If it’s possible to score a Class AA record 32 touchdowns and have an underrated season, Glacier running back Thomas Trefney did just that during his junior year.

Overshadowed by an offense that scored 90 touchdowns and became famous for scoring quickly with a wealth of talent on the edges, Trefney quietly averaged nearly 2 1/2 touchdowns a game during a record-setting season for the Wolfpack.

“Last year we didn’t realize that was going to happen,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said.

“It more became a product of the system. With so many weapons (on the perimeter), people had to try to stop all that stuff. It left lanes for Tref. Especially in the red zone.

“Tref found a lot of room to run. He’s such a good running back that if you don’t put more people in the box, he’s going to get in the end zone.”

On the other side of town, as Glacier got all the publicity on its way to a 13-0 season and a state championship, another quiet back was piling up big numbers, too.

Flathead’s Josh McCracken was third in the state in rushing his junior season, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and nearly 1,000 yards for the Braves.

And even with those lofty personal stats, it was the Braves record that ate at him the most this offseason, Flathead’s third straight outside of the playoffs.

“He’s very humble, and I appreciate that,” Flathead coach Kyle Samson said. “He doesn’t care about records, he just wants to win.

“Some kids get caught up in stats. He’s not really a stat guy.”

This season, they are two of the state’s top three rushers, running step for step with defending Montana Gatorade player of the year Andrew Grinde of Great Falls C.M. Russell. With Grinde out with an injury this week, it’s likely one of the two Kalispell backs will finish as the state’s top rusher this season.

Trefney isn’t quite matching his record-setting touchdown numbers from a year ago, but he’s certainly making his mark. He leads the state with 1,072 rushing yards, just 60 yards shy of his school record last season, and needs only two carries to break his school record of 191.

“(My goal was) to come out better than last year,” Trefney said. “So far, I’ve completed that.”

“Our O-line, we lost a couple of key guys (from last year). We’ve had some young guys step up. I’m very proud of them.”

After flying under the radar last season, Bennett said he was interested to see how Trefney would handle the role of feature back and workhorse while the Wolfpack worked through inexperience at the other skill positions early in the season.

“I’m proud of how he’s reacted to it,” Bennett said.

“It’s almost easier to be not featured and be a part of the system, the forgotten guy. There’s a lot of people that flourish in that.

“He’s done a great job of reacting to that, being a leader and telling the team he’ll put them on his back if he needs to. It’s also been good for him.”

As Trefney has progressed this season, so has the Wolfpack. He’s averaged 149.5 yards in the last six games, including a school record 218 yards against Great Falls High. In that time, Glacier has all six games, the longest win streak in the state, and has risen from 0-2 to contender for a top seed.

McCracken is going for his own records this season, and at 1,000 yards through eight games, is just 384 short of Lex Hilliard’s school record set in 2000. With at least two games left this season, and averaging 6.1 yards per carry again this season, he has a shot at breaking the mark of the former pro, who is now his running backs coach.

“One of my goals was to get to 1,000 yards,” McCracken said. “But, most of my goals were team goals.”

“He’s had a heck of a year and has a chance to go out and break Coach Hilliard’s record, which would be pretty special for him,” Samson said.

“He’s a pretty quiet kid, but leads by example. He’s definitely one of the hardest working kids on our team and he’s done a lot in the off season to get where he is today.”

While his rushing numbers have been impressive, it’s how he compliments the offense that is so dangerous, Samson said.

“He’s very versitile,” Samson said.

“He’s not just a guy that can run the ball. He’s got great hands, can catch the ball out of the backfield and is a good blocker.”

Samson, who as an offensive coordinator at MSU-Northern before taking the Flathead job led a team that destroyed passing records at the school, said there’s an importance to having a strong running game.

“Any coach, you always want to base your offense around your talent,” Samson said. “Everywhere I’ve been, it’s a big thing: winning football teams have to run the football.”

That has been the common recipe for Flathead and Glacier this season with two of the best backs in the state: Running the football and winning games.