AA Flag Football: Glacier Defeats Missoula Hellgate for Fourth-straight Title
In the formative years of Montana's flag football landscape, Glacier has emerged as the measuring stick all other programs compare themselves to
By CARSON CASHION, 406MTSports.com
HAMILTON — The Glacier Wolfpack clinched their fourth straight flag football title Thursday.
After three previous years of the sport’s history employing a combined tournament, the 2025 edition featured three brackets split by classification. The Wolfpack earned the inaugural Class AA championship to build on their previous three-peat.
To start the day, Glacier got the action going with a 28-20 win over crosstown rival Flathead High. The Knights beat the crosstown Spartans, 13-0, to set up the chipper.
In the formative years of Montana’s flag football landscape, Glacier has emerged as the measuring stick all other programs compare themselves to.
Three-straight state titles, every title that’s been awarded in the Treasure State, has found its way to the Wolfpack. Three champions were named Thursday in the first edition of the A and B-C tournaments, Glacier competing in AA, meaning the program’s run as the one and only champion has ended.
Nevertheless, the Wolfpack are still on top.
“What a great legacy for these young ladies,” Glacier head coach Mark Kessler said.
In a 28-0 win over Missoula Hellgate, the Wolfpack looked as dominant as ever.
“We just worked like we always have,” senior Karley Allen said. “We’re one team, if you’re on the sideline or if you’re in the game, we’re part of the pack.”
The Wolfpack was led by a dazzling performance from Allen, the team’s signal caller. A first-quarter touchdown from Allen to Addison Kauffman set the tone for the matchup, and the duo found each other on another touchdown throw in the second quarter. Allen broke free late in the first for a lengthy touchdown run, weaving through the Knights’ defenders on the way to the house.
Despite the program’s championship pedigree, this year’s edition of Glacier is younger than some of the groups in the past, Keller said, making Allen’s leadership all the more beneficial.
“I’ll put that (Allen’s touchdown run) up against any in the NFL,” Keller added. “That’s a top-10 ESPN play.”
Hellgate, a program in its first year of existence, struggled to find offensive momentum against the Wolfpack, never reaching scoring range. Glacier capped its performance off with one last touchdown throw from Allen, this time to Taylor Lee, to bring the margin of victory up to 28. After a tightly contested semifinal matchup with crosstown rival Flathead, the Wolfpack looked ready for the moment in the chipper.
“It’s just really cool,” Allen said, “Because not everybody gets that chance in their life.”
Missoula Hellgate 13, Missoula Sentinel 0 (semifinal)
The Knights and Spartans faced off four times this season, the Spartans winning the “rubber match” contest at the Missoula crosstown classic in September.
In the fourth and final matchup of the year, with the most on the line, it was Hellgate that emerged victorious. A 13-0 shutout win set up the Knights to try and win a state title against Glacier in the program’s first year of existence.
Freshman quarterback Texas Gilman opened up the scoring for the Knights late in the second quarter, finding the end zone on a direct snap after out-racing the Spartan defenders. The 7-0 advantage lasted until the fourth, when Gilman found Lucia Savoia on a fourth-and-goal touchdown pass.
The lead was extended to 13-0 with just over four minutes to go in the contest. A fourth-down stop for the Knights secured their ticket in the final game of the season.
Glacier 28, Flathead 20 (semifinal)
After leading the Braves throughout Thursday morning’s opener, Glacier found itself on the wrong end of a furious comeback attempt late in the fourth quarter.
Leading 15-6 after the first half, thanks to a late-second-quarter safety the Wolfpack forced, Glacier’s lead was added to further after Karley Allen found Addison Kauffman for a long touchdown pass.
On Glacier’s following possession, Allen took a run into the end zone herself, establishing a 28-6 lead that appeared insurmountable.
Flathead responded with a touchdown throw from Julia Kay to Lexi Herion, cutting the deficit to 16. Flathead scored again, cutting the deficit to eight after a successful two-point conversion. The Braves needed just one stop as the clock winded below two minutes.
The Wolfpack’s senior leadership and especially Allen, head coach Mark Kessler said, was of huge benefit in keeping his team engaged.
“Her leadership and presence has been huge in that,” Kessler added. “Being calm when you can’t, when things get crazy at the end.”
Glacier maintained possession long enough to drain the clock, securing a state championship appearance for the fourth-straight year. The Wolfpack await the winner between the Missoula crosstown semifinal matchup.
In between the games, Kessler said his team will simply go check out of their hotels and enjoy the experience.
“At the end of the day it’s just kids having fun,” Kessler said. “So let’s not forget that.”