Glacier is no stranger to meeting Bozeman on the football field.

The Wolfpack will be playing the Hawks for the seventh time in the last four years when the teams kickoff at 7 tonight at Van Winkle Stadium in Bozeman.

That stretch will include two meetings in the state semifinals and one in the championship game, with the two teams each laying claim to the best in the state over that period.

“They’re very well coached, that’s the first thing that stands out, by coach (Troy) Purcell in all three phases: offense, defense, special teams,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said.

“You can tell. They find things — those little nuances, those X’s and O’s, those little scheme things — they find ways to win. They outcoach people. They get their kids lined up well and they execute as good as anybody. You can see game to game they’re well coached.”

The Hawks enter the game as the playoffs top seed after a 9-1 regular season that saw them beat two of the three other semifinalists. They blanked Great Falls C.M. Russell in the first round last week 21-0, scoring twice on runs of 40-plus yards.

Bozeman is also responsible for handing Glacier its last loss of the season, topping the Wolfpack 28-10 at Legends Stadium in the second week.

“That was the one game that physically we got it handed to us,” Bennett said. “They just flat came and beat us.”

The Hawks used their physical stable of backs to slowly bludgeon the Wolfpack defense and pull away. If Glacier is to get back to the state championship game for a third-straight year, it will need to hold up against the big, bruising lineup of Bozeman.

“We are going to have to be more physical,” Bennett said.

“Our offensive line, that was their second game together with four brand-new starters. Against a good front seven like that, I figured we were going to have a big challenge. They’re good and they’re big and they have a lot of experience.

“I feel like we’re way better now. We’re physically going to be able to handle it. Our guys have jelled and they’ve come so far. I know we’re going to be better up front, but it’s going to start with that.

“We’re going to have to be very physical at the point of attack and hold our own in the trenches on both sides. I feel like we can. We’re going to have to prove on Friday night that we can.”

One thing that will help the Wolfpack against the physical attack of the Hawks is the proliferation of its passing attack. Glacier’s offense, which was run heavy early in the season and relied on senior running back Thomas Trefney while new players got acclimated to starting roles, has been far more potent the last few weeks with the help of quarterback Leif Ericksen and a healthy group of receivers.

“We’re much more diverse now,” Bennett said.

“Early on we knew we were going to have to lean on Tref a lot, and everybody else did too.

“Leif has come so far. We’re much more balanced, much more diverse. We can lean on Tref but our receivers have improved so much. Now we have fully-realized and developed threats across the board. As those receivers have gotten better and more comfortable with Leif, the timing is better and the route schemes, so much improvement.

“They’re a much better team as well, but we feel really confident in the development that we’ve seen across the board in all three phases.”

Even with its marked improvement, Glacier will need to start quickly to give itself a chance against Bozeman’s deliberate attack.

“The key for us is going to be playing well in that first half,” Bennett said.

“(Bozeman) wants to get up by one or two touchdowns early and then just get the game over with. They’re going to pound it at you and slow it down. Before you know it you can’t stop the big, physical running backs behind the big, physical O-line and, all of a sudden, the quarter is over.

“We need to come out and play well early and be even with them. If we can make it a game where we have a chance in the fourth quarter, that’s what we want.”

Glacier is looking to be the first defending state champion since 2009 to return to the title game the following season. It is also seeking the first repeat championship since 2008, when Helena Capital won its third straight.

Capital plays at Billings Senior in tonight’s other semifinal contest.