Glacier Wolfpack Football Claims State Title with Win Over Billings West
After two years of heartbreak, the Class AA champions capped their undefeated season with a 16-3 victory in Kalispell
By Lauren Frick
After two straight years of road losses in the Class AA high school state championship football game, the Glacier Wolfpack weren’t about to be denied lifting the trophy Friday night at Legends Stadium.
The Billings West Bears may have opened scoring just over two minutes into the game, but it was the Wolfpack the rest of the way in their 16-3 victory enroute to the school’s second-ever state title.
Playing in their third state championship game in as many years, Wolfpack Head Coach Grady Bennett said it was his group of seniors who led the effort to finally get across the finish line.
“Three-hundred sixty-five days ago on this day, they put their plan in motion,” Bennett said. “Not mine; not the coaches; to get back here. They knew they needed to get it in Kalispell.
“They went to work. It was an offseason where I didn’t have to be very motivational. They came to me with the plan.
“To see them finish it tonight right here in Kalispell in front of these great fans … I’m just so proud of them.”
The championship game win buttons up a dominant 12-0 season for the Wolfpack, who outscored their opponents 493-73.
The Wolfpack’s most closely contested game came against the Bears in the season opener when Glacier traveled to Billings West, edging out the home team in a tight 14-10 affair.
Friday night’s state championship game appeared to be shaping up to be a similar outcome when the teams went into halftime tied 3-3.
Billings West’s Jaxon King converted a 22-yard field goal attempt just over two minutes into the first half after a six-play, 70-yard drive by the Bears. The Wolfpack, however, answered with a 20-yard field goal of their own by Kyle Smith to close the quarter.
The Wolfpack appeared to be at the doorstep of breaking through the second-quarter stalemate with about 4:30 left in the half when Ethan Kastelitz intercepted a pass from West quarterback Colt Johnson, charging down the field 47 yards. Two plays later, however, West’s Walker Olson picked off Glacier’s quarterback Jackson Presley — only his second interception of the season.
Despite the lack of scoring and the uncharacteristic interception from the Glacier’s mainstay quarterback, the Wolfpack weren’t rattled at the half, Presley said.
“We knew that we were going through adversity,” Presley said. “We knew this would be a tough game, so we went into the locker room and said, ‘let’s just be us.’ Because if we’re us, we’re unstoppable.”
The Wolfpack came out hot in the third quarter, scoring their remaining 13 points throughout the 12 minutes.
Presley secured the game’s first touchdown five minutes into the second half on a seven-yard carry following an 11-play, 77-yard drive. The Wolfpack then closed out the game’s scoring with 26 seconds left in the third quarter off a 72-yard drive, ending with a 4-yard Asher Knopik carry for the touchdown on 4th and goal. Smith went 1-for-2 on extra point attempts, bringing the score to 16-3.
West looked to be mounting a fourth-quarter push when the Bears executed two fourth down conversions during the heart of the quarter. The Bears even got as close as the 3-yard line before Glacier’s defense stood tall, making three stops to all but seal the game.
“I’m so thankful for this team,” Presley said. “We battled on both sides of the ball. Offense, defense, special teams; we all competed. It’s a team win. I’m so thankful for this team.”
Presley finished the game passing 11/20 for 158 yards, while Dylan Banzet had five receptions for 81 yards. Knopik rushed for 123 yards and William Astle led Glacier’s defense with 8 tackles, including one sack for a loss of five yards.