After a critical bye week, Glacier is rested and healthy as the Pack’s hunt for a repeat continues Friday against Bozeman at Legends Stadium.

This is the fourth consecutive season with a first-round bye for Grady Bennett’s squad and the Glacier head coach says that they have really learned how to use it. 

“We have had it four straight years and we didn’t really know how to utilize it, but now we use it for rest and getting healthy and working on getting better,” Bennett said. “What a gift to have a week where you can avoid the game planning and just get better.” 

Bennett adds that Dylan Banzet is still suffering from a hamstring injury, but otherwise the Wolfpack are nearing a fully healthy roster. 

On the other sideline this week is a Bozeman side — under head coach Levi Wesche — that Glacier already faced back in Week 2. Glacier (8-1) defeated the Hawks 42-0 at Van Winkle Stadium. 

Bennett isn’t putting too much stock into that first showdown, noting that the Hawks have looked much improved in recent weeks. 

“We don’t want to take much from it; the playoffs are a brand-new season,” Bennett said. “We don’t care about the colors and the record when we take the field.” 

The Hawks (6-4) are coming off a 42-24 opening-round victory over Butte last week and have now won two straight. 

Leading Bozeman offensively is quarterback Van Shockley, who has tossed eight touchdowns and thrown for 1,256 yards in his senior season. He has added 815 yards rushing with 13 scores on the ground. 

“Shockley is a tremendous athlete at quarterback, at the start of the year I had him as a candidate for MVP,” Bennett said. “We need to make sure we have a spy for him.” 

Beside Shockley is Beau Wheeler, who is averaging 107.6 yards per game on the ground and has 14 touchdowns. 

Glacier counters defensively with a strong front seven, including junior linebacker Carter Knopik — who received a scholarship offer from the University of Montana Thursday. Knopik has 4.5 sacks and seven QB hurries on the year. 

Friday’s quarterfinal matchup is set to kick off at 6 p.m. 

Bennett hopes for a large turnout and wants to remind fans that with the playoffs beginning, passes are not accepted at the gate for entry. 

Wolfpack vs. Hawks: 6 p.m. (1039.com)