Big Sky holds off Glacier

The Daily Inter Lake

MISSOULA - The Glacier Wolfpack weren't about to hand over the final game of the Class AA football season before handing in its jerseys.

Coach Grady Bennett's club showed up ready to play, battling the Big Sky Eagles to the final seconds before losing 37-34.

The Eagles scored 21 unanswered points in the first half, but Glacier rallied to tie the game in the third quarter at 21-all.

Big Sky took the lead with a pair of touchdowns and a field goal, but the 'Pack fought back to get within three points with 47 seconds left in the game after quarterback Shay Smithwick-Hann hit Jordan Nelson on a 24-yard touchdown pass.

Glacier went for the onside-kick. Kicker Taylor Graham slapped a perfect shot off the ground that ended up in the hands of teammate Alec Tuman, giving Glacier one more shot.

But Big Sky (6-4), needing a win to cement good playoff positioning, pressured Smithwick-Hann on every play. After being hit by a defender, Smithwick-Hann let a shaky pass fly through the air and Big Sky intercepted.

Glacier finished the season 2-8, but according to Bennett, the light bulbs on the score board don't tell the whole story.

"They just fought and fought all the way to the end," Bennett said. "What a tremendous effort for these kids to finish the season on."

After the game, the coaching staff and team came together for one last time and reflected on the season.

"The seniors, I'm just so proud of them," Bennett said. "You look at where these seniors left this program in two short years. Unbelievable."

Smithwick-Hann finished the game with 279 yards passing and three touchdowns, giving him 22 on the season.

Nelson made several big catches and finished with 117 yards.

Connor Fuller scored Glacier's first touchdown in the second quarter on a 22- yard pass from Smithwick-Hann. BJ Corpron followed with a 30-yarder to the end zone. Taylor Hart ran the ball nine times for 51 yards and scored a touchdown.

Glacier 0 14 7 12 - 34

Big Sky 7 14 6 10 - 37

MBS - Glen Maricelli 2 run (Drew Owens kick)

MBS - Trevor Kamura 2 run (Owens kick)

MBS - Brandt Montelius 51 pass from Mike LaValley (Owens kick)

G - Conner Fuller 22 pass from Shay Smithwick-Hann (Jordan Nelson kick)

G - BJ Corpron 30 pass from Smithwick-Hann (Nelson kick)

G - Taylor Hart 10 run (Nelson kick)

MBS - Maricelli 1 run (kick failed)

G - Corpron 4 run (kick failed)

MBS - Maricelli 3 run (Owens kick)

MBS - FG, Owens, 32

G - Nelson 24 pass from Smithwick-Hann (kick failed)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing - Glacier (23-553): Hart 9-51, Wiley Fusaro 6-25, Corpron 1-4, Smithwick-Hann 7 (-27). Big Sky (35-157): Eddie Apostol 17-64, Kamura, 10-51, Maricelli 10-33, Jordan Tripp 7-9, LaValley 1-0.

Passing - Glacier, Smithwick-Hann 16-32-279-2. Big Sky, LaValley 15-24-232-0.

Receiving - Glacier, Nelson 7-117, Fuller 3-53, Tyler Lincoln 2-48, Corpron 1-30, George Werk 1-25, Fusaro 2-6. Big Sky, Montelius 6-160, Kevin McHugh 2-28, Owens 5-26, Ryan Devlin 1-23, Tripp 1-9.