The final statistics are in for Class AA football and it was a fine year for Kalispell’s two quarterbacks. Flathead High’s Brock Osweiler, who will take his quarterback skills to Arizona State University next year, led the state for the second straight year in passing yards and touchdowns. The 6-foot-8 senior also led the state, by a wide margin, in total offense.
Osweiler’s final numbers are 2,703 yards passing, with schools records in touchdown passes (29), total touchdowns (42) and total yards (3,463). During a six-game Braves’ winning streak, he accounted for 30 touchdowns.
But not far behind Osweiler in the top passing categories is Glacier High’s Shay Smithwick-Hann. The 6-foot-4 junior had a breakout season, finishing second to Osweiler with 233.5 yards passing per game and 22 touchdowns, to go along with only seven interceptions. His completion percentage wasn’t where he would want it, but give him and his receiving crew another year to work out a few kinks and I think we’ll see an even more impressive season from Smithwick-Hann in 2009.
Kalispell’s quarterback tradition is remarkable, with a long list of all-state selections and college athletes. Some of it is good fortune (where are they getting all of these 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-4 kids with incredible throwing arms?) A lot of it is the tutelage of Grady Bennett, a former star quarterback at the University of Montana who has played a major role in honing every Kalispell high school quarterback for nearly 20 years.
And a lot it is a matter of tradition building upon itself and quarterbacks embracing the extra work that goes into becoming an elite player. Osweiler and Smithwick-Hann spend extraordinarily long hours watching film each week, to go along with their regular practice duties. They’re both vastly talented, but they’ve also put in the time to help them rise above the rest of the state’s best.
But back to regular season stats. You can find them in their completed form by clicking here. The playoffs start this weekend, with the Braves facing off against Billings West. Glacier’s season is over. It’s getting cold – winter is arriving just in time for playoff football.