Flathead, Glacier open football seasons

One of Kalispell’s high school football teams is looking to build momentum, and the other is trying to keep it Friday, as both Flathead and Glacier begin their 2022 seasons.

Flathead opens at home, playing Billings Skyview at 7 p.m. at Legend Stadium. Glacier is in Bozeman, playing Belgrade inside Montana State’s Bobcat Stadium.

Skyview is coming off a one-win season, though that victory came against Flathead; Belgrade was 1-9 last year as well, and the Panthers’ victory came over Skyview.

Skyview at Flathead

Flathead would love to snap a losing skid that dates back to late 2018; new coach Caleb Aland feels good about how the Braves prepared through fall camp, including a tight quarterback competition

“Jackson Walker will take the first snap,” Aland said Thursday. “I think he’s pretty excited. He tore his ACL against Glacier last year. He’s been working his butt off ever since he got off crutches.”

That said, Aland still likes Nate Skonord, who played in nine games last year.

“Two seniors, and both are very very capable of doing the job,” he said. “That’s a good position to be in.”

The Braves aren’t lacking in seniors, with a couple playing defensive and three more at linebacker. Aland is also happy with junior Caiyou Witts.

“Really the rock of both the O-line and D-line groups,” he said. “Just a workhorse, and loves football.”

The Falcons have a solid runner in Paolo Salminen, who piled up 402 rushing yards in 2021. Hunter Sherner also got some carries, and he, Salminen and Kailua Fatupaito (82 stops) make up a solid linebacker corps.

Fatupaitu would be the top returning pass-catcher as well; Aland said it appeared Skyview had three QBs vying to be the starter.

Flathead hopes to get the likes of Brody Thornsberry and Chase Walker out in space, and find room for running back Joe Jones between the tackles.

“I feel good about where we’re at,” said Aland, the Braves’ fourth head coach in five seasons. “This is a good way to start the season, and hopefully we can take advantage of the opportunities ahead of us.”

Glacier at Belgrade

Wolfpack coach Grady Bennett is wary of a Belgrade program that has won just two games in its three seasons up in Class AA, because the Panthers might just be due.

“They’re really athletic, really fast,” Bennett said, pointing toward senior quarterback Diego Casas and receivers Tre Randle and Kyle Hible. “They have some decent athletes. They haven’t had a lot of success yet in AA, and have a brand new staff.

“We just need to make this game about us, be the best that we can be in game one, and start us on our journey.”

Longtime coach Eric Kinneman retired after 15 seasons at Belgrade, most of them at the Class A level. The Panthers went 69-73 in that time. Longtime assistant Steven Hunter is taking over, and in Casas (392 yards, 2 TDs) he has his top rusher back, though the QB threw just one touchdown pass in 2021.

Isaac Stock also competed for the QB spot; the Panthers also have a top linebacker in Asher Feddes (101 tackles last fall).

Bennett said a sore hamstring is holding back tailback Kash Goicoechea, but he is looking forward to seeing Jackson Hensley, Xander Stout and Kobe Dorcheus run the ball.

Mainly, he’s ready to see the Pack go up against a different bunch of uniforms. Most years Bennett is excited but cautious or anxious; there’s less anxiety this time around. The Wolfpack played a lot of underclassmen last season while going 8-4 and advancing the State AA semis, and have a talented and seasoned quarterback in Gage Sliter.

“This year I just feel like we’re really ready to kick things off,” Bennett said. “Our goal every Friday is to show up and play our best, no matter who the opponent is. In AA anybody can beat anybody; that’s how high school football goes.”