AA football: Games keep getting bigger for Glacier

The Glacier Wolfpack knew it was going through the tough part of the schedule before playing one-score games with Missoula Sentinel, Helena Capital and Helena High.

Unfortunately the Pack was on the short end of all three games, including a 24-21 loss last week. You’d certainly like the W, but those are excellent teams.

“That’s the thing: There are so many positives,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “It comes down to five or six plays, and we could be 6-0. We’re so close.”

On Friday, while Flathead heads to Helena High, Butte High comes to Legends Stadium in what should be a critical game with the Pack. Four Western AA schools will make the postseason; Glacier, which is 3-3 overall and 1-3 in league games, can ill afford another defeat.

Butte at Glacier

“We’re in that part now where we’re looking up at Butte in the standings,” Bennett said of the Bulldogs, who are 3-3, 2-2 in league. “Pretty soon it’s too late, thinking about playoffs and that kind of stuff.”

Quarterback Jace Stenson triggers the Butte offense.

“Just a really good athlete,” Bennett said. “He can run it, throw it, do everything. This league is full of really good quarterbacks this year – best I can remember. Kids that can just play; a lot of college prospects.”

Stenson has thrown for 1,540 yards and 14 touchdowns, and also leads the Bulldogs in rushing with 318 yards and another three scores. He has six interceptions.

Five Butte receivers have 12 or more receptions, and Hudsen Luedtke has a team-high four TD catches. But the main man is Cameron Gurnsey, a senior who has 30 catches for 469 yards

“Coach (Arie) Grey does a great job of spreading the field on offense,” Bennett said. “Very similar systems in terms of spreading the ball around to a lot of receivers. But Gurnsey is the guy they want to go to when the chips are down.”

By comparison, Glacier quarterback Gage Sliter has 1,884 yards and 19 touchdowns passing, with eight interceptions. Kobe Dorcheus (298 yards) and Jackson Hensley (260) are more than capable runners that have combined for 10 touchdowns.

Five different Wolfpack receivers have scored at least two touchdowns. Tight end Kaid Buls has team-highs 25 catches and five TDs; Bennett again lauded the play of junior wideout Cohen Kastelitz, who has 20 catches for 438 yards and three scores.

“Man, he’s been competing hard and playing great,” Bennett said. “As a receiver he’s kind of become the leader.”

Bennett also sees continued progress from linemen Henry Sellards, TJ Gannon, Rylan Heil and Ben Winters. Linebacker Kaleb Shine leads the team in tackles; the secondary has been bolstered with the return of safety Kash Goicoechea from injury and the move of Evan Barnes to corner.

“He did a really good job,” Bennett said of Barnes. “He did a pretty good job when he was matched up with (Helena’s Manu) Melo, because that guy is good.”

Beyond that, Glacier has to prepare for another gritty, talented, physical team.

“You’d better be ready,” Bennett said. “Coach Grey does a good job of getting his guys to fly around and hit hard. Physically we’re going to have to hang in there, and keep battling.”

Flathead at Helena

Turnovers and penalties again hurt the Braves in their 70-7 loss at Sentinel last week, and Flathead coach Caleb Aland’s attention is also on another trend.

“My biggest concern is we haven’t played very well on the road,” he said. “I think we’ve been outscored 148-7. Not a good outlook, there.”

Helena has run off five straight wins, including a streak-snapping 35-7 win over Sentinel, since opening the season with a loss to Great Falls High.

Jackson Walker has thrown for 439 yards and rushed for a team-high 156 for the Braves. Gabe Lake and Joe Jones have taken most of the handoffs; Lake has 112 yards on 30 carries.

Jones has taken the team lead in receptions with 15; next is Brody Thorsnberry (14 catches, 260 yards) and Gabe Sims (12 for 155).

It was Sims that caught the lone score for Flathead last week, a play that sticks out for Aland because on the Braves’ first drive they ran the same play, but the intended receiver ran the wrong route and the pass was picked off.

Same play with the correct route? Touchdown.

“I think we’re doing stuff that works,” Aland said. “Schematically we’re pretty sound. The mental mindset is not there yet.”

Helena brings another test. Melo is up to 11 TD catches; quarterback Carson Kraft has 13 touchdown passes total.

“My message to the guys this week is we’re 1-5, they’re 5-1, they just knocked off Sentinel, they beat Glacier. I guarantee they’re not going to prepare for us the same way,” Aland said. “I told them we have a great opportunity to make the front page of the paper for a good reason.

“When we play disciplined football, we’re pretty good.”