A new era is underway at Whitefish High School, but not just inside the shiny halls of the redeveloped campus.
A powerful program has emerged on the football field.
The Bulldogs are back on top of the Northwestern A, league champions for the first time since 2002.
Whitefish rolled past Frenchtown 35-9 last Friday, improving to 3-0 in conference and 6-2 overall and clinching the conference title.
Only two seasons ago, the Bulldogs were near the bottom of the standings, 1-3 in league and 3-6 overall.
Now they are chewing up opponents by an average of 17 points per game.
There’s one game left in the regular season — at home against Libby this Friday — and another chance for the Bulldogs to sharpen their teeth before charging into the Class A playoffs for the second year in a row.
With the top seed from the Northwest, Whitefish earns a first-round bye and a chance to host all the way to the championship game.
That was the dream back in the summer when a strong lineup of talented players returned to the field, including quarterback Luke May and receivers Jack Streibich and Jed Nagler.
One dominating win at a time, the boys have made it a reality. That included toppling No. 1-ranked rival Columbia Falls, 20-15, which dropped the Wildcats from the rankings and led to the eventual unseating of the reigning conference champs.
That game stands out as Columbia Falls’ one hiccup in an otherwise dominating season. The Wildcats showed just how powerful they can be last week against Libby, piling up 480 yards of offense to the Loggers’ 95 en route to a 73-0 victory at home. It was the second-straight shutout for the Wildcats, following the team’s 41-0 win over Frenchtown on Oct. 10.
At 6-1 overall and 2-1 in conference, the Wildcats are also poised for another exciting run in the playoffs. The boys travel to Polson on Friday to wrap up the regular season before entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seed from the Northwest.
The No. 3 team from Northwestern A will play the No. 2 seed from the Southwestern conference in the first round. Frenchtown is 3-5 and 2-2, Polson is 3-5, 1-2 and Libby is 2-6, 0-3.
With the No. 2 seed, Columbia Falls would host the No. 3 seed from Southwestern A.
“They feel like they’re the best team, and they should,” Columbia Falls head coach Jaxon Schweikert said of his squad.
He added, “These kids are pretty invested. We have 100 percent attendance at practices. Our kids don’t miss practice or time in the weight room or film meetings every day. They take it all very seriously. It takes a lot to be where they want to be, but it’s pretty rewarding when it turns out.”
Last season Columbia Falls was the new team on top after achieving its first unbeaten regular season since 1976 and only the second league title in three decades. But the Wildcats fell in the semifinal round of the playoffs, losing 33-21 to Billings Central.
Whitefish finished last season in second place in Northwestern A and also made an impressive postseason run. The Bulldogs advanced to the quarterfinals before losing 27-20 to Belgrade.
Now the two local teams have swapped positions in the standings but remain strong as the postseason approaches.
“I think we have a great shot to go further than we did last year,” Schweikert said. “We’re excited.”
Despite their impressive marks this season, Whitefish and Columbia Falls have been largely overlooked by the state rankings. Belgrade (7-1) has occupied the top spot in the Associated Press poll, followed by Butte Central (7-1), Billings Central (5-2), Laurel (5-3) and Dillon (5-2).
Belgrade edged Whitefish 29-28 on Sept. 12 and then Corvallis defeated Whitefish 34-20 on Sept. 19.
Thanks to an athletic, fast lineup, the Bulldogs are averaging 32.7 points per game on offense and limiting opponents to an average of 15.29 ppg.
Running a high-tempo system that keeps opponents on their heels, Columbia Falls is averaging 39.17 ppg on offense, the most in the state, and holding opponents to 9 ppg, on average, the second fewest in the state.
Dakota Bridwell, the Wildcats first-year QB, has developed into a top passer, averaging 270 yards per game with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He is completing 63 percent of his passes.
May, Whitefish’s talented passer, is averaging 244 yards per game with 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He is completing 62 percent of his throws. May has also rushed for 529 yards and three touchdowns. Teammate Chris Park has rushed for nearly 500 yards and four touchdowns.
Once again, Columbia Falls’ Ty Morgan is one of the best all-around players in the state. The senior receiver has 951 yards on 46 catches and eight touchdowns. Teammate Trevor Houston has nearly 400 yards and six total TDs.
Whitefish has two of the state’s top receivers. Nagler has 786 yards on 37 catches and nine touchdowns, most in the conference. Streibich has caught 30 passes for 554 yards and eight touchdowns. Brian FauntLeRoy has also stepped up as a big playmaker. Last weekend he rushed eight times for 102 yards and three touchdowns.
NOTEBOOK: The Glacier Wolfpack remain the undefeated No. 1 team in Class AA. The Wolfpack improved to 8-0 last week with a dominant 55-14 win over Helena Capital. Glacier wraps up the regular season at Great Falls at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and then against rival Flathead at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Flathead (3-5) finishes the regular season at home against Missoula Sentinel (2-6) this Friday at 7 p.m. and against Glacier.
In Class B, Bigfork (6-1 overall, 3-0 in conference) is ranked in the top 10 and in control of District 7B. The Vikes defeated Eureka 47-0 last Friday. The boys finish the regular season at home against Thompson Falls (2-6, 2-1) at 7 p.m.