Flathead looks to run record to 2-1 in Week 3

Any football coach will tell you all games are important, but Flathead’s Western AA Conference opener with Missoula Big Sky on Friday has that late-October feel.

Probably because that’s when they’ve often played.

“The crazy thing about Big Sky is usually we get them at the end of the year with the playoffs on the line,” Flathead coach Caleb Aland said. “It’s interesting to see them in Week 3. Matt Johnson does a great job down there, they’re well-coached.

“It’s definitely a challenge for us, but I’m happy to pay them to start conference play.”

Glacier looks to run its record to 3-0 with a game at Butte High Friday.

Big Sky at Flathead

Flathead is coming off a 17-14 win over Belgrade that could have slipped away from the Braves, before they closed it out with a timely takeaway.

Quarterback Brent Pesola had a solid game, throwing for 166 yards. Flathead is still looking for its first touchdown pass; it didn’t help that top receiver Brody Thornsberry left that game early, and he might not be available on offense Friday.

Stephen Riley and Gabe Sims are also capable pass catchers, while Justin Williams and Nolan Campbell get most of the rushing attempts — though Ben Bliven, who had a long TD against Belgrade, has 66 yards on just three carries.

Big Sky has a couple guys to watch out for: running back Joey Sandberg and receiver Colter Ramos. Ramos has 12 catches for 152 yards and the Eagles’ only receiving TD; Sandberg has piled up 292 rushing yards in two games.

“They’re going to lean pretty heavily on (Sandberg),” Aland said. “They could be playing their sophomore quarterback (Avery Omlid) and leaning very hard on that running back.”

It will be First Responders Night at Legends Stadium, with local first responders admitted for free and honored pre-game. Aland hopes his team responds well to its recent win.

“I feel like we’ve played a good two weeks of football, and we haven’t played close to our best football,” he said. “Can we finish drives, and can we limit the reps our guys are getting because they are going both ways?”

Big Sky is coming off a 36-21 loss to Great Falls CMR; the Rustlers beat Flathead 33-0 in Week 1. The Eagles also own a 31-7 win over Belgrade.

“They don’t make a lot of mistakes,” Aland said. “We have to play really clean football.”

Glacier at Butte

Wolfpack quarterback Jackson Presley handled whatever pressure Billings Senior provided last week well, if his .762 completion percentage is any indication.

Now comes another road game, against other pressure-happy defense.

“They play a lot of Cover-1 and they’re going to bring heat,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said of the 1-1 Bulldogs. “They’re going to force you to make good decisions and make them quick. We’ll have to handle that pressure for sure.”

Bringing a lot of it will be No. 41, middle backer Adien Cuchine.

Four of Presley’s six touchdown passes have gone to Cohen Kastelitz, who is averaging 27.7 yards over his seven catches. Nine guys have receptions this season, led by Bridger Smith’s eight for 101 yards.

Kobe Dorcheus is averaging 6.0 yards a carry to lead the ground game.

Butte, meanwhile, has put running the ball on the back burner while senior quarterback Beau Demarais chucks it around.

“He’s a lot like their guy (Jace Stenson) last year,” Bennett said. “He’s able to beat you with his feet and his arm. But it’s almost like they trust Beau to throw it more, because they are throwing it more.”

A couple familiar names are catching passes: Cayde Stajcar and Hudson Luedtke have combined for 23 receptions. Rueso Battermen has another nine.

“Seems like a classic Arie Gray-coached team,” Bennett said. “When he’s had good quarterbacks and good receivers he’s able to spread out and put a ton of pressure on your secondary. And yeah, he’s able to do that again this year.”

Butte began the year with a 21-17 win at Billings West, and lost last week to powerful Bozeman, 39-15.