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Wolfpack Clinch Bid to Football State Championship Game

By Beacon Staff

It was fair to wonder and doubt. There were three key starters, including the standout running back, lost to injury. The opponent, Great Falls C.M. Russell, was rolling into town on a seven-game win streak, reminiscent of the great Rustlers from previous years.

History cast a dark shadow, too — only one Kalispell team in 30 years has survived until the final Friday of the fall to play for a football state championship.

“A couple of us were wondering if we had enough left, if we had enough resolve,” Glacier head coach Grady Bennett said.

One big play after another, packed with power and prowess, the Glacier Wolfpack vanquished any doubt or historical odds and broke new ground last week inside Legends Stadium.

Bring on Bozeman.

The Wolfpack steamrolled C.M. Russell, 52-7, in the semifinal round of the playoffs and advanced to the Class AA championship game.

In a showdown between the top two seeds, No. 1 Bozeman (12-0) hosts No. 2 Glacier (11-1) on Nov. 22 inside Van Winkle Stadium.

“Going to the state championship is the kind of thing you dream about as a little kid. It’s the best feeling in the world,” said senior running back Noah James, who was forced to watch the semifinal from the sidelines wearing a cast on his leg, which he injured in the quarterfinals against Butte.

“I really wish I could be out there playing next week, but I love these guys and they’ll get it done.”

The Hawks dropped Billings Skyview, 56-26, at home last week, qualifying for their second straight championship game and third in four years. Last year they lost to Butte, 38-36, and defeated Helena High, 28-7, in 2010.

Glacier gave top-ranked Bozeman its closest game all season in the third week, losing to the Hawks, 27-12.

“This has been our dream the whole year: to get to the state title game,” Glacier junior quarterback Brady McChesney said after the semifinal victory.

“And playing against Bozeman is even better. That’s the only team we lost to and we really want, I guess you could say, revenge. I think we can take them this time around.”

This is the first team from Kalispell to vie for a championship since the 2000 Flathead Braves. That year’s team lost to Helena Capital, 35-6. The other most recent contender was the 1980 Braves, who lost to C.M. Russell, 25-0.

“To do what we’ve done in seven years, I’m just so proud of everybody involved,” Bennett said.

The last Kalispell team to claim a championship was the 1970 Braves, who earned the trophy after finishing the regular season with the best record, 9-0-1. The previous Kalispell team to play in a postseason championship game and win was the 1959 Braves, who defeated Butte 39-0 and claimed their second straight title.

All together, Flathead is home to five football championships — 1939, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1970 — and tied in 1951.

“It’s really fun that we could all be on the field for this experience,” McChesney said.

Glacier’s Logan Jones (28) tries to run over CMR defenders. – Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

After losses in the semifinals the past two seasons, this Glacier squad finally broke through. The mission, seven years in the making, was completed as the entire roster seemingly played a vital part last week.

Six different players put points on the scoreboard, including junior receiver Devin Cochran, who erupted for a school-record 222 yards and three touchdowns. Before Friday, Cochran had 184 yards all season.

McChesney was essentially flawless, completing 14 of 19 passes for 308 yards with three passing TDs and one rushing. He had zero interceptions.

Evan Epperly caught three passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. Logan Jones notched a 41-yard TD run, Todd Ogden added a 2-yard score and Brandon Purdy kicked a 20-yard field goal.

“We didn’t let the pressure get to us at all,” said Epperly. “We had one goal in mind: just get a win and finally get over the hump and take this program to the next level. That’s what we did tonight.”

The defense held the Rustlers to 244 yards and only one TD, in the third quarter. It was the sixth game this season where the Pack kept an opponent to only one score.

“The way these kids rallied during the week and practiced and got their wind back, you could just see their determination,” Bennett said. “I’m so proud of them.”

Glacier certainly has its hands full now. Bozeman boasts the top offense and defense in the state, averaging 51.2 points per game while holding opponents to 12.6 ppg. Glacier has the third best offense and defense, averaging 41.2 ppg while keeping foes to 16.2 ppg.

“They’re not just satisfied to get there,” Bennett said. “I know they will be hungry to go play their tails off in that championship game, when everybody will say it’s going to be an easy Bozeman win. I believe in what those kids are going to do next week.”

Glacier High School is organizing charter buses to send students, parents and fans to the game in Bozeman. Students can ride a chaperoned pep bus for $20 that includes a ticket to the game. A 55-seat charter bus is available for parents and fans for $50 per rider.

The buses will leave Glacier High at 11 a.m., Friday, and follow the team out of town with a police escort. The buses will return after the game Friday night. Registration for the trip closes Thursday at noon. Sign up to ride to Bozeman at the high school main office.

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