TERRY COLUMN: Crosstown rivalry like its meant to be
Their locker rooms share a wall, and they’ll share a home field from 54 yards apart.
But, while the teams in Kalispell’s crosstown football rivalry are close, the games have not been.
In the eight meetings, the game hasn’t been closer than 10 points, and has been decided by 20 points or more five times, including the last three years.
The two teams have only been good enough to make the playoffs at the same time once in that span: Glacier entering as a four seed at 8-2 and Flathead as an eight seed at 4-6 in 2011. Coincidentally, that was the closest game in the last six meetings, the Wolfpack topping the Braves 56-44.
So, as both Glacier (6-2) and Flathead (5-3) enter this week’s game as contenders for the top teams in the state, it brings a smile to the face of the one guy to lead both programs.
“When the schools first split, this was the goal,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said.
“I grew up in Kalispell, my whole life played here, came back and coached immediately (after college), and I never had a rivalry game. I never knew what it was like.
“I finally got to experience that when I played Griz-Cat. There’s nothing like it.
“So then, as you coach for 15 years, you get envious of watching the Helena-Helena Capital matchup on film with thousands of people (watching) and both those teams playing for a playoff seed or No. 1 seed.”
Bennett, who was a star quarterback at Flathead and had a storied run at the University of Montana before returning to coach the Braves as an assistant and head coach, didn’t get to play or coach in a rivalry game outside of his four years with the Griz. He’s welcomed the rivalry since the schools split in 2007, the Wolfpack losing the first two games and winning the last five.
While the games have been lopsided for most of the series, this game isn’t trending in that direction. With two of the top offenses in the state and relentless defenses, this weekend’s contest is shaping up as one of the top games in the state this year.
“It’s awesome,” Bennett said. “This is what it was intended for. This was the reason we split schools and give kids more opportunities to play. The community is going to rally around it. Kalispell has always supported its sports pretty well.
“It’s incredible. It’s great for the town, it’s awesome for the kids. They get to experience something that is really special and a lot of fun. That’s what it’s about.”
It could also decide a bus trip in the playoffs. Currently, Glacier is tied with the Helena schools for third in the state with two weeks to play. Flathead is only one game back, but tied for sixth with no easy games left on its schedule.
Neither team has officially secured a spot in the playoffs, and each is in position for a top four seed and a home playoff game. However, to reach that upper echelon, each needs a crosstown victory.
“At Flathead, it’s been a long time since we’ve been in a position at this time of year to play meaningful games,” Flathead coach Kyle Samson said.
“It’s a huge playoff implication game. At the same time, we don’t want to put a ton of pressure on ourselves. We know that if we want to get where we want to be in the playoffs, as a higher seed, this is a huge game for us.”
They’re two teams who play similar styles and have similar values. Each also has a similar goal to be playing on Nov. 20 for the state title.
While it’s the first time each so much is on the line between the two, there’s hope this isn’t the last.
After all, this is why they split the schools.