AA football semis: Glacier Wolfpack wary of Billings West

At this point of the football season, you just have to believe you belong.

The No. 4-ranked Glacier Wolfpack (9-2) are in Billings to take on No. 1 Billings West (10-1) at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Class AA semifinals.

"Last week, I was so happy with how our kids mentally approached (Billings Senior). If we are in the right frame of mind, we're pretty good," said Glacier coach Grady Bennett.

"It's all about the mindset. Right focus, right frame of mind, we can play them - and anybody.

"If we get caught up in the hype ... West is good enough to hang one on you pretty good and pretty quick," he said.

He's hoping for a starting effort much like fans saw in Glacier's 24-10 home win over Billings Senior - not too fast.

"We have struggled more with a big lead. Last week, we started more of a fistfight back and forth. We want to settle in and compete," he said.

They'll face an incredibly balanced Golden Bear team.

"They have one of the best running backs in the state, if not the best," said Bennett.

Clay Compton has rushed for 1,367 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. He had 178 yards and scored three touchdowns in West's 39-7 win last weekend over Flathead.

But if the Wolfpack works too hard to shut down the run, the Bears have quarterback Brady Gustafson (2,288 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year) and a bevy of good receivers. Chief among those is Jayc Van Zee with 54 catches and 754 yards during the regular season.

"We have to start by stopping the run," Bennett said.

"It's going to be a challenge."

"They just have athletes across the board."

Many teams have two or three players that opponents can key on.

West, though, "can bring out 11 athletes. West has such great numbers. They have 200-plus kids in their program. They do a great job of getting them out for football. They really tap into their athletes," Bennett said.

"All of us walk the halls," he said. Bennett said he has walked through, looking at various kids and thought ‘man, I wish I had him, and him, and him,'" he said.

"Coach (Paul) Klaboe) has always done a good job of getting (the athletes) out."

The Wolfpack mindset is pretty good.

"We watched that game a lot (between Billings Senior and West during Week 7). West defeated Senior 35-31 that week.

"Our kids are now thinking ‘OK,'" the coach said.

"We're peaking, playing our best football, playing our best ball in all three phases. (Last week) was a very solid effort on all three. That's what I like right now," he said.

He was particularly happy with the Wolfpack defense last week.

"They're good and they've had a good year," he said.

But in recent weeks, due to the nature of games "our defense got left out a little bit."

"They carried the day last week. I thought our front seven did a really good job. Our d-line was outstanding," he said.

He also complimented the efforts of linebackers Shelton Todd and Matt Iavicoli.

He also had good words for the defensive secondary and the four interceptions that unit had. Reed Siderius had two interceptions and Rial Gunlikson had one.

"That's a huge effort," he said.