Flathead has a colossal task tonight - No. 1 Bozeman

The schedule keeps getting tougher for the Flathead Braves.

A week after losing 51-7 on the road against unbeaten Helena High, Flathead (2-4) will host No. 1 Bozeman (6-0) tonight at 7 at Legends Stadium.

Bozeman received all nine first-place votes in this week’s Associated Press football poll and it’s not hard to see why. The Hawks battered previously unbeaten Helena Capital 65-9 last week and have an average margin of victory of 32 points. Quarterback Will Weyer has verbally committed to play football at the University of Montana and tight end/defensive end Will Dissly and middle linebacker Grant Collins have received multiple Division I offers.

“First and foremost they have as good of athletes as anybody,” Flathead coach Russell McCarvel said. “They’ve got a quarterback going to the Griz, they’ve got a tight end/D-end that’s been offered by Boise State, they’ve got a middle linebacker that’s been offered by both the Cats and the Griz.”

Bozeman’s talent doesn’t stop after those three. Running back Hunter Gappmeyer has racked up 834 rushing yards (139 yards per game) so far this season and he ran for six touchdowns last week against Capital’s previously second-ranked run defense.

“That tells me that everybody on their o-line is good,” McCarvel said. “Their roster is as good as you’ll see.”

Weyer has completed 60.3 percent of his passes and averages 267.7 passing yards per game. Dissly and wide receiver John D’Agostino each have more than 450 receiving yards and Gappmeyer is a threat to catch passes out of the backfield, so Bozeman has the weapons to do damage both through the air and on the ground.

“If you try to just lock in on Dissly, who’s already great, they’re going to be able to run the ball or throw to one of those other guys, and their quarterback is obviously big time,” McCarvel said.

“The Cats and the Griz might offer one quarterback a year in the state of Montana, so that shows you how good he is.”

Bozeman’s defense is also a handful with Dissly and Collins anchoring a big, fast front seven, but the Braves say they’re focusing on themselves.

“Bozeman’s obviously a great team, but we have to execute the little things better,” McCarvel said.

“We have to make sure we’re going to the right gap on running plays, we have to make sure we’re executing correct routes and throwing the ball efficiently.”

As big underdogs, the Braves feel like they’re playing with house money and are looking forward to the challenge.

“Our motto this week is why not?,” Flathead offensive lineman Adam Bradley said.