Pack in a runaway

Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) scores a touchdown on a 34-yard run in the second quarter against Flathead at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier wide receiver Ethan Anderson (37) catches a pass downfield in the first quarter against Flathead at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead quarterback Eli Coopman (6) completes a pass to wide receiver Noah Sonju (8) in the first quarter against Glacier at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead Noah Sonju (8) catches a pass over the middle in the first quarter against Glacier at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier running back Kobe Dorcheus (33) breaks a 40-yard run in the first quarter against Flathead at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier wide receiver Cooper Pelc (8) catches a touchdown reception in the second quarter against Flathead at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead running back Tim Zundel (0) looks for running room in the first quarter against Glacier at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead defender Kaleb Sims (5) tackles Glacier wide receiver Carson Baker (38) on a run in the first quarter at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier wide receivers Easton Kauffman (19) and Cooper Pelc (8) celebrate in the end zone after Pelc's touchdown reception in the second quarter against Flathead at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier linebacker Mark Ahner (31) celebrates with teammates after blocking a punt and recovering the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter against Flathead at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead wide receiver Carson Baker (38) picks up yardage on a run in the second quarter against Flathead at Legends Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by JON ALLEN
Staff Writer | October 11, 2024 12:00 AM

They say you can throw out the records when two rivals meet.

But Thursday went about how you would expect though for crosstown football as Glacier, coming off their first loss of the season, defeated winless Flathead 56-0 at Legends Stadium.

“I think tonight was about our responding to last week,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “I just love the character of this group and last Friday hurt them pretty bad. ... They had a great intense week of practice, and I knew what kind of brand of football we were going to play tonight, and it was awesome.”

The bright spot for the Braves (0-7 overall, 0-5 in Western AA games) may have been their first possession on the field: their defense forced a punt from the Wolfpack before they crossed midfield.

After that, Glacier (6-1, 4-1) found the end zone four times before Flathead could get another stop.

“Too many missed tackles, too many dropped passes,” Flathead coach Caleb Aland said.

Offensively the Wolfpack averaged more than 12 yards per play and outgained Flathead 465 to 117.

Glacier quarterback and Boise State commit Jackson Presley tossed three touchdowns and ran for two more in the victory. The junior threw for 235 yards and ran for 46 more.

“We really game-planned well and at the end of the day the spots on the field opened up for the playmakers to get out in open space and make some plays,” Presley said.

The defense and special teams also got in on the action for the Wolfpack as Weston Robinson intercepted Braves quarterback Eli Coopman and returned it 30 yards for a score, and Mark Ahner pounced on a blocked punt for a touchdown.

“I think all three phases really worked hard this week and it showed tonight,” Bennett said.

After the teams traded punts on the first three possessions Glacier broke the ice with a six-yard pass from Presley to Cooper Pelc, set up by a 43-yard deep ball to Ethan Anderson.

The Wolfpack doubled the lead on their next possession as Presley kept it on the rollout and scampered in for a 15-yard touchdown.

On the ensuing Braves possession Robinson jumped Coopman’s pass to Noah Sonju for a pick-six to make it 21-0 with 2:33 left in the first quarter.

“I just dropped back in coverage and saw the ball come my way and I took it to the house,” Robinson said. “We all worked together, and it ended up being a great game for us.”

Presley added his second passing touchdown of the game on the next Wolfpack drive, finding Pelc again, this time 23 yards on busted coverage wide open in the endzone.

After another Flathead, Presley capped off a seven-play, 82-yard drive with a 34-yard rushing touchdown to make it 35-0.

Ahner jumped on the blocked kick to give Glacier a 42-0 lead at the break.

Out of the half Glacier kept their foot on the pedal. After a touchback on the second half opening kick, Kobe Dorcheus broke off an 80-yard touchdown run. Dorcheus finished with 147 yards rushing on eight carries, averaging over 18 yards per rush.

Presley then added his third passing touchdown of the game, a 67-yard catch and run by Carson Baker to make it 56-0 with 4:38 left in the third.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter with the running clock in effect.

Glacier 21 21 14 0 - 56

Flathead 0 0 0 0 - 0

G — Cooper Pelc 6 pass from Jackson Presley (Kyle Smith kick), 5:58 1Q

G — Presley 15 run (Smith kick), 4:37 1Q

G — Weston Robinson 30 interception return (Smith kick), 2:33 1Q

G — Pelc 23 pass from Presley (Smith kick), 9:01 2Q

G — Presley 34 run (Smith kick), 3:24 2Q

G — Mark Ahner 0 fumble recovery (Smith kick), 1:47 2Q

G — Kobe Dorcheus 80 run (Smith kick), 11:33 3Q

G — Carson Baker 67 pass from Presley (Smith kick), 4:38 3Q

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING: Glacier (18-226) — Kobe Dorcheus 8-147, Jackson Presley 4-46, Carson Baker 3-26, Cruz Grace 2-8, Chase Chaffin 1- minus 1. Flathead (23-51) — Nolan Campbell 4-17, Eli Coopman 12-12, Ben Bliven 3-11, Tim Zundel 4-11.

PASSING: Glacier — Jackson Presley 11-16-0 for 235 yards, Latham Leeper 1-4-0 for 4 yards. Flathead — Eli Coopman 9-23-1 for 66 yards.

RECEIVING: Glacier — Carson Baker 3-93, Kobe Dorcheus 2-39, Cooper Pelc 2-29, Bridger Smith 2-26, Ethan Andrson 1-43, Easton Kauffman 1-5, Dylan Banzet 1-4. Flathead — Lane Chivers 2-26, Ben Bliven 2-26, Kaleb Sims 2-3, Noah Sonju 1-6, Will Hollensteiner 1-5, Tim Zundel 1-0.