Playoffs Set for AA Football
Spartan avalanche buries Wolfpack, playoff bids set Glacier will host Missoula Big Sky in the first round of the state playoffs on Oct. 30
By Micah Drew
The lights at Legends Stadium sparkled off giant snowflakes and a couple inches of powder that coated the football field during Missoula Sentinel’s Oct. 23 shutout of the Glacier Wolfpack 44-0.
Glacier (5-2) entered the game with a single 34-14 loss to Helena High, but couldn’t hold of a Spartan team that has outscored opponents 344-33 this season en route to a perfect 7-0 record.
The Spartans have shut out their last three opponents, including a 64-0 rout of Missoula Big Sky and a 48-0 statement win over Helena High. They have secured the Western AA conference title and No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
The Wolfpack were limited to 15 yards of total offense and just three first downs on 40 plays. Wolfpack running back Jake Rendina was unable to break through the Sentinel defense, while quarterback JT Allen has held to 6-of-15 for just 20 yards.
“We had too many negative plays and were unable to battle back from that,” Glacier assistant coach Arron Deck told 406mtsports.com. “We just had a tough time getting in a rhythm and putting two good plays together. We know we didn’t play to our capability.”
Glacier will host Missoula Big Sky in the first round of the state playoffs on Oct. 30.
In Missoula, Flathead High put up a season-best 41 points — more than the last four games combined — but still fell to Big Sky (2-5) 60-41 to end the season 0-7.
Eagles quarterback Colter Janacaro threw for 167 yards and pair of passing scores while rushing for 272 yards and six touchdowns. He also registered five tackles on defense.
For the Braves, Alec Thomas carried the ball 20 times for 159 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown early in the game.
The score was tied at 27 going into halftime before Big Sky was able to pull away, clinching the final playoff spot in Western AA.
Eureka took down Bigfork 28-0 on its home turf on Oct. 23. Gunnar Smith scored twice on the ground from 13 and 14 yards out. Eureka (6-2) will face Glasgow (7-2) in the first round of the playoffs while Bigfork (6-3) plays Malta (5-1).
In Class A, Whitefish (5-4) missed a state tournament berth after falling 39-33 to Dillon (7-1). Columbia Falls (5-3) made the playoffs and will play Billings Central (5-0) on Oct. 31.