The first games of the final week of the football regular season took place Thursday night, including three in the Class AA ranks.
Kalispell Glacier and Billings West — ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the MTN Sports AA power rankings — cruised to victory and will head into the playoffs on a high note at No. 1 seeds.
Glacier handled No. 4-ranked Missoula Big Sky 42-12 to sew up the Western division title and finish the regular season unblemished at 9-0. The Golden Bears, who had already clinched the East, trounced Belgrade 55-21 to improve to 8-1.
Meanwhile, Missoula Hellgate is headed to the playoffs for just the second time in 31 years after a 17-9 road victory Thursday night over Helena.
No. 1 Kalispell Glacier 42, No. 4 Missoula Big Sky 12
Jackson Presley's three touchdown passes and six takeaways on defense allowed Glacier to put the wraps on a perfect regular season.
Asher Knopik rushed for 183 yards and a pair of TDs for the Wolfpack. Defensively, Glacier intercepted Big Sky's Eli Kasberg five times, led by Cooper Pelc's two picks.
Kasberg threw a touchdown and rushed for a touchdown for Big Sky (7-2).
No. 2 Billings West 55, Belgrade 21
Colt Johnson threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns as West ran its winning streak to eight in a row.
Michigan commit Matt Ludwig also had three touchdowns — one on the ground, one through the air and one on defense. Ludwig caught five passes for 94 yards. Gabe Rosales and Payton Cicero also each rushed for touchdowns for West.
Brody Dooley and Ronan Gavin each threw TD passes for Belgrade (1-8) while Cade Thomas scored one on the ground.
Missoula Hellgate 17, Helena 9
Hellgate is playoff bound for just the second time since playing for the state title in 1994.
Vince Paffhausen broke away for an 87-yard touchdown run and Parker Link later scored on a 55-yard rush as the Knights (3-6) built a two-possession lead in the first half.
A touchdown run by Braden Garza pulled the Bengals (5-4) within 14-7 in the third quarter, but Hellgate's Jaxon Mund hit a 48-yard field goal in the fourth. Helena later scored a safety on defense but could get no closer.
Below are other scores from around the state:
Class B
Fairfield 21, Conrad 0
8-Man
No. 1 Scobey 52, Poplar 0
Ennis 54, Manhattan Christian 8
Park City 70, Lame Deer 14 (Tuesday)
