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Prep Football Playoff Picture Begins to Emerge

By Beacon Staff

The Glacier football team won its fourth game in a row last Friday, powering past Missoula Sentinel 59-41 inside the University of Montana’s Washington Grizzly Stadium. The high-scoring victory moved the Wolfpack to 6-1 overall and in a three-way tie for second place in Class AA with only three games remaining in the regular season.

This Friday’s showdown at Legends Stadium could likely have playoff implications as longtime nemesis Helena Capital (6-1) travels to Kalispell to take on Glacier. Glacier defeated Capital twice last fall, 33-7 in the regular season and 21-13 in the playoffs.

Capital has the third best offense in the state and Glacier has the fourth, meaning it could be an action-packed matchup this week. Then the Wolfpack host Great Falls (1-6) on Oct. 25 and finish the regular season against Flathead (2-5) on Nov. 1.

Bozeman remains the lone undefeated AA team in Montana at 7-0, while the two Helena schools are tied with Glacier. The top team at the end of the regular season earns an automatic bid to the state playoffs, while the other top three teams host opening round playoff games. Helena High lost to Great Falls C.M. Russell last week, 20-17. Fifth-place Butte (5-2) defeated Great Falls 52-31.

Flathead travels to Missoula Hellgate (0-7) this Friday, then plays Sentinel (4-3) on Oct. 25.

In Class B, Bigfork is undefeated at 6-0 and ranked third in the state. The Vikings beat Plains 54-14 last week.

The top two teams in contention for the District 7B title clash in Bigfork this Friday. Eureka (5-2 overall, 2-0 in district) plays Bigfork on Friday at 7 p.m.

Then Bigfork caps the regular season on the road against Thompson Falls (2-5, 1-1) in a conference matchup. Eureka finishes the regular season on the road at Plains (0-7, 0-3 in District 7B).

In Class A, Columbia Falls (6-0 overall, 2-0 in conference) holds the top spot in the Northwestern A standings. Polson (4-2, 2-1) is second, followed by Whitefish (5-2, 1-1), Frenchtown (2-4, 1-2) and Libby (1-6, 0-2).

Polson travels to Havre this Friday before finishing the regular season at Columbia Falls. Whitefish hosts Frenchtown this Friday at 7 p.m. and then ends at Libby on Oct. 25. Libby plays at Columbia Falls this Friday.