Wolves visit
Northport Friday
A Columbia-Inchelium football team that struggled with consistency and continuity early-on this football season seems to be rounding into form as the stretch run toward the 1B (eight-man) football playoffs looms.
The Timberwolves (4-2, 2-1) blasted overmatched Waterville (1-5, 1-2) last Friday afternoon at Inchelium, 62-12, in a battle of Northeast 1B North and NE 1B South teams.
C-I rolled to a 24-6 first quarter lead and increased that working margin to 44-12 at halftime.
The Wolves moved into third place in the NE 1B standings. Second-ranked Cusick is steamrolling through the NE 1B this fall, putting up points like a high-scoring college basketball team. The Panthers (3-0, 6-0) are coming off a 70-20 blasting of Republic (2-2, 3-2) last Friday night in Pend Oreille County.
THIS WEEK
Columbia-Inchelium will visit skidding Northport on Friday. Game time is 7 p.m.
The Mustangs (0-3, 2-4) are on a three-game losing streak and are in desperate need of a win. C-I is looking to avenge a costly loss to Northport last fall.
âWe are playing a lot better,â conceded C-I head coach Chuck Wyborney. âI hope we can go up there and dominateâŠget a little momentum going for those last two league games (against Cusick and Selkirk).
âWe were embarrassed by Northport last year. This is a great chance to erase that memory.â
For the first time all season long, C-I is healthy and at full strength.
Flying around
âWe are really starting to gel as a team,â Wyborney said. âWe have kids flying around on defense and we saw some nice hits from our guys against Waterville.â
Wyborneyâs son, Dustin, had a big game against the Shockers, rushing for a career-high 287 yards on 16 carries and scoring four times (70, 14, 48, 18 yards).
The converted quarterback said heâs starting to âfinally feel like a tailback,â his father said.
Dustin Elliott had 11 tackles on defense âand stuffed the middle all game long,â coach Wyborney said of his senior.
âThe kids are really starting to rally to the ball (on defense),â Wyborney said. âAnd on offense, we have had the same combination for two weeks in a row. I feel like we can move the ball on anybody. We have a good mix inside, outside and throwing the ball.â
Wyborney says it helps that the Timberwolves are starting 13 different players.
âThat makes a big difference when you can do that,â Wyborney said. âIt also picks up things in practice and makes it more competitive.
âNow, if we can get a little bit nasty out there and dominateâŠIâm starting to see a little bit of that.â
STAT LINE
Rushing: Wyborney, 16-287; Cohen, 3-15; Elliott, 8-55; Holford, 8-112; Zehetmir, 3-22; LeaderCharge, 2-23; McDowell, 4-32. Total: 44-546 yards.
Passing: Cohenâ5-12â979 yards.
Receiving: Elliott, 2-60; McDowell, 2-22; Wyborney, 1-15.
Tackles: Elliott 9, Stensgar 5, McDowell 6, E. Reynolds 5, Zehetmir 3.
McDowell and Jones both recovered fumbles.
Waterville totals:
Rushing: 22-189 and 3-13â20 yds. passing.
WHS 6 6 0 0â12
C-I 24 20 12 6â62
C-IâElliott 2 yd. run (pass Holford from Cohen)
C-IâWyborney 70 yd. run (pass McDowell from Cohen)
WatâClements 44 yd. run (run failed)
C-IâWyborney 14 yd. run (Leadercharge pass from Cohen)
C-IâHolford 7 yd. run (Elliott run)
WatâDeshazer 75 yd. run (pass failed)
C-IâMcDowell 14 yd. pass from Cohen (pass failed)
C-IâCohen 8 yd. run (pass failed)
C-IâWyborney 48 yd. run (pass failed)
C-IâWyborney 18 yd. run (pass failed)
C-IâHolford 18 yd. run (run failed)

