By Bruce Sayler
This Glacier mass was really hot.
Top-ranked, undefeated Glacier High of Kalispell scored five first-half touchdowns while blanking Butte High’s offense and beating the Bulldogs 42-0 Friday night in a high school football game at Naranche Stadium.
The game opened the Western AA Conference season for both teams.
A large crowd witnessed the clash as Sacramento State-committed quarterback Jackson Presley threw touchdown passes to three different receivers while directing the Wolfpack’s 500-yard total offense.
Presley was 13-for-16 for 315 yards passing with no interceptions. His TD passing plays measured 66 yards to Cooper Pelc, 31 yards to Hunter Daniels and 55 yards to Austin Gragg.
The more experienced, further-developed team won and triggered a running clock the second half on the 35-point difference rule.
“They’re a really good team,” expressed Butte High head coach Arie Grey after the game. “They play hard, they play physical and they play with a lot of confidence.
“It was another learning experience for us. We know where we need to get better and the coaches know where we need to work. If we can keep stacking days working on things, we will get better.”
The coach had a reminder, too.
“Hey,” he said, with a smile. “It’s Week 3.”
Only two players with much varsity playing experience are on the roster and the rest of the Bulldogs are catching up with two-thirds of the season still to come.
The Glacier running game was led by Asher Knopik with 121 yards on eight carries, including touchdowns of 30 and five yards.
The Pelc TD capped the Wolfpack’s first possession of the game. An interception by Kruz Robinson stopped Butte High at the Glacier 20-yard line on the next drive. The Wolfpack held ownership of the ball until Knopik’s 30-yard dash around left end to the end zone with 4 minutes, 14 seconds left in the first quarter.
Presley found Daniels for their 32-yard scoring connection on the first play of the second quarter after the Bulldogs were forced into a punt five plays earlier. Butte High had to punt again and then denied a Glacier score when Kasen Snyder forced a fumble from Pelc that bounced into the end zone. Bradey Doyle pounced on the loose ball for a Bulldogs touchback.
An interception by Weston Robinson set the Wolfpack up at Butte High’s 37-yard line after a penalty against the Bulldogs. Five plays later, Trey Ramey dove across the goal line from a yard away.
The Bulldogs next drive ended in a punt, but blocked by Jack Robinson and recovered by Wayne Cox at the Butte High 45. Knopik carried three straight times, ending the drive with a touchdown.
It was halftime and Glacier led 35-0.
Presley hooked up with Gragg on the third play from scrimmage in the second half and the long touchdown finished the scoring.
Butte High’s total offense was 129 yards. Peyton Johnson gained 44 yards on 13 totes to lead the Bulldog ballcarriers. Senior QB Brooks Vincent connected on 15 of 33 passing attempts for 108 yards. He was intercepted twice.
Hudson Luedtke again led Butte High in receiving with seven catches for 65 yards. Kaleb Celli caught four balls for 34 yards.
Brodie Cooke led all tacklers, coming up with eight stops for Glacier. Jack Robinson and Kruz Robinson were in on six tackles each.
Finn Wortham, Gunner Bushman and Mitch Verlanic shared the Butte High lead with seven tackles each. Bridger Brancamp and Jaeger Hansen were each in on five stops. Jacob Galle and Colt Stenson shared a sack.
The loss put Butte High at 1-2 for the season. The Bulldogs are to play next on Thursday, against Missoula Big Sky at MCHS Stadium in Missoula. Big Sky is also undefeated.
Grey remained undaunted.
“We have a really good team to play next week,” he said. “How lucky are we to get to play all these good teams? Every week is a dogfight.”
Glacier 14 21 7 0 – 42
Butte High 0 0 0 0 – 0
First Quarter
GLA – Cooper Pelc 66 pass from Jackson Presley (Kyle Smith kick), 9:48.
GLA – Asher Knopik 30 run (Smith kick), 4:14.
Second Quarter
GLA – Hunter Daniels 31 pass from Presly (Smith kick), 11:53.
GLA – Trey Ramey 1 run (Smith kick), 7:31.
GLA – Knopik 5 run (Smith kick), 5:16.
Third Quarter
GLA – Austin Gragg 55 pass from Presley (Smith kick) 9:00.
Gla Butte
First downs 20 14
Rushes-yards 29-185 17-21
Passes 13-18-0 15-33-2
Passing yards 315 108
Total offense 500 129
Return yards 29 13
Punts-avg. 2-38.0 7-29.7
Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties 12-137 9-50
Individual Statistics
RUSHING – Glacier, Asher Knopik 8-121, Eli Imperato 5-26, Trey Ramey 6-23, Brock Moloney 2-16, Jackson Presley 2-4, Nathan Frederick 1-1, Team 4-0, Cash Keim 1-(-6). Butte High, Peyton Johnson 13-43, Koda Schleeman 1-(-4), Brooks Vincent 3-(-18).
PASSING – Glacier, Presley 13-16-0-315, Keim 0-1-0-0. Butte High, Vincent 15-33-0-108.
RECEIVING – Glacier, Cooper Pelc 4-142, Ethan Kastelitz 4-53, Hunter Daniels 3-51, Austin Gragg 1-55, Knopik 1-14. Butte High, Hudson Leudtke 7-65, Kaleb Celli 4-34, Preston Jensen 3-7, Schleeman 1-3.
