All year, Kalispell Glacier and Billings West appeared to be on a championship collision course.
That matchup became a reality Friday night when Glacier and West each won playoff semifinal games to set up a Class AA title-game showdown between the Wolfpack and Golden Bears next week.
Glacier advanced to its third straight title game with a 35-0 win over Gallatin, while West survived an upset bid from Missoula Big Sky to win 20-17. The Wolfpack improved to 11-0 and West moved to 10-1.
The AA championship will be played next Friday night at Legends Stadium in Kalispell. It will be a rematch of a Week 1 meeting won by Glacier 14-10 on Aug. 29 at Daylis Stadium in Billings.
Kalispell Glacier 35, Gallatin 0
Facing Gallatin in the AA semis for the third straight year, Asher Knopik rushed for three touchdowns and Jackson Presley threw for two scores as the Wolfpack pitched a shutout to again move on to the title game.
On the game's opening drive, after Presley and Cooper Pelc connected on two passing plays, Knopik rushed 17 yards to the end zone as the Wolfpack jumped ahead 7-0.
But that was only a precursor of what was to come.
After Glacier's defense stopped a fourth-and-1 play, Knopik ripped off a 68-yard touchdown run to put his team ahead by two scores in the opening quarter.
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Then, in the second quarter, Knopik found the end zone for the third time off a Wildcat snap from 1 yard away and the Wolfpack were off to the races. Knopik finished with 135 yards on 19 carries.
Presley threw both of his touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, each to Dylan Banzet. The first one was a 35-yarder and the second went for 26 yards. Presley finished 11-for-20 passing for 157 yards.
Glacier's defense intercepted four passes — three by Ethan Kastelitz — and limited Gallatin to 229 yards of offense.
After losing the past two AA championship games, Glacier will try to win its first title since 2014 when it hosts West next week. Gallatin, which lost in the semifinals for the fourth straight season, finished with a 9-2 record.
Billings West 20, Missoula Big Sky 17
Lane Humphrey blocked a field goal with 2:35 remaining and Walker Olson intercepted a pass with 1:20 left to help preserve West's tense win over Big Sky at Daylis Stadium.
A high snap on Cal Marceau's 45-yard field goal attempt allowed West's rush extra time to pursue the kick, and Humphrey crashed through to block it to keep the Bears ahead by three points.
West, though, gave the ball back when Matt Ludwig was intercepted by Gus Goebel on a deep pass attempt on third and 2, giving Big Sky life. But on the following play Olson picked off Eagles quarterback Eli Kasberg to end that threat.
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The Bears were forced to punt again with about 20 seconds remaining, but a sack of Kasberg on the game's final play sealed the win.
Ludwig, a Michigan commit, scored on three short rushing touchdowns to account for West scoring. Big Sky's Brady Williams rushed for a score and Kasberg found Mason Ramos on a short TD pass before halftime as the Bears took a 20-14 lead into the break.
The only points of the third quarter came off the strong foot of Marceau, whose 32-yard field goal pulled the Eagles within 20-17 heading into the fourth.
Big Sky had its chances in the final quarter, but West held on to advance to the state title game for the 10th time in program history. The Eagles, who were vying for their first championship-game berth since 1994, finished the year with an 8-3 record.
