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Flathead Squeaks Past Glacier in Crosstown Classic

Braves deny Glacier on late two-point conversion attempt, win 28-27 at jam-packed Legends Stadium

By Andy Viano
Flathead's Chance Sheldon-Allen returns an interception in the third quarter of the Braves crosstown win over Glacier, 28-27, Sept. 21 at Legends Stadium. Craig Moore | Flathead Beacon

In front of what felt like half the town of Kalispell, Flathead High School’s defense held Preston Blain out of the end zone on a go-ahead two-point conversion attempt with just over two minutes to go and the Braves held on to nip crosstown rival Glacier 28-27 at a raucous Legends Stadium on Sept. 21 to secure their second straight victory in the 12-year-old intra-city rivalry.

“We just told our guys we’ve got to get one stop. We’ve got to get one play,” Flathead coach Kyle Samson said of the two-point attempt. “It’s kind of the epitome of a crosstown game that it comes down to that.”

Trailing 28-21 with less than four minutes to go, Glacier started its final drive at its own 29-yard line but wasted little time getting going. Quarterback Evan Todd hit Blain in stride on the first play for 12 yards and a late hit pushed Glacier into Flathead territory. Four plays later, Blain carved his way through the Braves defense and into the end zone for a 17-yard score setting up the two-point try with 2:12 on the clock. Blain again tried the middle of the line but Flathead’s defense was up to the task and the Braves offense ran out the clock with a pair of first downs on the ensuing possession.

Glacier converted an extra point after its first score but the next try was aborted after a bad snap and the Wolfpack would not line up for another kick the rest of the night. After the game, Glacier coach Grady Bennett explained his decision to play for the lead instead of the tie.

“We’ve struggled with our kicking game all year, it’s been very inconsistent,” he said. “I thought we had the momentum and I thought we were rolling and I thought we had a play that we could get. Sometimes you make that decision to go for the win … you think, man, let’s get this right now if we can.”

The decisive play may have been the two-point attempt, but it wasn’t the only major turning point in a wild second half that saw the two teams trade big plays and turnovers. During one stretch early in the fourth quarter there were three turnovers in the course of four plays, and following the third turnover — a Flathead fumble inside its own 20-yard line — Blain scampered to the end zone from 14 yards out and the Wolfpack converted a two-point try to tie the score at 21.

Glacier (1-4) forced the Braves to punt on the next possession, but this time it was the Wolfpack’s turn to fumble deep in its own end and Flathead took over inside the 10. Blake Counts would carry the ball down to the two on the first play, then get stood up at the goal line the next two tries. Facing a fourth-and-goal from less than a yard out, the Braves went to Counts again and this time he reached his right arm across the plane to put Flathead on top 28-21.

Asked if he considered something other than handing the ball to Counts on fourth down, Samson laughed.

“No,” he said. “We were going to give it to 2-4. We believe in him, we believe in our (offensive) line and, yeah, there was no doubt.”

Counts was courageous in the win, carrying the ball a whopping 38 times for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The senior now has over 1,000 rushing yards and nearly 150 attempts this season in just five games.

“Going into the second half of the season we’ve got to make sure that we keep him fresh for the long run,” Samson said. “But tonight we were just like ‘Hey, he’s our horse, we’ve got to give him the rock to win this game’ and I’m very proud of him.”

Flathead (4-1) quarterback Jaden MacNeil was just 7 for 15 passing but ran for 128 yards including an electrifying 36-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The Braves rushed for 304 yards in the game.

Blain ran for 149 yards in a losing effort and Todd was 11 for 17 passing for 134 yards.

The game was played in front of a standing-room only crowd at Legends Stadium and ended with Flathead picking up just its fourth win in 12 tries against the Wolfpack.

“For the town of Kalispell, it’s a pretty fun night,” Samson said. “And it’s awesome to be on the winning end of it as well.”

Pick up the Sept. 26 issue of the Flathead Beacon for more from this game.

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