Flathead Valley Football Preview 2024
After several teams made runs deep into the playoffs last year, including two championship appearances, the valley’s football teams are hitting the gridiron with big goals
By Micah Drew
The 2023 season started with several questions: Will Bigfork continue its playoff success against Class A competition? Can Flathead make a modest jump this year? Can the Wildcats make the state final? Can a nationally ranked transfer QB be Glacier’s secret to success?
The answer to all of those questions was a resounding yes.
With teams kicking off the 2024 season this weekend, here are a few new questions to ponder while watching the games on the gridiron. Can Flathead continue improving and make it a three-plus win season? Will Glacier go the extra mile and win the title this year? Can Columbia Falls replace a talented senior class and remain competitive a year after running into the state final? Are Whitefish’s days of playing games on a baseball field numbered? (This is not a season performance-based question, but does tie in to the upcoming vote about funding new athletic facilities along with the high school expansion.)
Don’t forget to visit www.flatheadbeacon.com/sports all season long for updated scores, standings and stories from the games.
Of the state’s top ranked quarterbacks from the 2023 season, only one is returning — Glacier’s Jackson Presley, entering his junior year of eligibility with the Wolfpack. Presley threw for 3,053 yards and 28 touchdowns last year, with a 66% completion rate. Earlier this month he committed to Boise State University, a Group of Five powerhouse that has produced top QB talents including current Philadelphia Eagles offensive coach Kellen Moore.
While the Wolfpack graduated several very talented seniors, continuity with the signal caller is one of the best predictors of success at this level. Presley’s aerial attack paired with athletic receivers is sure to stymie all but the most staunch defensives. Add in all-state running back Kobe Dorcheus, who averaged 87 yards a game, and Glacier should stomp their way straight to the top of the Class AA standings. After making their return to the state final for the first time since the Wolfpack’s 2014 championship, expect this team to only have one goal on their mind — win it all.
Additional top Wolfpack players to watch include Mark Ahner, Ben Winters and Carson Baker.
Glacier opens the season against Great Falls, a team they shut out 44-0 last season, and then will face Billings Senior in their first home game the following week.
(Editor’s note: The Wolfpack won against Great Falls 28-3.)
Last fall Flathead football coach Caleb Aaland helped the Braves earn more wins than they did in the previous three seasons combined, with victories over Belgrade and Hellgate. The latter win came in the last game of the season, sealing a postive memory for returning players to draw on.
The Braves also return their starting QB, Brett Pesola, which should aid the team as they continue rebuilding. Junior wide receiver Ben Bliven is one of the top sprinters in the state and will be hard to chase down if he has a clear lane to the endzone, while Nolan Campbell has established himself as a versatile offensive asset for the Braves.
Flathead starts off against the CMR Rustlers, a three-win team in 2023 that shut out the Braves in the season opener but struggled later in the year. With Belgrade up the next week, Flathead could gain some early season momentum that will be key in bringing their season up a level.
Columbia Falls came up one play short of a state title last season. As a perennial Class A powerhouse — they won in 2017 and routinely appear in the quarterfinals — the Wildcats can never be counted out, but they’ll have to claw back a lot of talent to match last year’s dominance.
The Wildcats graduated quarterback Cody Schweikert, now playing with the Griz, along with five senior receivers, the foundation of their high scoring offense.
Nevertheless, success breeds motivation and last year’s impressive season is sure to turn out the top athletic talent to rebuild with, including seniors Trenton DeRosa, Austin Dodson and Lane Voermans, and sophomore Jett Brandeberry. The Wildcats will open up against Frenchtown.
Across the valley, Whitefish faces a tough schedule with games against Hamilton, Corvallis, Columbia Falls and defending champion Dillon in the first five weeks. Last year Whitefish struggled at the start of the season but hit its stride halfway through the season. That’s where the Bulldogs hope to start this year off. They benefit by having a young team that didn’t see much turnover. Watch for junior Cole Moses to help anchor the lines and Carson Gulick, Riley Zetooney and Calvin Eisenberth to lead the offense.
With the first year of adjusting to a new classification of football out of the way, Bigfork is ready to keep its momentum rolling under new head coach Hunter Johnson, who played and coached at Beaverhead County and will bring invaluable Class A experience.
“This is a team with a great culture of winning, and that’s what’s we plan to keep doing,” Johnson told the Beacon.
The Vikings will be fielding just three seniors this year with a strong class of junior behind them, setting up a cohesive team for the next few years. Senior Henry Carlson has offers from colleges across the state and will be leading the offensive and defensive lines while running back Sam Plummer will be a force on the ground. The Vikings will also break in a new signal caller, junior Cole Schmidt, who started for the junior varsity team for the last two years.
Bigfork opens their season against Polson on Friday night.