Wolfpack heads to Missoula needing a win versus Sentinel
Execution.
That’s what the Glacier Wolfpack football team (0-4) preached this week as it prepares for tonight’s game at Missoula Sentinel (3-1).
The Wolfpack, which has as much skill position talent as any team in the state, has failed to execute at a consistent pace this season and has paid the price on the field.
“We know we’re not executing at level we need to, to be successful,” Wolfpack coach Grady Bennett said.
“This week was about focus and concentration on what your job is. We have great signs, so we feel like if we can get all 11 guys executing together, which we haven’t achieved yet, we still believe this is a good team. If we can get everybody executing at the same time we can still be good.”
If the Wolfpack doesn’t get the type of execution it needs, the lofty dreams of earlier in the season could be executed along the way.
With five games remaining on the schedule, there’s no more wiggle room for the Wolfpack if it wants to make the playoffs. Only two teams in the last 10 years have made the playoffs with four wins, and with 10 teams already sporting at least two wins this season, there’s not likely to be a third this year.
That all comes as the Wolfpack prepares for one of the best teams in the state.
The Spartans are fueled by a potent rushing attack, averaging more than 5 yards a carry with running back Elias Dewaters and quarterback Rylan Ortt.
Ortt has also been able to stress defenses in the air, connecting on 70 percent of his passes, nearly half of them to University of Montana commit Nick Germer, who has caught for the third most yards in Class AA.
“They’re rolling and playing well,” Bennett said.
Sentinel will likely try to get the Wolfpack in the same trouble it had last week against Flathead, falling asleep on play- action plays. The Braves downed Glacier with a steady diet of run plays followed by deep shots over a defense cheating on the run.
“We’ve been working hard on that all week,” Bennett said. “You’ve got to stay disciplined. They might keep running it and running it, it doesn’t matter how many times. When they do play action, you’ve got to read that key and make sure you’re covering your pass responsibility.
“It’s the same thing. Really focusing on each rep and executing your job.”
On offense, Glacier found some big plays of its own against Flathead, but struggled with turnovers. New starting quarterback Evan Todd was able to stretch the field and found Mark Estes for a long touchdown early in the game.
“We feel like there’s signs, when you look at our game offensively,” Bennett said.
“Just the number of plays where all 11 guys were executing and doing the right thing was too low. What we produced for that level of execution is exciting, if we could just raise it. They believe, and they have hope. If we can just execute. They keep working and keep trying to get better. I think they know if they can put it together at a higher rate, the success is going to grow.”
The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at Missoula County Stadium. It will be broadcast in the Flathead on 103.9 FM The Monster.
Class AA Football
Standings
Team Record
Billings Senior 5-0
Helena Capital 4-1
Missoula Big Sky 4-1
Helena 3-1
Missoula Sentinel 3-1
Billings West 3-2
Great Falls C.M. Russell 3-2
Bozeman 3-2
Flathead 2-2
Butte 2-3
Great Falls 1-4
Glacier 0-4
Billings Skyview 0-5
Missoula Hellgate 0-5