Flathead looks to snap 7-game skid against a struggling Bozeman squad Hawks
As they continue to look for their first win, the Flathead Braves will take on another team that has struggled in recent weeks in the Bozeman Hawks.
Bozeman (4-3) opened the season with four straight wins and ascended to No. 1 in the AP poll, but has lost its last three games and its starting quarterback, who broke his collarbone in a week 6 loss to Butte. Even though the Hawks are trending in the wrong direction, Flathead coach Russell McCarvel said Bozeman is still a dangerous team.
“I know they lost their quarterback and that’s hurt them a little bit, but man they have so many athletes out there,” McCarvel said. “They’re one of the most athletic teams in the state.”
Many of those athletes are on the defensive side of the ball as the Hawks rank second in Class AA in both total defense and run defense, holding their opponents to 265.7 yards per game and 98.7 rushing yards per game.
That means Flathead, which runs the ball on 60 percent of its offensive plays, will have to get things going through the air to soften up Bozeman’s front seven for running back Austin Root.
“We’re definitely going to have to be able to get some plays in the passing game to help us run the ball,” McCarvel said.
To make things easier for quarterback Matt Tokarz, who has completed 56.1 percent of his passes, Flathead wide receiver Kevin Grosswiler said the Braves receivers will have to run good routes against Bozeman’s man-to-man pass coverage.
“We’ve got to run crisp routes to get open for Matthew so he can get the ball off,” Grosswiler said. “That’s my main concern.”
Flathead (0-7) hasn’t finished a game within 20 points of an opponent since Sept. 7 when it lost 47-33 to Great Falls High, but Grosswiler said Bozeman’s recent struggles give the Braves hope they can end their season-long losing streak.
“I think we’ve got a solid shot,” Grosswiler said. “They’re hurting, but we’re also hurting. I think we are wanting it more because we want that first win.”
Bozeman’s passing game hasn’t piled up as many yards since starting quarterback Will Weyer got hurt. Weyer’s replacement, Connor Linebarger, threw for 81 yards in relief against Butte, then completed 9 of 13 passes for 153 yards last week against Billings Skyview in his first start under center. McCarvel said the Braves won’t be able to take advantage of a less experienced passer if they don’t stop the Bozeman running game led by Hunter Gappmayer, Class AA’s sixth leading rusher.
“I think number one we’ve got to be able to stop the run,” McCarvel said. “It won’t help us out if we don’t stop the run, so it’s more important that we stop the run and force them to pass.”
The Hawks still have weapons in the passing game. Six-foot-3 junior tight end Will Dissly leads Bozeman with 24 catches for 354 yards and creates matchup problems in the middle of the field. Gappmayer is also a threat catching the ball out of the backfield.
“(Dissly) is a man out there,” McCarvel said. “Going into next year I think he’s going to be one of the top recruited guys in the state, so we’ll have our hands full with him for sure.”
Flathead linebacker Jacob Egley said containing Dissly is a must for the Braves’ defense.
“We have to focus on him and make sure he doesn’t get anywhere,” Egley said. “We just need to focus on the running back and the tight end in their passing. Their running game’s pretty good, but we should be able to stop them. They don’t pull their guards or anything on the line, so it’s not that hard to read for linebackers at least.”
Flathead hasn’t defeated Bozeman since 2008. The Braves lost last year’s meeting 56-26.
Tonight’s game kicks off at 7 at Legends Stadium.