Glacier pipeline feeds Cat, Griz football programs
Glacier …
Glacier …
Glacier …
That high school name pops up six times, more than any other from the Treasure State, on the Montana State University football roster for 2017.
Then when you include the University of Montana, which has three Wolfpack players in uniform, the number of talented Glacier High School athletes that has been feeding both collegiate programs is a most impressive number — 9.
In a decade of Glacier High School football, head coach Grady Bennett has had 16 athletes play for either the Griz and Cats.
And that number will go up. Three Glacier standouts, who wrapped up their prep careers this fall, will join those two programs for 2018. Drew Turner and Jackson Pepe are head for Missoula to play for the Griz while Mark Estes is going to Bozeman to join the Bobcats.
The Wolfpack dominated Class AA play from 2013-16 with a 44-7 won-loss record (11-2, 13-0, 9-3 and 11-2). Glacier was in the state championship three of those seasons, winning it in 2014.
“I’m very, very proud of the guys,” Bennett, who as a star QB at UM, said of the players competing today.
Glacier also had four players play football at either UM or MSU prior to the current number.
“I’ll be honest,” Bennett said of this series.
“My heart cheers for the Griz. That’s my competitive nature. I started three years, the Brawl of the Wild is intense. But it’s different for me now. So many years have passed. I have so many guys playing for both (schools).”
Bennett said former Glacier standout Josh Hill had a key interception to seal the victory for the Bobcats last year versus Montana.
“Deep down I was cheering for the Griz,” Bennett said.
“But when all was said and done, I was happy with how Josh played. You cheer for all of them.”
Bennett was 3-0 for the Grizzlies against the Bobcats. The only other quarterback to go 3-0 in this battle prior to 1990 was Dennis Erickson for Montana State.
If you expand the current list a little bit further, to include the Flathead Valley along with Polson and Troy, 18 athletes will be on the sidelines today for the 117th edition of the Cats vs. Griz, also known as The Divide War.
Kickoff from Bobcat Stadium is at noon. The game will be televised on ROOT Sports (cable channel 41) and DirecTV’s Audience Network.
Like they have all season, Valley players will have an impact for their respective programs in today’s contest, which has postseason implications for Montana while MSU plays the spoiler role, again.
Josh Sandry, a 6-foot-1, 203-pound redshirt sophomore from Bigfork, has been a force for Montana on defense. The strong safety has played in all 10 games, is fourth on the team in total tackles with 48 (24 solo and 24 assisted), has three interceptions, including one for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery.
Evan Epperly, a 5-10, 197 redshirt junior from Glacier, has played in 10 games, including a couple starts. A free safety, he is 11th for the Griz in total tackles with 34 (16 solo and 18 assisted) and has two interceptions.
Offensively for the Grizzlies, Brandon Purdy, a 5-10, 182 redshirt sophomore kicker from Glacier, is enjoying a banner season.
He’s 12 of 14 on field goal attempts (85.7 percent) with a long of 47 yards. He’s 6 of 7 from 20-29 yards out, a perfect 5 for 5 from 30-39 and 1 for 2 for 40-49. He’s had one attempt blocked.
On PAT kicks, Purdy is 42 of 45.
He leads the Grizzlies in scoring with 78 points.
Checking in with Montana State, Logan Jones, a 5-9, 175 junior running back from Glacier, is fifth on the team in rushing with 98 yards. He has played in 10 games with 25 carries. He averages 3.8 yards per carry and has scored one touchdown.
His longest carry from scrimmage is 12 yards.
Jones also has five receptions for 18 yards and a score, his longest reception covered 22 yards, plus four kick returns for 66 yards.
Defensively for the Bobcats, Hill, a 6-0, 200 sophomore linebacker, is fourth on the team in total tackles with 63 (35 solo and 28 assisted).
In the last five meetings, the Grizzlies have won three times. Montana leads the overall series 73-38. There have been five ties.
Montana has the longest streak with 16 straight wins from 1986-2001.
The Bobcats have won six straight in this matchup three different times.
The visiting team has dominated the series as of late, winning seven of the last eight meetings.
Montana is closing out the season on a strong note, having won five of its last six games.
Montana State, on the other hand, has dropped two-in-a row.
The last time Montana beat the Griz in Bobcat Stadium, was 2005. The score — Bobcats 16, Grizzlies 6.
Montana is 7-3 overall, 5-2 in the Big Sky, while Montana State sits at 4-6 and 4-3.
A win would boost Montana’s shot at a postseason berth. Montana missed out a year ago.
The last time UM missed the playoffs two years in a row was 1991-92.
Both teams are unranked in the national polls.
“It will be a heckuva football game,” Bennett said.
“MSU has lost six, but all have been close. It will be a really good football game. It won’t be a blowout. It will be competitive.”
Area Players on Rosters of Bobcats, Grizzlies
Montana State University
Tadan Gilman, Glacier, freshman linebacker
Jaxen Hashley, Glacier, freshman, defensive lineman
Josh Hill, Glacier, sophomore linebacker
Noah James, Glacier, junior running back
Logan Jones, Glacier, junior running back
Brady McChesney, Glacier, sophomore QB
Adam Jordt, Bigfork, freshman defensive back
Sean Opland, Troy, freshman linebacker
Luke May, Whitefish, freshman quarterback
University of Montana
Evan Epperly, Glacier, sophomore safety
Andrew Harris, Glacier, sophomore linebacker
Brandon Purdy, Glacier, sophmore kicker
Jed Nagler, Whitefish, freshman wide receiver
Matt Rensvold, Polson, freshman wide receiver
Josh Sandry, Bigfork, sophomore safety
Gage Smith, Whitefish, junior linebacker
Tanner, Wilson, Polson, freshman quarterback