KALISPELL — With back-to-back state championship appearances but also back-to-back losses, it seems no Class AA team is hungrier for a state championship than the Kalispell Glacier Wolfpack, and this senior-led team is looking to finally climb that hill.
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Since the Wolfpack’s loss to Helena Capital in the state championship last November, this team has been working hard to take the next step toward winning it all.
Longtime Glacier head coach Grady Bennett said his team already has the talent and motivation to win, but now they need to focus on the little details that make up a championship team.
“The focus to really be intentional about what does it take to get there, how do we have to prepare to get there, and then what were some of the things that maybe caused us to come short,” Bennett said. “What do we need to do to maybe overcome some of those shortcomings and finally get it done?”
With that focus, seniors like Asher Knopik are learning to turn their experience at those two state title losses into a positive lesson.
“We have a really good perspective on this. You can’t win at anything unless you fail,” Knopik said. “I think that’s what we’re stepping into this season as just our perspective of we need to get better each week.”
The Wolfpack will once again be led by senior quarterback Jackson Presley, who started the past two seasons.
Presley hopes the strong veteran presence on this team, with 18 seniors, will help the rest of the players step up when they are needed.
“I think having experience is definitely amazing and we’ll have an advantage with that, but it’s really cool to watch everyone just take place in their role,” Presley said. “Everyone on this team has a role — not just the seniors, not just the juniors — so I’m really excited just to see everyone embrace that role and for us seniors to pick up everyone else that comes with us.”
With a tough matchup against Billings West scheduled for Week 1 of the new season, Bennett made it clear how he wants his players to approach a challenging opponent.
“Every single Friday night, no matter what, if we play the way we want to play, we know we can be successful," Bennett said. "So, whether it’s the top team in the state or the bottom team in the rankings, it shouldn’t matter. We should show up and play the same way every single Friday night."
Glacier kicks off its season at Billings West on Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m.
