Senior slices Wolfpack, 37-21
COLUMBIA FALLS — The state champs haven’t lost a step.
Billings Senior (1-0) showed it has speed to burn this season, running away from Glacier (0-1) in the first half of a 37-21 victory on Friday night at Satterthwaite Field.
A rematch of last season’s Class AA state football championship game, the score ended up much the same as last November’s contest. The Broncs jumped on Glacier early with a relentless pass rush and speedy skill position players leading the charge.
Senior dialed up the blitz at the end of Glacier’s first drive and seemed to find a rhythm, the Broncs sacking Wolfpack quarterback Brady Peiffer a play before their pressure forced the senior starter to sail a pass into the arms of sophomore safety Nate Conger.
Senior pressed down the field consistently in the first half, getting out of tough spots with big plays.
The Broncs converted first downs on a third-and-1 and a first-and-10 on its first drive, capping it with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Nolan Askelson to Colton Eliason. On their second drive, the Broncs were backed up to fourth-and-5 but connected on a 32-yard corner route from Askelson to Gabe Sulser for another score.
All the while, Senior kept getting pressure, nearly intercepting Peiffer on the Wolfpack’s second drive and returning an interception for a touchdown on the third. At the start of the second quarter, Glacier picked up its first first down since its opening drive, only to see Senior pile up two sacks in the next three plays to force a punt.
The Glacier defense seemed to snap into form late in the first half, but got caught on a defensive pass interference near the goal line with less than 30 seconds to play. Senior took advantage on the next play to add a 14-yard touchdown.
If that wasn’t enough, on the first play from scrimmage after halftime, the Broncs finally got Sulser loose in the open field, flipping a swing pass to the Griz commit in the flat and watching him take off for a 77-yard touchdown and a 31-0 lead just 30 seconds into the third quarter.
“I know this team has a lot of talent and I know that we’re going to be very good. But, this first game, we’re dealing with a lot of green players: guys without experience or new guys that are trying to learn things and fit in. And we’re playing a very good team,” Glacier coach Grady Bennett said.
“You have to give Billings Senior a lot of credit. They have a lot of experience, a lot of talent. They came out and just got after it. We were definitely a little shellshocked.
“It’s been a while since these kids have been in that situation. But in the second half we got back to it.”
With his team needing a big play, Glacier senior Drew Turner put the team on his back, putting Glacier on the board with a 61-yard run up the gut for a touchdown.
After a stop on the other end, Glacier gave the ball to Turner again, marching down the field and punching in a 4-yard score to cut the Senior lead to 31-14 with 3:55 left in the third quarter.
“Part of that was making adjustments at halftime,” Bennett said. “The tough thing about when you blitz Drew, if you don’t (get to him), there’s nobody in your Level 2 and he’s in your secondary.”
Glacier got another stop and looked to be moving the ball before a holding penalty killed its next drive. The comeback was killed on a single play shortly after.
Senior lineman Garrison Poetzl exploded through the Wolfpack punt protection and smothered a block, landing on the ball at the Glacier 16. Two plays later Sulser was in the end zone again and Senior had a 37-14 lead.
Glacier got an interception with nine minutes to play and scored on a jump pass from Jackson Pepe to newcomer Max Morris, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the slow start.
“What we see in this game is going to be vastly different than what we see in Week 2, Week 3, Week 4,” Bennett said.
“I believe in this group and I’m really excited about it.”
Turner finished with 201 yards rushing on 24 attempts, picking up the majority of Glacier’s 286 yards on offense.
Sulser was dynamic, finishing with 146 yards receiving and Askelson was 18 of 24 for 219 yards passing and four touchdowns for Senior.
“I’d rather have this happen now to a team like that so that we have to wake up and realize how far we have to go right away,” Bennett said.
Senior 19 6 6 6 — 37
Glacier 0 0 14 7 — 21
First Quarter
S — Colton Eliason 13 pass from Nolan Askelson (Jason Miller kick), 6:35
S — Gabe Sulser 33 pass from Askelson (kick failed), 3:40
S — Micah Ans 55 interception return (pass failed), 1:43
Second Quarter
S — Carter Garsjo 15 pass from Askelson (pass failed), :16
Third Quarter
S — Gabe Sulser 77 pass from Askelson (kick blocked), 11:21
G — Drew Turner 61 run (Caden Harkins kick), 10:44
G — Turner 4 run (Harkins kick), 2:01
Fourth Quarter
S — Sulser 2 run (kick failed), 11:36
G — Max Morris 1 pass from Jackson Pepe (Harkins kick), 5:03
BS Gla
First downs 37 21
Total Net Yards 396 286
Rushes-yards 42-132 34-208
Passing 264 78
Punt Returns 2-(-1) 0-0
Kickoff Returns 1-20 6-95
Interceptions Ret. 2-57 1-0
Comp-Att-Int 22-30-1 9-19-2
Sacked-Yards Lost 3-18 1-3
Punts 2-28.0 6-33.3
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-0
Penalties-Yards 12-104 9-74
Time of Possession 15:21 21:55
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Senior, Nolan Askelson 23-78, Gabe Sulser 13-32, Adan Trevizo 2-7, Ben LeBeau 2-14, Cade Torgerson 2-1. Glacier, Drew Turner 24-201, Mark Estes 3-17, Jackson Pepe 1-2, Brady Peiffer 6-(-12).
PASSING — Senior, Nolan Askelson 18-24-1-219, Cade Torgerson 3-5-0-24. Glacier, Brady Peiffer 8-16-2-77, Jackson Pepe 1-1-0-1.
RECEIVING — Senior, Gabe Sulsuer 10-146, Ben LeBeau 4-40, Carter Garsjo 3-32, Colton Eliason 3-28. Glacier, Max Morris 4-60, Jackson Pepe 2-6, Mark Estes 1-10, Drew Deck 1-2.
MISSED FIELD GOALS — Senior, Miller 36.