Wolfpack flag football wins inaugural state title

MISSOULA — The inaugural Montana high school flag football season ended with Kalispell schools Flathead and Glacier meeting in a crosstown championship game at Washington-Grizzly Stadium Saturday. The Wolfpack beat the Bravettes 20-19 to take home the state title.

Glacier’s defense got a critical stop on the final play of the game to prevent a Flathead two-point conversion and clinch the Big Sky state’s first ever flag football championship.

"Well contested and well played football game,” Glacier head coach Mark Kessler said. “Saw two very good teams that traded blows and we just basically made one more play than Flathead did."

Glacier started the day by knocking off Butte in the semifinal, 19-0, to seal a trip to the championship while Flathead was awarded the number one seed and a first-round-bye based on performance throughout the season.

"Flathead was super talented and their coach did a fantastic job of bringing those girls along, schematically from a football standpoint and athletically," Kessler said.

Glacier’s Noah Fincher was crucial on both sides of the ball, which was highlighted by hauling in a 62-yard touchdown reception.

"You can't talk about this game without Noah Fincher, she's the one who got it done," Kessler said.

Kessler also made it clear that he was proud of his team for their ability to come together throughout the season and overcome the challenges of learning a new sport.

"The biggest thing was a really special group of girls that was willing to work hard and work through the frustration of trying something new and working to get better at it,” he said.

While adding he was happy to see the sport as a whole develop throughout the season: "Through the course of the year it was really good to see the three teams that were committed to doing this and the improvements from all the girls involved,” Kessler said.