Wolfpack scrimmage to get new receivers, backs open

Twenty-five seniors are gone from last year’s 8-4 Glacier football team, but the Wolfpack won’t be a rebuilt squad at its Navy and Green game tonight at Glacier High (6 p.m.).

“A couple things about our team are exciting,” veteran coach Grady Bennett said. “Offensively up front, we started two sophomores and a freshman last year. I was so pleased that we were able to be a final four team with that young of a front.

“Plus our strength could be our perimeter and backfield, just because of our depth.”

That’s a bold statement, since the Pack graduated record-setting running back Jake Rendina — along with 160 of the 165 receptions Glacier had in 2021.

So Friday will be a nice test for tailbacks Kash Goicoechea, a junior, and Jackson Hensley, a senior. “That’s two 10.9-second, 11-flat guys in the backfield,” Bennett said. “Which is, wow.”

Gage Sliter, who on Aug. 4 announced an offer from the Montana Grizzlies, is the clear incumbent at quarterback. But who to throw to? The top five receivers last year were seniors, leaving Goicoechea (4 catches) and junior Isaiah Ritter (1) as the most experienced.

Bennett is excited about the rest, and take a deep breath: Kole Johnson, Bridger Smith, Cohen Kastelitz, Evan Barnes, Kaid Buls, Alex Haussman, Easton Kauffman, Ethan Andereson and Carson Baker.

“Most of these kids were playing freshman or JV ball last year, because we had so many good seniors,” Bennett said. “They’ve had time to play in our system, and now they’re bigger, faster, stronger.”

Add in that line — sophomore Ben Winters at right tackle, junior TJ Gannon at center and junior Henry Sellards at left tackle – and things look pretty good in the post-Rendina Era.

Bennett will also be looking at the defensive line, which took a hit when Aiden Krause, a starter as a sophomore, suffered a broken leg during fall drills. Getting looks of the likes of Justin Timlick, Aiden Williams and Cameron Shaw will be important. Hensley figures to play some rush end as well.

Another area of concern is the kicking game, after Patrick Rohrbach made it a non-issue for the better part of four years. Junior Rhett Measure filled in some last year as place-kicker when Rohrbach was injured; Buls gets a shot at punter.

Bennett figures senior Dylan Whitten to be a leader at linebacker, and is excited about Haussman’s play at cornerback in camp. Now comes some full contact, before the Wolfpack opens its season next week against Belgrade inside Bobcat Stadium.

“I always want to see crisp execution, and to get out with no injuries,” Bennett said of the scrimmage. “We started splitting the roster a few years ago for Navy and Green, and we just said, ‘Let’s play, and make it as game-like as possible.’

“Our motto has been, ‘Next man up.’ Typical football season, but it’s about, ‘Hey, we have this depth, let’s use it.’”