Wolfpack get back to the title game

JON ALLEN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 weeks, 4 days AGO

Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) is pushed out of bounds by Gallatin defensive back Carter Dahlke (3) on a run in the second quarter in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier wide receiver Dylan Banzet (40) catches a 35-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier running back Asher Knopik (11) scores a touchdown on a 68-yard run in the first quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier wide receivers Cooper Pelc (1) and Dylan Banzet (40) celebrate after Banzet's 35-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier head coach Grady Bennett high-fives offensive lineman Noah Horn (67) after a touchdown reception by Dylan Banzet in the fourth quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier linebacker Asher Knopik (11) celebrates after a defensive stop in the second quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier wide receiver Dylan Banzet (40) catches a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier wide receiver Cooper Pelc (1) catches a pass downfield in the first quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier defensive back Kruz Robinson (10) sacks Gallatin quarterback Samuel Litzen (17) in the first quarter in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier linebacker Jack Robinson (7) sacks Gallatin quarterback Samuel Litzen (17) in the fourth quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier defensive back Ethan Kastelitz (2) intercepts a pass in the end zone in the second quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) throws a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dylan Banzet (40) in the fourth quarter against Gallatin in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

The Wolfpack are back in the title game, but the job’s not done.

Asher Knopik ran for three first-half touchdowns and Jackson Presley found Dylan Banzet for two more in the second half as Glacier shut out Gallatin 35-0 at Legends Stadium Friday to earn a spot in the AA State Championship game for the third consecutive year.

“This is what we wanted at the start of the year,” Knopik said. “We just kept consistent with our preparation and kept going day-by-day and we are finally there. Now we can’t make the moment too big, just focus on improving each week.”

While the offense showed up big, the defense was even bigger as Glacier forced four interceptions and four turnovers on downs in the game.

“We converted on so many huge third downs and we on defense turned them away on so many,” Wolfpack coach Grady Bennett said. “That one area of the football game, the critical downs was just an awesome victory for us tonight.”

MORE PHOTOS from the game: PHOTOS: Glacier heads to Class AA championship with 35-0 win over Gallatin

Ethan Kastelitz picked off Gallatin quarterback Samuel Litzen three times, the first setting up a 68-yard touchdown run from Knopik on the next play. His second interception put a halt to Gallatin’s opening drive in the second half. The final one capped off the night as time expired on a fourth-down desperation heave.

Litzen was 13 of 28 passing for 129 yards.

“We just really focus on a one-play mentality and that all happens from the coach’s scheming stuff up for us and we just go and execute it and win that next play for us,” Kastelitz said. “The ball just happened to come my way a couple of times and when that happens you got to go make a play on the ball and I made some plays.”

The Wolfpack defense was credited with two sacks and capitalized on multiple dropped snaps to set the Raptors behind the chains.

“Our defensive front has been so incredible all year,” Bennett said. “We have been able to be in our three-front most of the year, we are still able to get pressure with only three or four down linemen.”

Offensively Knopik got the Wolfpack rolling early; he ran in from 17 yards out on the opening drive to put Glacier up 7-0. His 68-yard run made it 14-0 less than halfway through the first quarter. The senior running back finished with 135 yards on 19 carries.

He added a direct snap run from a yard out in the second quarter to grow the lead to 21-0 at the break.

“I’ve got to give credit to our scheme, to our coaches and our O-linemen,” Knopik said. “They set up the gameplan perfect each week, I just have to go on and do my job and I felt like I did that today.”

A scoreless third quarter saw Gallatin put a pair of drives into Wolfpack territory, including one where the Raptors worked it to the 7-yard line before Litzen’s fourth down pass to Carter Dahlke fell incomplete.

Dahlke had nine runs for 62 yards and six catches for 74 yards.

Glacier then marched down the field, taking nearly seven minutes off the clock and found the end zone on a 35-yard pass from Presley to Banzet. Presley was 11 for 20 with 157 yards and two touchdowns. Banzet had three grabs for 78 yards and two scores.

After Cooper Pelc intercepted Litzen on the next drive and returned the ball 50 yards, Presley and Banzet connected again for the dagger — a 26-yard pitch-and-catch that sent Legends Stadium into a frenzy.

“It’s just awesome to play in front of a town like this, a school like this. It’s just a blessing,” Knopik said.

The home crowd will have one more opportunity to come out and support the Wolfpack next Friday as Billings West comes to town for the AA state title game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

“It is very rare to host a state championship game in your town,” Bennett said. “We just hope that the city comes out next week in droves and supports our guys.”

The Golden Bears escaped a semifinal challenge from Missoula Big Sky 20-17.

Glacier defeated Billings West 14-10 in a week one matchup in Billings.

Gallatin 0 0 0 0 - 0

Glacier 14 7 0 14 - 35

GLA — Asher Knopik 17 run (Kyle Smith kick), 9:00 1Q

GLA — Knopik 68 run (Smith kick), 6:09 1Q

GLA — Knopik 1 run (Smith kick), 5:04 2Q

GLA — Dylan Banzet 35 pass from Jackson Presley (Smith kick), 7:25 4Q

GLA — Banzet 26 pass from Presley (Smith kick), 5:12 4Q

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Gallatin (27-100) — Tyson Scheel 13-65, Carter Dahlke 9-62, Bobby Gutzman 1-5, Samuel Litzen 4-minus 32. Glacier (28-189) — Asher Knopik 19-135, Jackson Presley 2-29, Trey Ramey 6-25, Team 1-0.

PASSING: Gallatin — Samuel Litzen 13-28-4 for 129 yards, Team 0-1-0 for 0 yards. Glacier — Jackson Presley 11-20-0 for 157.

RECEIVING: Gallatin — Carter Dahlke 6-74, Tyson Scheel 4-23, William Taylor 2-32, Hudson White 1-0. Glacier — Cooper Pelc 4-61, Dylan Banzet 3-78, Hunter Daniels 2-2, Austin Gragg 1-14, Jack Robinson 1-2.