Class AA Football Previews: Missoula Big Sky at Flathead; Glacier at Great Falls

TODAY: Missoula Big Sky (0-6) at Flathead (0-6).

KICKOFF: 7 p.m. at Legends Stadium. It's homecoming for Flathead.

LAST WEEK FOR FLATHEAD: The Braves fell 48-7 to No. 1-ranked Bozeman. Bozeman quarterback Tanner Roderick was 10-for-14 throwing the ball for 274 yards with three touchdown passes. Highlights for the Braves were a 40-yard run by Tevin Groshelle, Jeff Markavage with four catches for 30 yards, and George Sherwood with three catches for 52 yards. The Braves avoided a shutout when Lewis Freudenberg hooked up with Sidney Schenck from 11 yards out in the fourth quarter.

LAST WEEK FOR BIG SKY: Billings Senior scored the first 31 points and ran away with a 40-13 victory, spoiling Big Sky's homecoming.

Big Sky got on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter when senior wide receiver Michael Duncan outjumped a defender for a 58-yard pass from quarterback Jay Owens. Owens scored the Eagles second touchdown after Duncan returned a punt to the Senior 16-yard line.

The Eagles' team rushing offense is ranked last in Class AA. They average 81.8 rushing yards per game but were held to 32 rushing yards last week.

COACH'S TAKE: "I'm very impressed with (the Eagles) improvement on film," Flathead coach Russell McCarvel said.

"They are huge up front on both sides of the ball and they have an excellent skilled player in Michael Duncan. He's a legitimate stud in our league, for sure."

Duncan has 30 catches for 418 yards and two touchdowns on the year. Also Big Sky's kick and punt returner, he ranked fourth in Class AA in all-purpose yards with 834.

Sophomore quarterback Jay Owens is 10th on the passing list with 69 completions in 133 attempts. He's also thrown 11 interceptions.

KEY FOR FLATHEAD: "I think (the Eagles) are probably looking at this game with a lot of optimism also," McCarvel said.

"Both teams are coming in hungry for a victory. It's homecoming, our guys are spirited. We expect to play well.

"The big thing for us this week has been mentally preparing ourselves by thinking about all the good things we've done this year, which are many. We've had a good week of practices, had probably one of our better Wednesday practices in a few weeks," McCarvel said.

Big Sky has been notoriously slow starting this season - so far, it's been outscored 49-0 in the first quarter.

"Defensively, we have to get some early stops on them and get into a good rhythm offensively. We kind of struggled a little offensively last week," he said.

"We have to give Bozeman a lot of credit for that. But the big thing is to try to get into a rhythm. Mike (VanArendonk) has to play well for us to play well. As usual, a lot of it will fall on Mike's shoulders, but we have complete confidence he can get it done for us," he said.

CONNOR THOMAS: "Connor is on the team. The courts have said he is on the team, so he will play," the coach said. Thomas was reinstated to the team last week by Flathead District Court Judge Katherine Curtis. Thomas had been removed from the team for allegedly violating the school's chemical use policy.

INJURIES: "There isn't anything that will keep anybody out, but there are guys who are banged up and they will have to gut it up."

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TODAY: Glacier (3-3) at Great Falls (1-5)

KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium

LAST WEEK FOR GLACIER: Glacier won its second game in a row and scored a homecoming victory for the second season in a row, this time against Missoula Sentinel, 17-12. The Wolfpack offense piled up its most yards of the season (464) and blossomed in the run game. Backup runningback Stormy Day ran for 137 yards and helped the Glacier offense control the second half. The defense had a big hand in that as well. Sentinel's potent offense looked out of sync, especially in the second half. The Spartans were held to one score in the final two quarters. "I was really proud of the kids that stepped up like Stormy Day," Glacier head coach Grady Bennett said. "And it was just an outstanding effort from our defense. If they keep playing that way against our opponents we're going to have a chance in every game."

LAST WEEK FOR GREAT FALLS: The Bison lost 35-14 to No. 2 Helena. Great Falls failed to score until the final three minutes of the fourth quarter and finished with 156 totals yards.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES: The linemen usually get an unfair shake when it comes to attention, but Bennett mentioned the line first and foremost after last week's victory. "I've seen all of our offensive linemen across the board this year improve," the coach said. "(Offensive line) Coach (Arron) Deck has been on the defensive side of the ball for many years, so when you get a defensive mind working with the line like he has, he knows what you're trying to do," Bennett said. Senior Brad Arlint has flourished at the center position for Glacier and junior defensive lineman Luke Halliburton has played exceptionally also.

UP AND RUNNING: Day, last week's standout performer, is hobbled with injury but will play today in a limited roll. Senior starter Brendan Hagen is back after being suspended one game following an MHSA rule that makes a player sit out a game following an ejection. Hagen was ejected in the Flathead game. Glacier will be without Caleb Harris and Kasmir Spilis due to injury today.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: "Great Falls is much better than 1-5, they've had a really tough schedule like we have," Bennett said. "They're a good ball club with some good athletes. We just have to play well on the road." Glacier is back on the road for the first time since Sept. 3. As it happens, the Wolfpack is heading back to the same field the team played on that Friday - Memorial Stadium, where Glacier stunned C.M. Russell. Heading on the road hasn't been a problem for Glacier in recent years, and Bennett doesn't predict any road blues this time around either. "I think because we're going back (to Memorial Stadium) the feeling will be pretty good and that's going to help mentally," Bennett said. ‘We've traveled well the last couple years. It's something our kids do pretty well here. We travel more than anybody in the state. When you're from Kalispell you're going to travel and our kids just learn ‘hey that's the way it goes.'"

QUARTERBACKING: Glacier senior Colter Hanson turned in one of his best games last Friday, passing for 264 yards and accounting for two TDs. This is Hanson's first varsity season at quarterback. "It requires a lot of things to play that position, so until you get a guy in there you don't know how he's going to react," Bennett said. ‘He's reacted very well obviously."