The historic Cat-Dog rivalry is almost upon us as Whitefish is set to collide with Columbia Falls Friday night.
It’s a rivalry more than 100 years in the making, and the latest edition takes place in Columbia Falls with first place in the conference on the line.
Friday, Whitefish hits the seven-mile trek looking to keep the momentum rolling.
The Dawgs enter this rivalry showdown 6-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.
Columbia Falls is 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in conference play. C-Falls’ only loss came against Frenchtown, a 28-13 defeat.
Some stats courtesy of MaxPreps:
Team Comparison
| Whitefish | Columbia Falls | |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing Yards/Game | 198.8 | 212.2 |
| Passing Yards/Game | 196.3 | 208.0 |
| Receiving Yards/Game | 188.7 | 208.0 |
| Total Yards/Game | 395.2 | 420.2 |
| Points/Game | 41.0 | 39.8 |
Key Players
Both teams bring some of Class A's top offensive playmakers into Friday night's rivalry showdown.
Whitefish quarterback Luke Dalen leads the way. Dalen is currently No. 1 in Class A in total yards, averaging 276.0 yards per game. He is averaging 179.3 passing yards and 84.7 rushing yards per game, making him a threat in both phases of the Dawgs' offense.
Columbia Falls counters with some impressive numbers of its own. Running back Trip Ross ranks No. 3 in Class A in rushing yards, while wide receiver Jory Hill ranks No. 2 in receiving yards. Ross is averaging 130.2 rushing yards per game, while Hill is averaging 78.0 receiving yards per game.
Through the air, Columbia Falls quarterback Banyan Johnston is averaging 204.0 passing yards per game, giving the Cats another major weapon to account for.
Whitefish also has plenty of firepower on the outside. Sam Rainford ranks No. 6 in Class A in receiving yards, averaging 53.7 yards per game, while Vlad Shestak and Brody Forthofer give the Dawgs additional threats in the passing game.
With first place in the conference on the line, there will be no shortage of high-level playmakers on the field Friday night.
Since 2004 the Dawgs are 8-15 vs. the Kats. Whitefish's last win was back in 2023, 20-14.
It's the Dawgs vs. the Kats, Friday night, live from Columbia Falls. Kick-off at 7pm.
Catch the live play-by-play on 102.7FM & 1240 AM Outlaw Country.
Listen online at 1027outlaw.com or on the free 1027 Outlaw App.
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