With a spot in the Class AA playoffs on the line and a 10-point lead late in the game, Big Sky held on for dear life. The Eagles needed an interception by defensive back Drew Owens deep in Eagles' territory with under 30 seconds left to seal a 37-34 victory over Kalispell Glacier on Friday night at Missoula County Stadium.
Brandt Montelius hit Wolfpack quarterback Shay Smithwick-Hann as he released a pass down the left sideline that wobbled into Owens' waiting arms, halting a gusty comeback by Glacier, which finished the season 2-8 in the conference and overall.
“(Glacier) played better than we did most of the time tonight,” said Ekegren. “We go out in the first quarter and we dominate. Then we just kind of hung with them.”
Eagles senior quarterback Mike LaValley hit his first seven pass and finished an efficient 15-for-24 for 232 yards. His biggest play of the evening was a 51-yard scoring strike to Montelius that gave Big Sky its three-touchdown advantage. Montelius finished with six catches for 160 yards.
But the Wolfpack, playing their final game for nothing but pride, stormed back with three consecutive TDs of their own, beginning with a 22-yard TD toss by Smithwick-Hann to Connor Fuller. Smithwick-Hann, who finished 16-of-32 for 279 yards, then connected with BJ Corpron from 30 yards out with just over three minutes left in the first half.
Hart's scoring scamper turned the momentum fully in favor of Glacier before things got wild. An 11-play, 78-yard drive by Big Sky was capped by a 1-yard TD plunge by Glen Maricelli late in the third quarter. But Owens' point-after attempt was blocked, putting the Eagles up by six.
On the opening series of the fourth quarter, Glacier marched down the field and scored on a 4-yard run by Corpron. But the ensuing kick for the lead was also blocked, leaving the battle tied 27-27.
A 43-yard pass from LaValley to Montelius got the Eagles down to the Glacier 6-yard line before Maricelli rumbled in from the 3 as Big Sky went up 34-27. With 1:41 on the clock, Owens nailed a 32-yard field goal that seemingly shut the door as the Eagles went up 37-27.
But in just 45 seconds Smithwick-Hann drove the Wolfpack for another score when he hit Jordan Nelson for a 24-yard TD pass. Glacier then recovered an onside kick and drove to the Big Sky 30 before Montelius and Owens combined to save the day, and the season.
“I knew it was going to come to my side,” Owens said of Smithwick-Hann's final pass attempt. “I was ready for it and it just came right to me.”
With little regard for the scoreboard, Grady Bennett was proud of how far his second-year program had come.
“This second year of building a program has proven to these kids they can compete,” he said. “I told them I didn't care what the lights on the scoreboard say, I just want you to play your hearts out and finish the season knowing you gave your best effort. They did just that.”
Glacier 0 14 7 12 - 34
Big Sky 7 14 6 10 - 37
MBS - Glen Maricelli 2 run (Drew Owens kick)
MBS - Trevor Kamura 2 run (Owens kick)
MBS - Brandt Montelius 51 pass from Mike LaValley (Owens kick)
G - Connor Fuller 22 pass from Shay Smithwick-Hann (Jordan Nelson kick)
G - BJ Corpron 30 pass from Smithwick-Hann (Nelson kick)
G - Taylor Hart 10 run (Nelson kick)
MBS - Maricelli 1 run (kick failed)
G - Corpron 4 run (kick failed)
MBS - Maricelli 3 run (Owens kick)
MBS - FG, Owens, 32
G - Nelson 24 pass from Smithwick-Hann (kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing - Glacier (23-553): Hart 9-51, Wiley Fusaro 6-25, Corpron 1-4, Smithwick-Hann 7 (-27). Big Sky (35-157): Eddie Apostol 17-64, Kamura, 10-51, Maricelli 10-33, Jordan Tripp 7-9, LaValley 1-0.
Passing - Glacier, Smithwick-Hann 16-32-279-2. Big Sky, LaValley 15-24-232-0.
Receiving - Glacier, Nelson 7-117, Fuller 3-53, Tyler Lincoln 2-48, Corpron 1-30, George Werk 1-25, Fusaro 2-6. Big Sky, Montelius 6-160, Kevin McHugh 2-28, Owens 5-26, Ryan Devlin 1-23, Tripp 1-9.
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