ruth World Series in 2014 

Morgan was the middle son of Pam and Eric Morgan. His brothers, Ty, who was the oldest and Cade, the youngest, were also standout athletes in Columbia Falls as well. 

Eric Morgan taught for years at the Columbia Falls Junior High. He has since retired. 

Columbia Falls head basketball coach Chris Finberg had fond memories of Drew Morgan, both as a basketball player and as a friend later in life. 

“He was very, very unselfish on the basketball court,” Finberg said Friday. “Our motto was ‘shoot the ball, Drew.’ He was one of the best shooters I’ve ever had. But he wanted to get his teammates involved ... He was just a good teammate. He had a witty sense of humor. As a coach, you can appreciate that.” 

This summer Finberg had hired Eric and Pam Morgan to paint the interior of his house. Finberg came back to the home one day and heard a rustling in a space above the front door where there is a window and no air conditioning.

Finberg heard the noise and looked up. 

“It was Drew up there in the space, covered with sweat, painting,” Finberg said. “He was up there having a good time. He just wanted to help out his parents.” 

The following passage is from Morgan's obituary: 

"Drew’s legacy resides in relationships. His kindness and light left an incredible impression. It was clear how respected he was among students and staff at his school. He could often be heard saying, 'Today is a great day to have a great day,' and 'Make a difference.' Because his struggles with mental health were not well-known, his family would like to say please reach out to those you love and let them know they are enough. Suicide is a tragic end to a life with so much potential.” 

Drew Morgan died Oct. 12, 2025. 

Services for Drew Morgan are 11:30 a.m. Oct. 25 at Risen Catholic Church in Evergreen followed by a burial at the catholic cemetery. 

There will be a reception at the Columbia Falls Junior High Cafetorium following the service. 

His full obituary is at www.dahlcares.com/obituaries/drew-morgan