Glacier football didn’t look great after its last trip to Bozeman.

Five of its top players were injured. The team had three turnovers and dropped its first game of the season, scoring just 12 points in the contest.

But as dismal as the game looked in the box score, Glacier coaches saw it as a positive.

“We didn’t know what type of team this was going to be,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. “That’s the night we really found out.

“It was kinda cool. The way our kids played that night, because Bozeman’s so good, so physical. Watching how we battled, our character and our heart that night.”

It was a statement game, despite the final score, 27-12.

The Wolfpack, a team picked to finish seventh at the beginning of the season, went into the home field of the top team in the state and took its best shot. Glacier didn’t leave with a win that day, but it did find out just how good it could be.

“The three turnovers we did have, all of them we felt like were driving and had a chance to either tie it or take the lead,” Bennett said. “So you looked at their effort, their character, all the things that they showed that night, along with those three turnovers and thought this is a good team. We knew the rest of the season could be really special.”

Glacier played Bozeman to its closest game of the season and had chances to score again in the second half before dropping them, literally, on the field.

“I think physically we saw we could match up with them, we could play with them,” Bennett said. “Our kids’ attitude too, they didn’t shrink down or back away. They went toe to toe and got after it.”

In the nine games since, Glacier has averaged more than 50 points a game, blowing the field away to earn its chance at the title. Even after suffering major injuries to two starters in the first quarter of the first playoff game, the Pack continues to roll, averaging 57 points in the postseason.

“When you look at teams that get to this point, it’s usually teams that have good depth developed and guys that have stepped up,” Bennett said.

SENIOR SAVVY

Much of that production is due to a small but versatile group of seniors and the uber-athletic underclassmen that have filled in for their injured teammates.

“I couldn’t be prouder of a group,” Bennett said.

“A lot of time senior groups will say it’s about them. (This group) said, it’s not about us, the seniors, its about us the Wolfpack. Seniors, juniors, whoever’s on the field, let’s go do it together.”

Two of those seniors, Evan Epperly and Todd Ogden, have done whatever it’s taken to will the team to victory. Both one-way players last season, they took on expanded roles this year to benefit the team.

A starting cornerback the last two seasons, Epperly now leads the team in receiving yards and interceptions and is a fixture on kick and punt returns. Ogden, a linebacker and occasional wildcat quarterback as a junior, is a leading tackler and punter, but led the team in rushing yards last week as the top two running backs went down with injuries.

“Todd Ogden is fantastic,” Bennett said. “If he was able to stay fully healthy, he would easily be the best player in the state. He would never come off the field.

“He can do everything. He could probably lead the state in rushing, he could play quarterback. Todd could be first team all state at every position on the field. He is just so gifted athletically.”

“Evan has made himself a dominant force this year in AA ... (He) can take games over, however. As a corner, making interceptions. As a returner, taking the ball back. Making huge plays in the return game. As a wide receiver, just give me the ball and watch me go. He has just made the leap.

“In my coaching career I’ve never seen a kid with his talent make such a big leap.”

That versatility, along with the leadership of handful of other starters, has changed a young group from a team that could contend with the top team in the state to a team that could become the top team in the state.

“That is the reason (we’re playing in the championship),” Bennett said.

“It’s been across the board. It’s all because of the attitude they took.”

THE REPLACEMENTS

That attitude has been infectious. After seniors Noah James, the team’s top rusher, and Kevin Malloy, a deep threat at tight end, had their seasons ended in the first week of the playoffs, it was up to a pair of backups to fill in their roles.

They didn’t miss a beat.

Logan Jones, who played most of the season as a slot receiver because of the running prowess of James, ran for 116 yards and caught for 143 to push Glacier past Butte.

Devin Cochran, who was caught up in a logjam at wide receiver and saw limited time during the regular season, took the stage last week against Great Falls C.M. Russell, setting a school record 222 receiving yards to boost the Wolfpack to the championship game.

“When you have weapons like (we do) — really, the honest truth is there’s not enough balls to go around,” Bennett said. “You try to spread it and get them as many touches as possible but it’s really hard.

“Logan’s gifted enough that if he’s touching (the ball) 20 times, holy smokes he can do big things. That’s what’s happened.

“(Devin) was the guy that was filling in for everybody across the board ... He was playing some corner, playing some wide receiver. His touchdown to catch ratio was awesome. Last week, being the guy exclusively he even upped that and had a huge game.

“The good thing is they were ready to take full advantage when they got their opportunity.”

The opportunity is now for the entire team to show how much it has grown since that first contest with Bozeman. The Wolfpack has been nearly flawless the last nine weeks, with its offense clicking and its confidence high.

“When we look back and look at the context of that game, and all those factors, we feel like we can do this and make it a good championship game,” Bennett said.