Prep Football: Glacier, Gallatin set for epic semifinal rematch

A season ago Glacier punched its ticket to the state championship game with a 35-14 victory over Gallatin. Friday the Wolfpack will look to do it again. 

One key difference from 2023 is that the Wolfpack will be headed to Bozeman for the matchup after hosting the Raptors last November. 

Gallatin earned that honor after a perfect 10-0 start to the season, though the Raptors have been challenged — Helena Capital led by two touchdowns before Gallatin eked out a 35-28 win in Week 1, while crosstown rival Bozeman took the Raptors to double OT before falling 35-27. 

Glacier comes into the game with a 9-1 record with the only blemish being to the aforementioned Bruins, 35-14. 

Glacier coach Grady Bennett knows that his team is in for another battle after pulling out a 48-38 win over Butte in the quarterfinals. 

“Friday I told the team that I am thankful for what happened against Butte,” Bennett said. “If we ran away then we may not be prepared for the adversity that the playoffs can bring.” 

The 4-7 Bulldogs gave Glacier everything, and — if not for an early pick-six and a wild blocked field goal that led to a touchdown at the end of the first half — could have ended the Wolfpack’s season. 

But that was last week. Bennett said his team is ready for the challenge Friday poses. 

“They are really hungry,” Bennett said of the Raptors. “Last season they believed they had a team that could win it and we beat them.” 

To get it done again the Wolfpack need to limit the Dahlke brothers — Reese and Carter — who lead the Raptors in receiving and rushing yards. 

“They have two of the most explosive players in AA in the Dahlke brothers,” Bennett said. “Every time they touch the ball they have the ability to house it.” 

Reese Dahlke’s 116.7 rushing yards per game sits second in AA behind Glacier’s Kobe Dorcheus. He has 16 touchdowns on the ground.  

Carter Dahlke tops the state in receiving yards averaging 109.1 per game, with 13 of his 52 catches going for touchdowns. He also has six scores on the ground, where he averages over 10 yards per carry. 

“We have to tackle well and getting ourselves to the ball is going to be paramount,” Bennett said. 

Triggering it all out of the backfield is senior quarterback Grant Vigen — son of Montana State head coach Brent Vigen. Vigen has 24 touchdown passes in 2024, good enough for third in AA behind Billings West’s CJ Johnson (25) and Helena Capital’s Merek Mihelish (29) — those two QBs face off in the other semifinal. 

Vigen is completing 63 percent of his passes and is 99 yards short of 2,000 on the season. He will suit up for his dad’s Bobcats next season. 

The Wolfpack have offensive weapons of their own. Dorcheus is the leading rusher in AA at nearly 140 yards per game, while quarterback Jackson Presley has 21 touchdowns through the air and is completing nearly 65 percent of his passes. 

Dorcheus was held in check early against the Bulldogs a week ago but found his stride in the second half, getting to the end zone three times and totaling 131 yards on the ground. His 23 rushing touchdowns are the most in the state. 

Presley overcame an interception and a fumble against the Bulldogs to throw for 184 yards and two scores. In the semifinal last year he finished 16-for-23 for 157 yards and ran for a touchdown. 

“I think it comes down to execution,” Bennett said. “When we execute at a high level we are tough to stop.” 

    Glacier running back Kobe Dorcheus (33) looks for running room on a carry in the first quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider