2026 Flathead Valley Fall Sports Preview

After a 2025 fall season filled with individual and team state championships, several Flathead Valley athletes will be on the title defense, while others will make a push to reach the mountain top of Montana high school sports after falling one win short a season ago.

The Glacier Wolfpack and Columbia Falls Wildkats saw their 2025 seasons in football, flag football and girls soccer culminate in state titles, in addition to Glacier’s Ada Thiel taking home top honors at the state cross country meet. 

On the other side of the coin were teams like Columbia Falls boys soccer and Whitefish football, who saw their season come to a close one game shy of a shot at a state title. 

The countdown to October and November state championship games and meets will officially start this weekend as Flathead Valley teams across several fall sports kick off their 2026 seasons. Here’s a preview of all the action up ahead:

FOOTBALL

When Glacier opens their season against Billings West on Friday night, the Wolfpack will be looking to pick up right where they left off just over nine months ago when they handed the Bears a 16-3 defeat to claim the Class AA state title. 

The Wolfpack, however, will need to do so without Head Coach Grady Bennett following a two-game suspension handed down by the Montana High School Association earlier this year after allegations of recruiting were levied against the program.

Ahead of this weekend’s state championship re-match, Bennett said his absence won’t affect the Wolfpack in “any way,” adding that the program’s “systems and processes are so solid, that our coaches and players know exactly what to do, how to do it and the why behind all of it.” 

“The honest truth is, I don’t do much on Friday nights besides smile a lot, cheer like crazy, and encourage the boys,” Bennett said.

Bennett’s Wolfpack are looking to build on the lessons learned in their undefeated 2025 season, which culminated in the team’s third straight title game appearance and second-ever state championship.

“Last year’s team really set a new standard in our program for incredibly high character combined with fierce competitiveness at a level we’ve never seen before,” Bennett said. “We’ve been so blessed to have such great young men in our program and we stress character and teach it daily, but last year’s group was truly exceptional in their character both on and off the field and how they played the game with that character while competing so ferociously, is what made them champions. I believe our underclassmen witnessed this new standard and will seek to not only uphold it, but take it to yet another level.”

Despite returning only a handful of starters, Bennett is still pleased with the team’s overall depth and experience, saying he expects his squad to grow “leaps and bounds” over the course of the season. 

“We did lose a lot of really good players but I feel we have a lot of really good players stepping into those positions and they will perform well under the Friday night lights. I also love our team speed and feel we will again have a fast team this year that plays and competes hard.

“Our guys know it’s not where you start, but where you finish, so no matter what happens early, we know we will be a very, very good team by the end of the season when it matters most.”

In Class A action, both Whitefish and Columbia Falls have their sights set on postseason play, hoping to improve on their respective semifinalist and quarterfinalist finishes in 2025. 

Whitefish Head Coach Brett Bollweg said a main goal for his Bulldog squad is to be as competitive as possible, noting that “playing in November is part of the standard that we strive for” in the program.

Bollweg described his team as a strong mix between talented newcomers and returners with key experience, saying he will look to his senior class to guide the team as it continues to grow and get better each week.

“There are always big holes to fill, yet each team takes on its own identity,” Bollweg said. “It is one of the more exciting aspects of Class A football. Each team, each year, will take on a new identity, and through the leadership of the seniors we take shape. We had great leadership last year and I am excited for our new leaders to show themselves and see how they guide our team this season.”

In contrast, Columbia Falls Head Coach Kelly Houle will be relying on experience this season, describing his team in one word: “veteran.” 

The Wildcats will look to play fast both offensively and defensively, with Houle also hoping to instill the same approach to his players’ mental approach to each snap. 

“We like to get better or learn something every repetition,” Houle said. “Through this mindset my hope is that football becomes muscle memory, we don’t have to think but rather just ‘go.’ If a mistake is made, move on to the next snap.”

“Games are not won on Friday nights, rather they are won in the film room and on the practice fields,” he added. “We want to be prepared. We want to do things the right way. We like to get better every day.”

The Wildcats open their season at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Washington/Grizzly stadium in Missoula versus Lewistown.

GIRLS SOCCER

In 2025, the Columbia Falls Wildkats emerged as yet another undefeated state title-clinching team in the Flathead Valley. 

Head Coach Thomas Clark’s squad capped off the perfect season with a commanding 4-0 result over the Bigfork Valkyries — the third matchup of the season between the rivals and tournament’s one- and two-seeds. 

While last year’s season didn’t have a blemish on the result sheet, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t without its challenges — a lesson Clark hopes his squad takes with them this season.

“I think the biggest lesson to build off from last year’s team is how to overcome adversity,” Clark said. “Last year we dealt with injuries to key players and we had to come from behind multiple times to get a result. I think recognizing that even undefeated seasons don’t always go how you drew it up is a really important lesson for all athletes to learn.”

Despite losing three current college athletes and a record-breaking goalkeeper to graduation, the Wildkats will still return plenty of talent to the field this fall in its senior class, which have played in two state title games so far in their careers.

“We have pretty high expectations, and those expectations are ultimately set by the leadership group we have in the program,” Clark said. “We have won the Northern A Conference each of the past two years and winning the conference for a third consecutive season is a big goal for the group. Coming off a state championship, the girls recognize that there is a lot of pressure that comes with that. They want to be in that game again this fall and that goal is really dictating how we approach each and every day in training.”

With a mix of veteran experience and some talented newcomers, Clark’s squad still has the personnel to fit the tactical system they’ve played the past two seasons. With a familiarity already established, Clark has given the greenlight to his players to put their own flare on things. 

“This is a really intelligent group that collectively has a pretty good grasp on how we are trying to accomplish things offensively and defensively this fall,” Clark said. “I am excited to see how some of our offensive players use their creativity to really put their stamp on things. We have some really special players and I am excited to watch them do special things on the field.”

BOYS SOCCER

The conclusion of last year’s Class A boys soccer championship saw a veteran Polson Pirates squad take down a formidable opponent in the Whitefish Bulldogs 4-0 to claim the first state championship in the program’s history.

With the loss of 12 seniors, Whitefish’s journey back to the title game will look a bit different this season. 

The Bulldogs will still return a core group of juniors and seniors, who will be paired with some talented younger players, meaning Head Coach Eric Sawtelle expects to see his team get “stronger and stronger” as the season progresses. 

“Senior defenders Quin Powers, Will Dohmen, Tyler Larkin and Tristan Irwin will provide a strong foundation and solid leadership for our team,” Sawtelle said. “Higher up on the pitch returning seniors Luca Duffy and Max Brown look very strong in the midfield. Returning junior goalkeeper Ben Nelson has looked excellent in preseason and returning junior Graysen Rembaugh will be a constant goal threat who can play anywhere on the pitch.”

The Bulldogs will open their season at home at Smith Fields on Friday, Aug. 28.

“We are very excited to get the season underway and are looking forward to seeing what this group is able to accomplish,” Sawtelle said.

After losing to Polson in a penalty kick shootout in the state semifinals, the Columbia Falls Wildcats also have their sights set on a state title game this season.

Like the Bulldogs, Columbia Falls’ road to a championship game in November will likely look different after the graduation of nine seniors from their 2025 campaign.

Led by only three seniors and posting an incoming freshman class of 13, the Wildcats must replace half of last year’s starting lineup — a task that will be bolstered by “some incredibly young talent,” Head Coach O’Brien Byrd said. 

Despite the young squad, Byrd said his team is still aiming for a conference crown, something that they’ve won three out of the last four years, and an even deeper playoff run. To achieve their goals, the Wildcats will rely on their youth and hope “talent and drive prevail.”

“We will definitely be playing catch-up as new varsity players will be entering the starting lineup, but even the new faces bring a lot of energy and talent,” Byrd said.

“We are young with lots of new faces among us,” he added. “We return five varsity starters from last year’s semifinal run. We are young, coachable, talented, and very, very ambitious.”

CROSS COUNTRY

When all was said and done at the University of Montana Golf Course last October, it was Glacier’s freshman phenom Ada Thiel that emerged as the top dog in Class AA girls cross country. 

Less than a second behind her was Wolfpack teammate Lauren Bissen, a junior who has never finished worse than 3rd at each of the state meets she’s competed in. 

Now, the sophomore and senior duo are looking to pace a “deep” Wolfpack squad in search of an improvement on last year’s fourth place finish at the state meet, Head Coach Cody Moore said.

The boys team, whose top-five runners consist of four seniors and a junior, will also be in the hunt to improve on a fourth place finish in Missoula, he said.

For Moore, the goals for both squads this season are simple: “create a space and community to foster a lifelong love of running and bring a few team trophies home from the state meet in October.”

“Cross country is inherently a challenging sport, so we hope for growth physically but also mentally from our athletes as individuals,” Moore said. “As a team we aim to build a culture that supports each other regardless of speed and ability, good days or bad. We believe we have the pieces for two podium-contending teams this October in Billings.”

After a third and fourth place team finish for its boys and girls squads last year, Columbia Falls will welcome a bit of a rebuilding season following the graduation of several key varsity runners, said Head Coach Jim Peacock. 

With a large pool of talented youth, Peacock is “looking forward to seeing strong improvements in running ability and fitness by October.”

“On both our boys’ and girls’ teams, we will count on several underclassmen developing, growing, and building confidence throughout the season,” Peacock said. “We hope to have a fun year and strive to keep improving every day. If we can do those two things, the season will take care of itself and we’ll see success.”

Despite being a young program this year, the ‘Cats will still return key varsity performers on both teams, including the girl’s team’s top runner from last season, Hazel Alexander, who sustained significant trauma when she was struck by a driver in a stolen vehicle attempting to evade police on Jan. 9. Although she “still has a long road ahead of her to get to where she wants to be,” Alexander will still be an important piece for the team this season, Peacock said.

