Wampus Cats win big at Kibbie Dome in season-opener

MOSCOW — Plenty of big plays and a stout defensive effort helped Clark Fork notch a convincing 44-8 win over Lewis County in a season-opener on Saturday in the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

Senior running back Axel Anderson amassed 140 yards on seven carries, scoring touchdowns on an 80-yard run and a 55-yard catch. Quarterback Zack Klein added 111 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and threw for two more scores.

Junior Tristin Bristol, whom head coach Brian Arthun called a big and fast kid, hauled in a 75-yard touchdown catch and another 38 yard catch in his first varsity game.

As good as the offense was for the Cats (1-0), Arthun was most pleased with the defensive effort, particularly on the defensive line. Wyatt Stevens and Jon Regalia each recorded 3.5 sacks, as the Cats finished with 11 sacks on the day.

“It was a great way to start our season. In the first game, you always kind of wonder what you have,” said Arthun, who felt his team was sloppy at times with turnovers and penalties. “We’ll learn from our mistakes and clean some stuff up.”

Clark Fork now turns its attention to the home opener on Friday against Mullan, a big early season league game that could help shape the playoff landscape in the North Star League.

Kickoff is Friday night at 7 p.m. in Clark Fork.