Bruins claw past Wolfpack, 34-21

Glacier linebacker Kobe Dorcheus (33) forces a fumble by Helena Capital quarterback Merek Mihelish (2) in the fourth quarter during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Click here to order photo reprints.
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Glacier wide receiver Easton Kauffman (19) catches a pass in the first quarter against Helena Capital during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Click here to order photo reprints.
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Glacier captains Carson Baker (38), Jackson Presley (12), Kobe Dorcheus (33) and Bridger Smith (1) walk out onto the field for the coin toss before the start of the Class AA state championship game against Helena Capital at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Click here to order photo reprints.
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Glacier wide receiver Bridger Smith (1) picks up yardage after a reception in the first quarter against Helena Capital during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) hugs defensive back Eddy Foster (47) after a 34-21 loss to Helena Capital in the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier running back Kobe Dorcheus (33) heads to the end zone on a 38-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against Helena Capital during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Click here to order photo reprints.
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Glacier defensive lineman Maverick Diede (77) recovers a fumble caused by Kobe Dorcheus' (33) sack of Helena Capital quarterback Merek Mihelish (2) in the fourth quarter during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier wide receiver Carson Baker (38) picks up yardage after a reception in the third quarter against Helena Capital during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier defensive lineman Wayne Cox (52) sacks Helena Capital quarterback Merek Mihelish (2) in the second quarter during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Click here to order photo reprints.
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Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) drops back to pass in the second quarter against Helena Capital during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Click here to order photo reprints.
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Glacier wide receiver Bridger Smith (1) catches a pass in the first quarter against Helena Capital during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Click here to order photo reprints.
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Helena Capital quarterback Merek Mihelish (2) scrambles out of the pocket in the first quarter against Glacier during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Helena Capital wide receiver Dylan Almquist (6) catches a touchdown reception along the sideline in the fourth quarter against Glacier during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier defensive back Bridger Smith (1) and Helena Capital wide receiver Daniel Larson (5) vie for a ball thrown by Capital quarterback Merek Mihelish in the third quarter during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Helena Capital defensive back Dylan Almquist (6) intercepts a pass in the third quarter against Glacier during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) is sacked by Helena Capital defensive end Cole Graham (25) in the second quarter during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier wide receiver Easton Kauffman (19) is brought down after a reception in the first quarter against Helena Capital during the Class AA state championship at Vigilante Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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by FRITZ NEIGHBOR
Daily Inter Lake | November 23, 2024 12:20 AM

HELENA — The Glacier Wolfpack hoped a second chance at Helena Capital would turn out better, and that a surprising surge into the State AA football championship would bring exaltation.

The Capital Bruins had other ideas, taking advantage of breaks and big plays to secure their second title in three seasons — and 13th for the program — 34-21 Friday at icy Vigilante Stadium.

Senior quarterback Merek Mihelish threw for 292 yards and four touchdowns, with Dylan Almquist hauling in three scores for the Bruins (11-1). Capital beat the Pack 35-14 on this same field on Oct. 4; the rematch was tighter, but Glacier couldn’t get there for a variety of reasons.

For one, quarterback Jackson Presley, who completed his first five passes including a 17-yard scoring strike to Bridger Smith, banged up a shoulder on a second-quarter sack by Capital’s Cole Graham.

He threw for 83 yards after that, though — and this is another factor — he had a few dimes slip through his receivers’ hands.

Then there were the penalties, including an offsides that gave the Bruins a first down from punt formation. Given new life, Capital drove another 36 yards to take a 21-7 lead on Drew Almquist’s 5-yard reception at 6:01 of the third quarter.

The Pack kept battling until the end, with Kobe Dorcheus scoring twice in the fourth quarter, but the hill was too steep.

“Our guys fought hard; we just didn’t play particularly well,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “A lot of penalties.... it was just so out of character. I said several times on the sidelines: ‘We are not being who we are.’ A lot of penalties, a lot of dropped passes. I don’t know what it is about this stadium, we’ve dropped 11 passes total in this stadium this year.”

Capital scored on its first possession to lead 7-0, getting a 3-yard TD run from Graham. Glacier, despite facing a second-and-20 from its 8, answered by driving to Smith’s touchdown.