“It warms the heart to have her back on the team, and she is doing well, particularly considering how extensive her injuries were,” Peacock said.

The Whitefish Bulldogs will also field young teams on both the boys and girls side this year, with Head Coach Richard Menicke saying his main goals are to develop his young runners and show tangible improvement over the course of the season.

“We are a young team with great upperclass leaders,” Menicke said. “The dream is that some of our freshmen develop into varsity athletes during the course of the season and that our returners can improve their times from last season.”

FLAG FOOTBALL, GOLF, VOLLEYBALL

The Glacier Wolfpack, who have become a mainstay powerhouse in the world of Montana High School flag football, tied a bow on their 2025 season with a fourth consecutive state championship. 

After three previous years of the sport’s history employing a combined tournament, the 2025 edition of the stat tournament featured three brackets split by classification. The Wolfpack earned the inaugural Class AA championship to build on their previous three-peat.

But for Head Coach Mark Kessler, that was then, and the 2026 season is now.

“The previous season means nothing to this,” Kessler said. “They are two different things and our whole goal is to be our best at the end of the season. We look to develop our kids to be better people, players and teammates. Success is a byproduct of the work we put in throughout the season.”

Kessler described this season’s squad as “a young group that plays with passion for the game and willingness to be coached.”

“Our motto is #IBMe, which simply means ‘I believe in Me,’” Kessler said. “We hope to grow from an ‘I can’t’ to an ‘I can’ attitude.”

This season, the Wolfpack will have the opportunity to represent Montana in the Max Preps Championships tournament in San Diego, Calif. on Sept. 11-12.

“We are also excited to compete against the entire AA this season,” Kessler said. “It’s great to see the growth of flag football in Montana.”

After an exciting 2025 postseason run for the Flathead Bravettes, which culminated in a top-four finish in the state following a semifinal loss to Glacier, second-year Head Coach Jessica Hensley said her squad is focused and fine-tuning ahead of the 2026 campaign, with their sights set on hardware. 

“Our ultimate goal is a state championship, but we know that doesn’t happen simply by saying that’s what we want,” Hensley said. “We want to build the skills, habits and mindsets that will help our athletes succeed both on and off the field. We want to develop players who are disciplined, resilient, accountable and confident, while continuing to grow as people and as teammates.

“If we continue to focus on those things and consistently do our part, I truly believe a state championship is well within our grasp.”

With a solid core of returners pairing with an exciting group of newcomers, which includes upperclassmen new to the sport, Hensley’s squad is “definitely hungry for more this year,” she said.

“For me, as a second-year head coach, it has been really impressive to see that culture being passed down,” Hensley said. “The players are beginning to understand what it looks like to play Flathead flag football and are taking ownership of that standard themselves. We haven’t seen the entire process play out yet, but so far, we’ve had a great start to the season, and I’m excited about where we’re headed.”

Over on the hardwood, Glacier’s volleyball team is also hungry for more after their trip to the Class AA state tournament last year, where the Wolfpack went 1-2. 

With a mix of returning experience and players stepping into new or larger roles, this year’s Wolfpack has a lot of potential — but potential isn’t what wins games, Head Coach Jaimie Nelson said.

“Our job as a program is to turn that potential into consistent volleyball,” Nelson said.

“I would describe this year’s team as competitive, powerful, and willing to work,” she added. “Our biggest area of growth will be consistency. We have athletes that can do some really exciting things; now the challenge is learning to do the simple things well, over and over again. I want us to become a team that stays steady when things get difficult and trusts one another.”

Nelson will look to her senior class to be a “steady, focused presence on the court” as this season’s team finds its identity and new players step into bigger roles, she said.

“Our varsity team is what people see, but building a successful program happens every day in our gym,” Nelson said. “We’re focused on developing fundamentals, competitiveness, leadership, and a genuine love for being part of a team. This is a special group because they are beginning to take ownership of what they want Wolfpack Volleyball to become.” 

For this year’s Wolfpack athletes hitting the links, building off the teams’ previous success will be the key, first-year Head Coach Cory Snipes said. 

“We have a large roster of over 60 students this year, with some exceptional golfers,” Snipes said. “Our goal is to be a competitive team the whole year while maintaining the culture that Glacier High has shown in all of its programs throughout the history of the school.”

After a fourth place team finish at the state tournament, the boys will return individual placers senior Torren Murray and junior Elliot Anderson, who finished 7th and 54th, respectively. On the girls side, the Wolfpack finished fifth place and will return state placers in senior Maggie Mitton (tied 9th) and junior Lillie Groom (tied 48th).

“My hope is that our team is not reliant on one or two players,” Snipes said. “I want it to become a full team effort, where every kid is contributing from Varsity to JV to Practice Squad. With every one of them feeling their skills advancing and having a fun time while playing and practicing.”

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