MISSOULA — Talk about making a statement right before the playoffs.
With the top seed in Western AA on the line, Glacier dominated the second half to cruise to a 56-7 football victory over Missoula Big Sky Thursday evening at MCPS Stadium.
The win means Glacier won't head on the road until a potential state championship against Billings West. West, the team Glacier beat for the title last November, is the No. 1 seed out of the East and handed the Pack their only loss this season, 6-3 in overtime.
Glacier (8-1, 7-0 in the Western AA) hasn't lost since.
"I just love how our team is playing great team football, all three phases," Glacier coach Grady Bennett said. "They know how to grab momentum when we need it."
Highlighting the night was Tate Kahler, who had an interception and recovered a high snap on a punt for a Wolfpack touchdown in the first half.
"Tate is such a fun kid," Bennett said. " He is such a player, he just goes out and makes plays."
Brock Maloney added a pick-6 in the second half for the Glacier defense, which forced four turnovers in the game.
Offensively, Glacier started on the right foot with a 10-yard touchdown run from Trey Ramey to cap off its opening possession.
On the ensuing Eagles drive, the Wolfpack forced a 3-and-out and on the punt, the snap sailed over the head of Eli Kasberg and into the end zone where Kahler hopped on the ball.
Big Sky (7-2, 5-2 in league) had an answer when Kasberg found Tristan Miller midway through the second quarter for a 36-yard touchdown to cut the Wolfpack lead to 14-7.
From that point on, it was all Wolfpack.
Eli Imperato restored the two-score lead with a 3-yard run late in the second quarter.
Kahler's interception shut down a promising Big Sky drive towards the end of the first half and Glacier went into the locker room with a 21-7 advantage.
Out of the break, Moloney took a tipped Kasberg pass back for a 21-yard interception return score.
"(The defense) made Kasberg uncomfortable all night," Bennett said.
After another 3-and-out for the Wolfpack defense, Cooper Pelc set up Glacier at the 20-yard line after a 33-yard punt return. The Pack capitalized on the short field as Cash Keim hit Ryne Gillette for a 10-yard touchdown.
The Wolfpack defense then got a strip sack on Kasberg to create another scoring opportunity.
They capitalized quickly.
Pelc caught a quick slant and raced into the end zone untouched to make it 42-7 and trigger the running clock.
"The way we come out of the locker room has been so impressive and just taking over the game physically," Bennett said.
Kyle West then added two scores on the ground in the fourth quarter, the first from 2-yards out and the second an 11-yard scamper to cap off the night.
Glacier 14 7 28 7 - 56
Big Sky 0 7 0 0 - 7
G — Trey Ramey 10 run (Ty Sherrill kick), 7:21 1Q
G — Tate Kahler 0 fumble return (Sherrill kick), 5:52 1Q
BS — Tristan Miller 36 pass from Eli Kasberg, 5:44 2Q
G — Eli Imperato 3 run (Sherrill kick), 1:45 2Q
G — Brock Moloney 21 interception return (Sherrill kick), 11:15 3Q
G — Ryne Gillette 10 pass from Cash Keim (Sherrill kick), 9:23 3Q
G — Cooper Pelc 14 pass from Keim (Sherrill kick), 8:04 3Q
G — Kyle West 2 run (Sherrill kick), :00 3Q
G — West 11 run (Sherrill kick), 5:16 4Q
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Glacier (25-195) — Eli Imperato 8-57, Wesley Cojocaru 2-42, Kyle West 6-36, Cooper Pelc 1-27, Trey Ramey 3-17, Sylas Chapman 1-9, Cash Keim 3-7. Missoula Big Sky (29-45) — Carter Blair 2-13, Cayuse Tall Bull 3-12, Remington Howard 2-11, Elijah Jones 8-5, Mason Ramos 1-4, Kane McQuiston 1-2, Team 3-0, Eli Kasberg 9-minus 2.
PASSING: Glacier — Cash Keim 8-10-0 for 141 yards, Latham Leeper 4-4-0 for 51 yards. Missoula Big Sky — Eli Kasberg 11-23-3 for 109 yards, Cayuse Tall Bull 0-1-0 for 0 yards.
RECEIVING: Glacier — Kyle West 2-41, Peyton Johnson 2-31, Cooper Pelc 2-24, Hunter Daniels 2-12, Liam Palmer 1-44, Tate Kahler 1-20, Karson Goicoechea 1-10, Ryne Gillette 1-10. Missoula Big Sky — Mason Ramos 6-46, Tristan Miller 3-57, Elijah Jones 1-5, Simon Wilson 1-1.