Wolfpack waltz past Bozeman with big first half
JON ALLEN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 months AGO
Glacier wide receiver Ethan Kastelitz (2) celebrates with quarterback Jackson Presley (12) after a 28-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier running back Asher Knopik (11) celebrates after a three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier defensive back Cooper Pelc (1) returns an interception 74 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier defensive lineman Wayne Cox (52) brings down Bozeman quarterback Van Shockley (9) in the first half at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) drops back to pass in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier wide receiver Dylan Banzet (40) catches a 20-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier head coach Grady Bennett celebrates with quarterback Jackson Presley (12) after a touchdown in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier defenders Grady Robinson (3) and Kruz Robinson (10) bring down Bozeman wide receiver Evan Hughen (18) in the second quarter at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier defensive back Grady Robinson (3) tackles Bozeman wide receiver Evan Hughen (18) after a reception at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier wide receiver Ethan Kastelitz (2) scores a touchdown on a 28-yard reception in the second quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier running back Trey Ramey (22) picks up yardage after a reception in the third quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier tight end Hunter Daniels (13) holds on to a reception in the second quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) picks up yardage on a run in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier running back Eli Imperato (23) picks up yardage on a run in the third quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier defensive back Cooper Pelc (1) returns an interception 74 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier tight end Hunter Daniels (13) scores a touchdown on a 10-yard reception in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s offense was unstoppable Friday, and the defense wasn’t bad either.
The Wolfpack scored the first 28 points and cruised to a 62-21 victory over Bozeman in a rematch of the 2023 AA state championship at Legends Stadium.
“Bozeman has been such a thorn in our sides for years, they have been such a tough program to beat,” Wolfpack coach Grady Bennett said. “To beat Bozeman and to do it pretty soundly, it feels good. It’s a program you don’t do that to, they are so well coached.”
Glacier’s offense did not have a negative play as the Wolfpack ran for 286 yards and threw for 206 more. In eight offensive possessions, Glacier scored eight touchdowns.
“More than anything we just stayed in the moment,” Asher Knopik, who had 10 carries for 68 yards and three touchdowns, said. “We stayed in the play-by-play mentality and we brought intensity. Up front, Wayne Cox, Will Astle, Noah Horn, Jesse Baines and Maverick Diede — they were dogs. They communicated greatly and opened holes for all the running backs.”
The defense found the end zone as well as Cooper Pelc jumped a Van Shockley screen pass and returned it for a 71-yard pick-6.
“We have practiced that play so many times,” Pelc said. “I saw the guy in motion and I was in the right place at the right time. All I had to do was run a track race now.”
Glacier started off the scoring less than two minutes in as senior quarterback Jackson Presley found Dylan Banzet for a 20-yard touchdown pass. Presley finished the day 14-for-18 with 206 yards through the air and three touchdowns.
Pelc’s interception made it 14-0 less than four minutes in. The Wolfpack defense forced a pair of three-and-outs for the Hawks, and Glacier turned the short fields into more points. First, Presley found Hunter Daniels on a 10-yard pitch and catch, and then Knopik found the first of his three scores on a three-yard carry to make it 28-0 with one minute left in the first quarter.
“I saw the holes open up and the linebackers were filled pretty good,” Knopik said. “I just had to maneuver through and I found a way and I wasn’t going to be stopped.”
Shockley and Hawks got on the board in the second quarter as the quarterback scampered in from 10 yards out. He nearly broke off a 75-yard run a few plays earlier but tripped on the turf at the 25-yard line.
Glacier had the answer. Presley found Ethan Kastelitz for a 28-yard catch-and-run touchdown on the next possession to increase the lead to 35-7. Big plays from Trey Ramey (a 20-yard rush) and Daniels (an 18-yard catch) set up the touchdown.
After Shockley found Evan Hughen for a 13-yard touchdown on Bozeman’s next possession, Asher Knopik took a direct snap and answered from 2 yards out to give Glacier a 42-14 halftime lead.
Out of the break, Glacier didn’t let up on either side of the ball.
“We went in (to halftime) and we challenged them,” Bennett said. “We have had some games in the past where we have kind of relaxed a little bit and then all of a sudden here we go. I said ‘I’m tired of dealing with that, when you are out there we have one way to play,’ and I thought our guys did that in the second half.”
Knopik found paydirt for a third time to put Glacier up 49-21. Knopik has five touchdown carries in two games this season.
Ramey powered in from 1 yard out late in the fourth before Brock Maloney capped off the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown rush for Bozeman.
Ramey led the Wolfpack with 90 yards on the ground; Maloney had 20 yards on three carries.
Bozeman 0 14 7 0 - 21
Glacier 28 14 7 13 - 62
G — Dylan Banzet 20 pass from Jackson Presley (Kyle Smith kick), 10:28 1Q
G — Cooper Pelc 71 interception return (Smith kick), 8:14 1Q
G — Hunter Daniels 10 pass from Presley (Smith kick), 5:36 1Q
G — Asher Knopik 3 run (Smith kick), 1:08 1Q
B — Van Shockley 10 run (Isaiah Eckles kick), 9:45 2Q
G — Ethan Kastelitz 28 pass from Presley (Smith kick), 6:40 2Q
B — Evan Hughen 13 pass from Shockley (Eckles kick), 3:58 2Q
G — Knopik 2 run (Smith kick), :30 2Q
B — Shockley 13 run (Eckles kick), 7:05 3Q
G — Knopik 13 run (Smith kick), 1:42 3Q
G — Trey Ramey 1 run (kick failed), 4:38 4Q
G — Brock Maloney 15 run, 2:39 4Q
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Bozeman (27-109) — Van Shockley 9-73, Henry Fick 9-22, Bryce Thorn 2-8, Beau Wheeler 7-6. Glacier (32-286) — Trey Ramey 9-90, Asher Knopik 10-68, Jackson Presley 3-46, Eli Imperato 6-39, Hunter Daniels 1-23, Brock Maloney 3-20.
PASSING: Bozeman — Van Shockley 13-24-1 for 194 yards. Glacier — Jackson Presley 14-18-3 for 206 yards
RECEIVING: Bozeman — Even Hughen 5-115, Luke Zundel 3-21, River Rigdon 2-30, Logan Humphrey 1-11, Henrey Fick 1-11, Beau Wheeler 1-6. Glacier — Hunter Daniels 5-39, Cooper Pelc 3-60, Dylan Banzet 2-34, Ethan Kastelitz 1-28, Trey Ramey 1-21, Eli Imperato 1-15, Austin Gragg 1-9.
Glacier running back Asher Knopik (11) celebrates after a three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier defensive back Cooper Pelc (1) returns an interception 74 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier defensive lineman Wayne Cox (52) brings down Bozeman quarterback Van Shockley (9) in the first half at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) drops back to pass in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier wide receiver Dylan Banzet (40) catches a 20-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier head coach Grady Bennett celebrates with quarterback Jackson Presley (12) after a touchdown in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier defenders Grady Robinson (3) and Kruz Robinson (10) bring down Bozeman wide receiver Evan Hughen (18) in the second quarter at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier defensive back Grady Robinson (3) tackles Bozeman wide receiver Evan Hughen (18) after a reception at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier wide receiver Ethan Kastelitz (2) scores a touchdown on a 28-yard reception in the second quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier running back Trey Ramey (22) picks up yardage after a reception in the third quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier tight end Hunter Daniels (13) holds on to a reception in the second quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley (12) picks up yardage on a run in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier running back Eli Imperato (23) picks up yardage on a run in the third quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier tight end Hunter Daniels (13) scores a touchdown on a 10-yard reception in the first quarter against Bozeman at Legends Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
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