The score stayed 7-7 until late in the second quarter, when the Pack tried a Presley sneak to convert fourth-and-short. He was stopped and the Bruins drove 57 yards in six plays, the last 10 coming on a pass to Dylan Almquist.

It was 14-7 with 1:46 left in the first half and Bennett, unsure of Presley’s shoulder, eschewed a clock drive. The Wolfpack did have the ball to start the second half, but that possession ended with Drew Almquist picking off a pass near midfield for the Bruins.

Which brings us back to that crucial drive. A couple plays after the offsides, Smith appeared to pick off a Mihelish pass meant for Daniel Larson near the goal line. Smith came down with it, but Larson kept fighting and was eventually given a 33-yard reception via shared possession.

The Bruins scored on third-and-goal.

“From my vantage point I thought Bridger intercepted the ball clearly,” Bennett said. “But you give them credit, knowing the rules and the kid got in there and started wrestling for it.

“It’s a bummer for us that maybe that went that way, but I would point way more to our play, too many penalties, being out of sync. We just didn’t play well enough.”

Glacier’s next possession went 3-and-out, and Capital took advantage of a short field to go up 28-7 on Dylan Almquist’s second TD catch, covering 10 yards at 1:31 of the third quarter. Mihelish, son of the Bruins’ head coach Kyle Mihelish, completed 15 of 20 passes.

Glacier wasn’t quite done: Dorcheus, who ran 22 times for 183 yards, tore off a 38-yard scoring run at 9:51 of the fourth quarter, then blitzed and forced a fumble from Mihelish on the Bruins’ ensuing possession. Maverick Diede recovered for Glacier.

Dorcheus tore off another 21-yard run, but the drive stalled at Capital’s 25. Three plays after the Pack gave up the ball on downs, Dylan Almquist hauled in a pass up the Capital sideline, made a cut and went 69 yards. He had seven catches for 112 yards.

Dorcheus capped the scoring with a 3-yard run with 3:35 left.

“The leader he’s become, tireless worker, selfless... he’s special,” Bennett said. “He was a beast. If we don’t make so many other mistakes and the game goes our way, he’s the MVP. That’s the kind of night he had.”

It wasn’t enough to beat the Bruins.

“Mihelish was again outstanding,” Bennett said. “You know, congratulations to Capital. How cool for father and son to win it like that. That's neat. Kyle’s a great guy, great coach.”

Smith had six catches for 76 yards. Glacier, which fell in last year's title game 35-27 to Bozeman, ended up 10-2.

"Great group of kids, so fun to coach,” Bennett said. “I could have kept coaching them until March. It’s pretty special when you just don’t ever want a season to end, and it’s hard to say goodbye to them.

Glacier 7 0 0 14 - 21

Capital 7 7 14 6 - 34

HC — Cole Graham 3 run (Jake Zooman kick), 9:11-1Q

G — Bridger Smith 17 pass from Jackson Presley (Trever Cockerill kick), 4:18-1Q

HC — Dylan Almquist 10 pa’ss from Merek Mihelish (Zooman kick), 1:46-2Q

HC — Dylan Almquist 5 pass from Mihelish (Zooman kick), 6:01-3Q

HC — Drew Almquist 10 pass from Mihelish (Zooman kick), 1:31-3Q

G — Kobe Dorcheus 38 run (Cockerill kick), 9:51-4Q

HC — Dylan Almquist 69 pass from Mihelish (kick failed), 5:41-4Q

G — Dorcheus 3 run (Cockerill kick), 3:35-4Q

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Glacier (31-198) — Dorcheus 22-187, Presley 8-7, Asher Knopik 1-4.

PASSING: Glacier — Presley 15-31-1 for 174 yards. Capital — Mihelish 15-20-0 for 292 yards; Graham 1-1-0 for 3 yards.

RECEIVING: Glacier — Smith 6-76, Cason Baker 3-24, Matthew Junk 3-22, Dorcheus 2-18, Easton Kauffman 1-19. Capital — Dylan Almquist 7-116, Daniel Larson 4-87, Conor Toivonen 3-77, Drew Almquist 2-10, Mihelish 1-3.