RAINIER — For the past week, the Rainier Columbians heard again and again that they hail from a weak league and wouldn’t be able to stand up against a team from a stronger conference.

On Friday, Rainier silenced the critics with a 62-6 Class 3A state playoff blowout over Glide, the No. 3 team from the perennially tough Sunset Conference.

Sophomore Matthew Cathcart played the game of his life with 211 yards rushing and four touchdowns, and senior fullback Curtis Kauffman rushed for four more TDs, all in the first half.

“We were getting sick of hearing how weak our league is,” Rainier coach Thor Ware said. “I guess it’s a good thing we brought our A-game to beat Glide.”

Rainier’s A-game featured three recovered onside kicks, four interceptions and a 352-22 advantage in rushing yards.

Rainier (9-2) will face Santiam Christian on the road next weekend in the quarterfinals of the 3A state playoffs. Santiam narrowly defeated the Columbians 3-0 on Sept. 11 at Rainier.

“Now that is going to be a rematch,” Ware predicted.

Rainier’s first play of the game was a gutsy onside kick booted by Cathcart and recovered by sophomore Marshall Dean. Rainier quickly marched the ball down the field and Kauffman scored the Columbians’ first touchdown with a 39-yard run.

After the score, Cathcart squibbed another onside kick that was recovered by Kauffman, keeping Glide from even touching the ball in the first half of the quarter.

“We practice those short kicks. People ask me why we don’t kick deep,” Ware said. “Why give the other team a chance to return it to the 40-yard line when we can give ourselves a chance to get the ball?”

Rainier senior Darryl Paddock snatched up another onside kick by Cathcart early in the second quarter, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by Kauffman.

Cathcart credits his tricky kicking ability to playing soccer.

“If the coach asks for an onside kick, I just do it like a soccer kick,” Cathcart said.

In addition to his kicking skills, Cathcart proved himself to be the fastest running back on the field. His 211 yards came on just 10 carries, which featured two 65-yard touchdown sprints, a 30-yard TD and a 3-yard score.

“Amazing,” Cathcart said, summing up his team’s win in one word.

Amazing could also describe Dean’s night. Dean — all 5-foot-10, 160 pounds of him — intercepted two passes from Glide quarterback Landon Weimar, recovered an onside kick, recovered two Glide fumbles and returned one 45 yards for a touchdown. He also ran in a two-point conversion.

In the first quarter, Weimar completed an 11-yard pass to Drew Vickery, the only Wildcat yards in the period. Glide’s second first down came midway through the second quarter and was a result of three Rainier penalties.

A minute into the third quarter, Cathcart’s 30-yard TD run put the Columbians up 48-0, allowing the officials to change to a running clock.

With 6:51 left in the third, a Glide punt bounced off Dean and was recovered by the Wildcats, giving them a first down at Rainier 35-yard line. Two 12-yard runs by Weimar gave moved Wildcats to the 11-yard line. Although Weimar was sacked for a 14-yard loss by Rainier’s Lucky Lovell, he was able to complete his next pass to Vickery for a 25-yard TD.

Weimar, who averages more than 200 yards passing per game, completed 4-of-15 tosses for 43 yards.

“Curtis Kauffman, Matthew Cathcart, Riley Tripp and our whole offensive line played a great game.” Ware said. “Nick Huelter did a great job making things happen up front for us.”

Ware credited the defensive efforts of Brad Tripp and Cody Garrett, who each picked off a Weimar pass. Lovell sacked Weimar twice.

“Riley Tripp leads us offensively and Brad Tripp leads the defense,” Ware said. “We’ve been playing really well. We’ve been playing great defense.”

Columbians 62, Wildcats 6

Glide           0          0         6         0 — 6

Rainier     22        12       20        8 — 62

Rain — Curtis Kauffman 39 run (Marshall Dean run)

Rain — Kauffman 1 run (run failed)

Rain — Kauffman 12 run (Dean run)

Rain — Kauffman 1 run (run failed)

Rain — Matthew Cathcart 3 run (run failed)

Rain — Cathcart 65 run (Carson Skeans run)

Rain — Cathcart 30 run (run failed)

Glide — Drew Vickery 25 pass from Landon Weimar (run failed)

Rain — Cathcart 65 run (run failed)

Rain — Dean 45 run rumble recovery (Ethan McGlone run)