Glacier set to tangle with angry CMR squad

Coming off a big road victory at Billings Skyview, the Glacier football team didn’t get much time to relax. The Wolfpack (1-0), hosts Great Falls C.M. Russell (0-1) tonight in its home opener, with the Rustlers coming in angry.

CMR, picked as one of the best teams in the state to start the season, fell flat in its season opener at Butte, losing 41-20. Add that to two straight losses to Glacier, including a 31-28 come-from-behind victory last season, and the Rustlers should be looking to take one back.

“I think they’ve had the Wolfpack square in their sights since that last year,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “You feel like you’re waking up a sleeping giant. They go and they play well enough to win (against Butte) but they don’t. Now they’re mad and want to get back on the winning track.”

The Rustlers bring in a big offensive line and a pair of talented runners in quarterback Jayse McLean and running back Hunter Thomsen. The two combined for more than 320 yards on the ground last week, something the Wolfpack defense has to be ready for.

“CMR, they’re definitely going to establish the run game but (CMR coach Jack Johnson) has always been very versitle,” Bennett said. “Especially this year. I see more versatility out of their offense than, really any year. In the first game they showed a lot of different sets, formations and different looks.”

Senior lineman Chase Eisenzimer said the defense has practiced against a variety of different formations to get ready for what CMR might show in the game.

“We always have to be prepared,” Eisenzimer said. “They’ll show up to play that’s for sure and we need to also.”

The Glacier offense will look to stay on its hot streak from a week ago. Senior wide receiver Kyle Griffith accounted for three touchdowns, one on the ground and two in the air, and the Wolfpack put up 368 yards of offense on Skyview.

“Our offense as a whole is pretty good, (I hope) we can keep that rolling,” Griffith said.

Even with that offensive output, Bennett said he’d like to see the team pick up the tempo tonight.

“It’s gonna be a good football game, we know we’re going to get their very best.”

The game starts at 7 p.m. at Legends Stadium.