Bridger Smith, Presley lead Pack to win

HELENA — Jackson Presley threw for 286 yards and four touchdowns — three to Bridger Smith — and Glacier made a big halftime lead hold up for a 40-27 Western AA football win at Helena High Friday.

Presley completed 14 of 25 passes with one interception. Smith had seven catches for 160 yards, including an 80-yard catch and run for his first touchdown, on Glacier’s second possession. 

Kobe Dorcheus scored the first of his two rushing downs on the Pack’s next drive, plunging in from 5 yards out. That made it 14-0, and was the first of two Glacier TDs just 12 seconds apart: Helena mishandled the ensuing pooched kickoff, and the Wolfpack (4-0 overall, 2-0 in Western AA games) recovered at the Bengals’ 16-yard line. 

On the next snap Smith hauled in his second touchdown pass. 

“It was kind of a side-winder kick and spun off his foot, and the Helena kid didn’t handle it very well, and we were able to cover it,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “That was a big play in the game. 

“Bridger had a great game at receiver, man.” 

The gap grew to 27-0 with 1:01 left in the half when Dorcheus, who ran 21 times for 96 yards, scored from 3 yards out. 

Presley hit Cooper Pelc and Smith with TD passes as the gap grew to 40-7 in the third quarter. 

Helena (1-3 overall, 1-1 in league) showed some life, with Trygve Braun tearing off a 79-yard scoring run, the first of three TDs the Bengals got late. Jaxan Leiberg hauled in two touchdowns, including a double-covered, 19-yarder on fourth down. 

“Our defense was lights out in the first half, and really for two-and-a-half quarters,” Bennett said. “I think we’ve got to learn some lessons on finishing. Two weeks in a row we’ve kind of floundered down the stretch.  

“But shoot, we came to Helena and got a win. That doesn’t happen very often. We had to play for four quarters, so give Helena credit for fighting to the end.” 

Glacier     7    20    13    0    -    40 

Helena    0    0    14    13    -    27

G — Bridger Smith 80 pass from Jackson Presley (Kyle Smith kick), 2:39-1Q 

G — Kobe Dorcheus 5 run (K.Smith kick), 10:49-2Q 

G — Smith 16 pass from Presley (K.Smith kick), 10:37-2Q 

G — Dorcheus 3 run (kick blocked), 1:01-2Q 

H — Brady Swenson 6 pass from Mac Lindstrom (Trygve Braun kick), 7;45-3Q 

G — Cooper Pelc 36 pass from Presley (K.Smith kick), 3:53-3Q 

G — Smith 16 pass from Presley (run failed), 1:30 3Q 

H — Trygve Braun 79 run (Braun kick), 1:14-3Q 

H — Jaxan Leiberg 19 pass from Lundstrom (run failed), 9:10-4Q 

H — Lieberg 9 pass from Lundstrom (Braun kick), :42-4Q