Wolfpack hold off Eagles in foggy semifinal

JON ALLEN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 minutes AGO

Glacier running back Trey Ramey (3) looks for running room in the third quarter against Missoula Big Sky in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Missoula Big Sky quarterback Eli Kasberg (12) gets off an incomplete pass as he's brought down by Glacier defenders Carter Knopik (42) and Lincoln Ledingham (79) in the fourth quarter of the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier defenders Chase Sliter (8) and Brock Moloney (44) celebrate after the Wolfpack's 14-6 win over Missoula Big Sky in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier defensive lineman Lincoln Ledingham (79) sacks Missoula Big Sky quarterback Eli Kasberg (12) in the first half of the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier running back Trey Ramey (3) scores a touchdown on a 4-yard run in the third quarter against Missoula Big Sky in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier running back Eli Imperato (23) is tripped up on a run in the third quarter against Missoula Big Sky in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier defenders Cooper Pelc (1) and Eli Imperato (23) tackle Missoula Big Sky quarterback Eli Kasberg (12) in the first quarter of the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier linebacker Brock Moloney (44) celebrates after recovering a fumble in the second half against Missoula Big Sky in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier quarterback Cash Keim (9) looks to pass downfield in the first half against Missoula Big Sky in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Missoula Big Sky quarterback Eli Kasberg (12) drops back to pass in the fourth quarter against Glacier in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier quarterback Cash Keim (9) drops back to pass in the first half against Missoula Big Sky in the Class AA semifinals at Legends Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

The fog set the stage for a classic and the teams delivered.

Glacier wrapped up Eli Kasberg on the final play of the game to secure a 14-6 victory over Missoula Big Sky at fog-draped Legends Stadium Friday, securing a spot in the AA state championship game for the fourth straight season.

"I want to ask all the fans watching on NFHS or listening on the radio, did you hear the huge sigh of relief when the game finally ended," Glacier coach Grady Bennett said.

Glacier is the first team to advance to four straight championship games since Helena Capital went to five in a row from 2005-09 and just the third team to make four straight since 1972. It will be the seventh appearance for the Wolfpack in 20 years.

"You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems and processes," Bennett said. "It's all about the daily and our guys do it. They didn't talk about this the rest of the year and tonight we can check off goal No. 1."

Bennett added that the dense fog conditions reminded him of Glacier's 2016 semifinal win over Helena, also played at Legends Stadium.

Kasberg and the Eagles drove through the mist to the 7-yard line and a defensive holding penalty — Glacier's fifth of the drive — gave them one final shot at the end zone. The University of Montana commit tried to scramble, but Liam Palmer snagged a piece of Kasberg and two Wolfpack teammates helped bring him down to end the game.

"I just trusted all my boys around," Palmer said. "We had a 'one play' mentality. Just win the next play, no matter what goes on, just win the play."

"Our kids haven't been in these types of late game, battle situations and for them to rise up the way they did and finish the game the way they did, kudos to them for finding a way," Bennett said.

Big Sky moved the ball from its own 21-yard line in the final two minutes to set up the final shot.

Just moments earlier Big Sky had another opportunity to tie the game, but as Kasberg hit his receiver over the middle, Glacier's gang of defenders making the tackle ripped the ball free and Brock Moloney jumped on it to secure the Wolfpack's lone takeaway of the game.

"Matthew Ahner and all the guys just rallying, punching the ball out and I had to go get on that ball and let the offense score," Moloney said.

Moloney had a pick-6 for the Wolfpack in the first meeting with the Eagles that sparked a 35-0 second half.

Offensively neither team was able to make a lot of headway with the high humidity and fog causing issues with snaps on both sides.

Two errant snaps hindered Glacier's opening drive and the second set the Eagles up inside the red zone.

Big Sky capitalized with a field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

Glacier had an answer two drives later as Trey Ramey capped off a 7-play, 71-yard drive with a touchdown from 2 yards out to put the Wolfpack in front. They never trailed again.

After halftime, the teams traded punts before Glacier again strung together a drive. It was Ramey who found the end zone a second time, this one from 4 yards away to help the Wolfpack to a 14-3 advantage.

Big Sky then responded with a 14-play drive that ended with another field goal from Will Jergenson, this one from 34 yards.

After that the Wolfpack defense held strong to deny the Eagles a tying score.

With the win and Gallatin's upset of Billings West in the other semifinal, Glacier will host the state championship game for the second consecutive season. The Raptors advanced to their first title game with a 17-3 win over the Golden Bears.

The championship game is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Legends Stadium.

Big Sky 3 0 0 3 - 6

Glacier 0 7 7 0 - 14

BS — Will Jergenson 30 field goal, 7:05 1Q

G — Trey Ramey 2 run (Ty Sherrill kick), 10:47 2Q

G — Ramey 4 run (Sherrill kick), 3:20 3Q

BS — Jergenson 34 kick, 6:57 4Q

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Missoula Big Sky (23-27) — Eli Kasberg 16-22, Ryder Bergere 2-5, Team 1-3, Elijah Jones 1-1, Remington Howard 2-minus 4, Mason Ramos 1-minus 6. Glacier (33-146) — Trey Ramey 23-125, Eli Imperato 6-23, Cash Keim 4-minus 2.

PASSING: Missoula Big Sky — Eli Kasberg 19-34-0 for 159 yards. Glacier — Cash Keim 7-13-0 for 93 yards.

RECEIVING: Missoula Big Sky — Tristan Miller 7-78, Mason Ramos 7-57, Simon Wilson 3-21, Remington Howard 1-9, Eli Kasberg 1-3, Caleb Hood 1-3, Elijah Jones 1-minus 1. Glacier — Cooper Pelc 4-55, Chase Sliter 2-22, Hunter Daniels 1-16.