Despite an exciting win in overtime last Friday that all but clinched a home playoff game, the Glacier Wolfpack dropped a spot in the latest Class AA Associated Press football poll released Wednesday.
The Wolfpack (6-1) won their fourth game in a row but fell from third to fourth in the rankings. The Wolfpack will likely host the first playoff game in the program’s history with a top four seed almost locked up. Glacier has three games remaining in the regular season — Great Falls, at Helena Capital and Missoula Big Sky.
Glacier continues to be tied for second in AA after edging Missoula Sentinel 27-24 on the road. Caleb Harris intercepted a pass on defense and Kyle Griffith followed with a game-winning field goal.
Helena Capital (6-1) took over third place in the polls and remains tied for second in the standings after beating Flathead 55-7 at Legends Stadium. The Braves (3-4) lost their second straight.
Helena High (7-0) remains ranked first after defeating C.M. Russell 28-7. Billings West holds second after escaping fifth-ranked Billings Senior with a 35-31 win.
The Wolfpack hosts Great Falls (3-4) in their homecoming game at Legends Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. Flathead is on the road to face Bozeman (1-6).
In Class A, the undefeated Polson Pirates are still ranked fourth with two games left. Polson nearly notched its fourth shutout of the season after walloping Frenchtown, 42-6. The Pirates still have Libby and Browning on the schedule.
Dillon (6-0) is still the king of Class A and beat Corvallis 39-7 last week. Billings Central (6-2) moved up to second and Laurel (6-1) dropped to third. Hardin (5-1) holds fifth.
In Class B, Bigfork moved all the way up to fourth from seventh. The Vikes (5-1) rolled Thompson Falls 42-6 on the road. Ronan, which dropped previous fourth-ranked Missoula Loyola 32-14, moved up to fifth place from eighth. Fairfield (6-0) remains tops while Malta (6-0) is still second.
Bigfork ends the regular season against Eureka.
The Associated Press high school football poll:
Class AA
1. Helena (11) (7-0)
2. Billings West (6-1)
3. Helena Capital (6-1)
4. Glacier (6-1)
5. Billings Senior (4-3)
Others receiving votes: Butte 24.
Class A
1. Dillon (11) (6-0)
2. Billings Central (6-1)
3. Laurel (6-1)
4. Polson (6-0)
5. Hardin (5-1)
Others receiving votes: Miles City 13, Stevensville 7.
Class B
1. Fairfield (10) (6-0)
2. Malta (1) (6-0)
3. Manhattan (5-1)
4. Bigfork (5-1)
5. Ronan (5-1)
6. Huntley Project (5-1)
7. Plentywood Westby (5-1)
8. Baker (5-1)
T9.Missoula Loyola (5-1)
T9.Florence (5-1)
Others receiving votes: Columbus 6, Shelby 6, Red Lodge/Belfry 4.
Class C 8-Man
1. Chinook (9) (6-0)
2. Fairview (1) (7-0)
3. Wibaux (6-0)
T4.Superior (7-0)
T4.White Sulphur Springs (7-0)
6. Drummond (6-1)
7. Chester-Joplin-Inverness (6-0)
8. Twin Bridges (5-1)
9. Absarokee (5-1)
10. Lincoln (6-1)
Others receiving votes: Centerville 2, Power-Dutton-Brady 2, Ennis 1.
Class C 6-Man
1. Denton (10) (6-0)
2. Savage (5-1)
3. Hot Springs (6-0)
4. Alberton (5-0)
5. Fromberg Roberts (5-0)
6. Stanford Geyser (5-1)
7. Big Sandy (5-1)
8. Geraldine Highwood (3-2)
9. Bridger (3-2)
10. Richey-Lambert (4-2)
Others receiving votes: Terry 6, North Star 4, Lima 3, Lone Peak 2, Valier 2.