AA football: Bruins no match for Wolfpack
<p>Glacier running back Aaron Mitchell (28) slips away from a Helena Capital defender to score the Wolfpack’s first touchdown Thursday night at Legends Stadium.</p><p></p>
<p>Glacier wide receiver Kyle Griffith (3) catches a pass for a 2-point conversion Thursday night during Glacier’s victory over Helena Capital.</p><p></p>
Playing tough, smothering defense, Glacier football was able to notch its first ever win over a Helena school, dispatching Capital 33-7 on Thursday at Legends Stadium.
The Wolfpack (7-2) put on a defensive masterpiece, holding Capital (5-4) to just 110 total yards, while keeping star running back Gunnar Brekke to just six rushing yards, and just 17 total, holding him 150 yards under his average this season.
“We knew they would run,” Glacier senior defensive lineman Devin Jeffries said.
“If you stop the run, you win the game.”
Glacier sputtered on offense in the first half, scoring early thanks to a pair of drive saving penalties on Capital. Aaron Mitchell, who scored twice in the game, punched in the opening score from five yards out, bouncing off two would be tacklers before falling into the end zone.
“Aaron is such a tough, low-to-the-ground runner,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said.
“We’ve worked with him to keep his feet going on contact. When he does that he is tough to bring down because he is so strong.”
Capital led at half, thanks to a interception by Brekke that was brought deep into the Glacier end. Brekke would score after six consecutive runs, spanning 21 yards on what would end up being the Bruins’ longest drive of the game.
Glacier had three turnovers at half, two interceptions and a fumble, to go with another drive that stalled in the red zone and was turned over on downs.
“I don’t know if we were still in that ‘Oh no, it’s Capital’ mode a bit,” Bennett said. “We were a little bit hesitant in the first half ... We were hurting ourselves.”
There were no issues in the second half, as the defense forced Capital into a three-and-outs in all but one drive after the break, recovering a fumble on the only other drive and returning it into the red zone, eventually setting up a field goal.
“What we just did tonight was really incredible,” Bennett said.
“I loved how our defense came out from the get-go. I thought they were confident. They had the right attitude, right approach.”
The offense was also in sync, scoring on all but one drive in the second half. Kyle Griffith closed the game with 12 catches for 119 yards and two 31-yard field goals, widening the lead when the game was still in doubt.
“Kyle Griffith was competing,” Bennett said.
“Oh my goodness, he competed like a warrior tonight. He kept us going offensively ... He hasn’t kicked for a few weeks. He didn’t even warm up kicking tonight. We needed those two field goals. I asked him if he could make them, he said yes. What a competitor.”
Taylor Hulslander finished 21 of 37 passing for 242 yards and rushed for 64 yards on 11 carries.
Mitchell had 17 carries for 41 yards and Noah James had 7 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Todd Ogden scored on a quarterback draw early in the fourth quarter.
Capital quarterback Brian Sinrud finished 9 of 19 passing for 59 yards and Garrett Quigley led the Bruins on the ground with 10 carries for 41 yards.
The Wolfpack heads on the road for the final game of the regular season next week to play Missoula Big Sky (4-4).
“We are getting better every single week,” Bennett said.
“That’s where we want to be.”
Capital 0 7 0 0 — 7
Glacier 6 0 11 16 — 33
First quarter
G - Aaron Mitchell 5 run (kick failed), 3:28
Second quarter
C - Gunnar Brekke 5 run (Kyle Nikol kick), 8:45
Third quarter
G - Noah James 5 run (Griffith pass from Taylor Hulslander), 5:55
G - Griffith 31 FG, 1:59
Fourth quarter
G - Todd Ogden 1 run (Roe kick), 8:52
G - Griffith 31 FG, 4:25
G - Mitchell 8 run (kick failed), 1:05
Capital Glacier
First downs 7 20
Total yards 110 398
Rushes-yards 30-51 42-156
Passing yards 59 242
Comp-Att-Int 9-21-1 21-37-2
Penalties-yards 8-70 10-85
Fumbles-lost 3-2 4-1
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Capital: Gunnar Brekke 12-6, Garrett Quigley 10-41, Brian Sinrud 5-(-4), Ryan Hauck 1-2, Bliss Collins 2-6. Glacier: Taylor Hulslander 11-64, Todd Ogden 2-2, Kyle Griffith 4-(-1), Aaron Mitchell 17-41, Noah James 7-43, Logan Jones 1-7.
PASSING — Capital: Brian Sinrud 9-19-59-1, Colin Volesky 0-2-0-0. Glacier: Taylor Hulslander 21-37-242-2.
RECEIVING — Capital: Andy Waterman 1-11, Kyle Harrington 3-12, Ryan Hauck 2-17, Gunnar Brekke 1-11, Garrett Quigley 1-7, Ben Clark 1-1. Glacier: Kyle Griffith 12-119, Aaron Mitchell 1-41, Noah James 1-16, Nic Cramer 3-20, James Cutler 1-11, Kelan Reed 3-35.