Capital pulls off comeback against Glacier

The one that was became the one that got away.

The Glacier Wolfpack led its nemesis Helena Capital almost the entire football game, up 10-0, 17-10 then 17-16 with six minutes left.

But alas, the third-ranked Bruins still found a way.

Capital came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 unanswered points, and the Bruins escaped Legends Stadium with a 24-17 victory that snapped Glacier's three-game win streak on Friday night

"It was a great battle. We gave them all they could handle," Glacier head coach Grady Bennett said. "They just executed a little better down the stretch with some things than we did, but as far as effort and the physical play out there, I'm just really proud of our kids. I'm just so proud of them."

Capital (6-2) mounted 400 yards of offense and had 158 rushing yards in the second half. The Bruins also overcame four turnovers. Glacier's Trey Griffith and Bryan Chery each had an interception.

Senior Brendan Hagan had two TD runs and sophomore Kyle Griffith kicked a 27-yard field goal for Glacier (4-4).

The Wolfpack had a 10-3 advantage by halftime and a 17-10 lead heading into the final quarter. But the Wolfpack, which had to scramble all night to fill holes following injuries, could never build more distance than a touchdown and when the Bruins cleaned up their act the game was still close.

"We just had some little things that we didn't quite execute and then that gave them a chance to get the ball and they did execute and all of a sudden they're up," Bennett said.

The two big Capital touchdowns in the fourth quarter came in only five plays both times. The first was an 80-yard drive with roughly eight minutes left that ended with a 29-yard TD run by Brice Burton. Destiny looked to be leaning in Glacier's favor as the Bruins fumbled the extra-point snap and left the Wolfpack leading 17-16. But Glacier's offense - which lost Chery to an injury in the second half and couldn't get going like it had in the first half - had to punt after six plays.

That's when destiny changed its mind. On their first play, the Bruins did a pitch-toss-throw downfield to a streaking Connor Lamping, who made the catch and was tackled for a 50-yard gain. Four plays later, elusive Jacob Grover rumbled into the end zone for the deciding touchdown.

"We had turnovers and a barrage of penalties that killed some of our drives and Glacier was getting long methodical drives that was just eating up the clock in that first half," Helena Capital coach Pat Murphy said.

"Hats off to Glacier, they're a very good team. They get better each year. Credit to Grady and his staff. You can't expect them to win with a lot of sophomores there a few years ago, but they're right in the thick of things."

Glacier got the ball back twice in the final four minutes, but came up short both times. The final hope came with 1:58 left and the Wolfpack reached Capital's 28-yard line, but the Bruins' defense held tough, finishing it with an interception in the end zone with 14 seconds.

Friday's game was the closest contest between Glacier and Capital in the teams' four-year history. Last year, the Bruins won 44-19. In 2008, Capital won 62-27 and in 2007 it was 63-0.

"We finally know we can stand toe to toe with Capital and play them, that's why I'm so proud of the kids," Bennett said.

Helena Capital 0 3 7 14 - 24

Glacier 3 7 7 0 - 17

First quarter

G - Kyle Griffith 27 field goal, 5:20

Second quarter

G - Brendan Hagan 2 run (Kyle Griffith kick), 10:10

HC - Zach Clinch 30 field goal, 1:28

Third quarter

HC - Connor Lamping 39 pass from Riley Sampson (Clinch kick), 10:08

G - Hagan 5 run (Griffith kick), 4:33

Fourth quarter

HC - Brice Burton 29 run (kick failed), 8:04

HC - Jacob Grover 5 run (Reece Miller pass from Riley Sampson), 4:20

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HC G

First downs 13 17

Rushes-yards 36-224 40-152

Passing yards 176 165

Com-Att-Int 10-16-2 13-29-2

Totals yards 400 317

Fumbles-lost 4-2 0-0

Penalties 8-80 11-85

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Individual stats

RUSHING - Capital, Brice Burton 15-114, Jacob Grover 14-102, Trey Spirlin 3-12, Reece Miller 1-7; Glacier, Colter Hanson 16-62, Brendan Hagan 20-53, Kyle Griffith 1-19, Bryan Chery 2-15, Trey Griffith 1-3.

PASSING - Capital, Riley Sampson 10-16-176; Glacier, Hanson 13-29-165

RECEIVING - Capital, Connor Lamping 4-110, Quinn Chamberlain 4-50, Miller 1-9, Coltan Pipinich 1-7; Glacier, Anthony Gugliuzza 3-41, Chery 3-35, K. Griffith 3-34, T. Griffith 2-27, Hagan 2-19, Jacob Leininger 1-9.

Class AA 2010

League Standings

Record

Bozeman 8 - 0

Helena High 7 - 1

Billings Skyview 5 - 3

Billings West 6 - 2

Helena Capital 6 - 2

Billings Senior 5 - 3

Glacier 4 - 4

Sentinel 4 - 4

Butte 4 - 4

CMR 4 - 4

Great Falls 1 - 7

Missoula Hellgate 1 - 7

Flathead 1 - 7

Missoula Big Sky 0 - 8

Friday's Results

Billings West 56, Missoula Sentinel 7

Butte 21, Great Falls 10

Capital 24, Glacier 17

Helena 28, Billings Skyview 0

Billings Senior 38, Missoula Hellgate 14

Bozeman 42, Missoula Big Sky 7

CMR 42, Flathead 35