Glacier nips Big Sky

by The Daily Inter Lake
| October 24, 2009 2:00 AM

MISSOULA - Senior Wiley Fusaro caught a 17-yard touchdown pass with just over four minutes to play and the Glacier Wolfpack held on to edge Missoula Big Sky 35-31 in a critical Western AA football showdown on Friday.

"They took care of business tonight. Now it puts us in a position where we control our own destiny. That's what we've wanted all along," Glacier head coach Grady Bennett said.

In a tight playoff race, the Wolfpack improves to 6-3 with one game left, a home matchup with Missoula Hellgate (1-8).

The Wolfpack rattled off 28 points in the first half and led by four at halftime after Big Sky missed four extra-point attempts.

Glacier's Shay Smithwick-Hann was 10 for 130 yards rushing with a touchdown and threw for 111 yards and another touchdown. BJ Corpron and Justin Schenck each had an interception for the Wolfpack.

"I just thought our kids played so well together as a team. That's the reason we've been successful," Bennett said. "We're not going to win games behind one superstar, we're going to win behind a team. And tonight was a beautiful example of team football."

Taylor Hart rumbled in for two more touchdowns on the season. Fusaro finished with 70 yard rushing on 10 carries.

Glacier 14 14 7 0 - 35

Big Sky 12 12 7 0 - 31

First quarter

BS - Drew Owens 76 pass from Eric Deneault (pass fail), 11:03.

Gla - Taylor Hart 7 run (Brendan Hagan kick), 10:14.

BS - Glen Maricelli 6 run (kick failed), 5:45.

Gla - Hart 7 run (Hagan kick), 2:36.

Second quarter

BS - Michael Duncan 39 pass from Deneault (pass fail), 11:38.

Gla - Shay Smithwick-Hann 33 run (Hagan kick), 10:19.

Gla - BJ Corpron 11 run (Hagan kick), 6:45.

BS - Maricelli 5 run (kick failed), 1:27.

Third quarter

BS - Maricelli 1 run (Owens kick), 7:19.

Gla - Wiley Fusaro 17 pass from Smithwick-Hann (Hagan kick), 4:24.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING - Glacier (34-265): Shay Smithwick-Hann 10-130, Wiley Fusaro 10-70, Taylor Hart 8-41, Bryan Chery 5-13, BJ Corpron 1-11. Big Sky (42-160): Glen Maricelli 32-158, Keenan Moreau 1-2, Eric Deneault 9-0.

PASSING - Glacier: Smithwick-Hann 8-18-8-111. Big Sky: Deneault 11-22-2-222.

RECEIVING - Glacier: George Werk 2-39, Fusaro 2-13, Chery 1-9, Freddie Blodnick 1-10, Hart 1-18, Jacob Leininger 1-22. Big Sky: Drew Owens 7-134, Michael Duncan 3-77, Jordon Schafer 1-11.