Unbeaten Glacier rips Sentinel

On a night when the Glacier offense dazzled once again, it was the Wolfpack defense that put up the most startling numbers in the team’s 59-7 victory over Missoula Sentinel in a Class AA football game on Friday night at Legends Stadium.

While the offense put up 43 first-half points, the defense stymied the Spartans, holding them to just 41 total yards and four interceptions in the first two quarters, including three interceptions on Sentinel’s final four drives of the second quarter.

“I’m just so proud of our coverage screens and the way we executed,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said.

“[Sentinel senior Kade] Paffhausen’s a good quarterback. Last year he lit us up and he’s had a good year. Our guys really made it tough on him tonight.

“It was just a phenomenal job by our defense covering a very good quarterback and some really good receivers. They have good players ... It was an unbelievable effort by our defense.”

Nearly the entire game was a clinic put on by the Wolfpack, who scored on its first offensive play of the game and five of its six first-half drives.

Thomas Trefney had three touchdowns, Logan Jones two and Brady McChesney completed 78 percent of his passes for three touchdowns and 218 yards on the Wolfpack’s way to building a 43-0 halftime lead.

“We talked to the offense about not leaving opportunities out there,” Bennett said. “That was the focus tonight. Every time we got the shot [off of turnovers], we’ve got to turn this into points.”

The highlight of the half was a gravity-defying interception from senior linebacker Josh Hill, who after sucking in on a run fake, recovered on a pass over his head, leaping for a few feet off the ground for a one-handed grab and holding on for Glacier’s third pick of the game.

“I thought I got beat,” Hill said. “He threw it over my head. I don’t know how I hung on to it.”

“That play was one of the most incredible high school football plays I’ve ever seen,” Bennett said.

Glacier continued its march in the second half, driving to the Sentinel goal line before stalling out on its first drive, then using just two plays to make up 64 yards on the second, the last a 32-yard bomb to Sam McCamley up the sideline for a touchdown.

Brandon Purdy hit a 41-yard field goal in Glacier’s only other drive of the quarter.

The Wolfpack left its starting lineup in the game through most of the third quarter, trying to get the first team game reps and conditioning as the season winds down towards the playoffs.

Bennett said the coaches have struggled with how to get the first team playing time in a season full of double-digit wins.

“Our young guys have gotten to play so much the last five games, but we’re getting to the point where our varsity guys are only playing a half,” Bennett said.

“We’ve talked about, change the gameplan a little bit, but we need to still get those guys work into the third quarter.

“We’ll read that every game as it goes. It’s important those guys stay in condition and stay executing. It’s hard. It’s a tough balance. You don’t want to rub it in on anybody.”

Patrick O’Connell, a running back on the sophomore team, scored a late touchdown for Glacier. Sentinel’s only score came on a screen pass against the second team in the fourth quarter when Christian Thorn ran 57 yards up the sideline.

McChesney finished the game 16 of 22 for 270 yards passing.

Trefney had 66 yards rushing on 12 carries and Jones 67 yards rushing on nine carries.

McCamley had six catches for 126 yards.

Glacier celebrated senior night at the game, as the Wolfpack heads on the road for the next two weeks before closing the regular season with its crosstown game against Flathead.

Sentinel 0 0 0 7 — 7

Glacier 21 22 9 7 — 59

First quarter

G — Logan Jones 17 pass from Brady McChesney (Brandon Purdy kick), 10:33

G — Jones 17 pass from McChesney (Purdy kick), 6:12

G — Thomas Trefney 5 run (Purdy kick), 1:28

Second quarter

G — Trefney 2 run (Tucker Rauthe run), 4:41

G — Devin Cochran 10 pass from McChesney (Purdy kick), 4:03

G — Trefney 9 run (Purdy kick), 2:06

Third quarter

G — Sam McCamley 32 pass from McChesney (conversion failed), 6:04

G — Purdy 41 field goal, 2:49

Fourth quarter

S — Christian Thorn 57 pass from Mitch Roberts (Gabe Peppinger kick), 7:25

G — Patrick O’Connell 5 run (Cameron Anderson kick), 2:26

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Sentinel Glacier

First downs 8 14

Total yards 197 475

Rushes-Yds 32-92 35-182

Passing Yds 105 293

Comp-Att-Int 14-27-4 18-25-0

Punts-Avg. 3-43 3-39

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0

Penalties-Yds 1-15 4-40

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Individual Statistics

RUSHING — Sentinel, Ryan Ramos 17-82, Mitch Roberts 5-17, Jackson King 2-10, Christian Thorn 6-5, Kade Paffhausen 1-(-8), Anders Conwell 1-(-14). Glacier, Brady McChesney 3-13, Leif Ericksen 1 (-1), Thomas Trefney 12-66, Logan Jones 9-67, Jacob Janke 1-(-1), Alex Stewart 2-21, Patrick O’Connell 7-17.

PASSING — Sentinel, Kade Paffhausen 11-20-4-28, Mitch Roberts 3-7-0-77. Glacier, Brady McChesney 16-22-0-270, Leif Ericksen 2-3-0-23.

RECEIVING — Sentinel, Christian Thorn 1-57, (#23) 2-20, Alec Steele 3-8, Mitch Reynolds 1-7, Tyler Ogilvie 1-6, Ryan Ramos 2-4, Jackson King 1-2, Jeff Krstulich 2-2, Colton Jacobson 1-(-1). Glacier, Sam McCamley 6-126, Devin Cochran 3-54, Logan Jones 4-46, Noah Lindsay 2-44, Alex Stewart 2-23, Tomas Trefney 1-0.