AA Football: CMR looks for payback vs. Glacier
This isn’t just another game.
Not against Glacier.
Not with what happened last year.
In a rematch of last November’s state title game, the C.M. Russell High-Kalispell Glacier series continues Friday night at 7 for Homecoming at Memorial Stadium.
“Yeah, it’s definitely a big game, especially for the seniors that played last year in that chipper game with them,” Russell quarterback Lane Jensen said. “You know, I sat that game and it still hurt watching, and I can’t imagine playing in it. So it’s definitely a big game and we want to get after them, jump on them early and hopefully come out with a W.”
That game ended in a 56-19 loss. The Wolfpack (4-2) of head coach Grady Bennett have won four consecutive games in this evolving rivalry. The last Russell (4-2) victory came back in 2012.
“They realize it’s a big game,” CMR head coach Gary Lowry said of his team, “and it just happens to be Glacier. And that makes it maybe a little more important to some of them, but last year is water under the bridge and they are a good team this year. It’s a new team and we’re a different team. They are a very good football team, so it’ll be a challenge for us. I hope we are up to it.”
The Rustlers fell victim to four turnovers and two fake punts in a 23-16 loss to Helena Capital last Friday.
“You can’t make mistakes against good teams like that and expect to win,” Lowry said.
Jensen threw it to the opposition four times, two on passes that deflected off his receivers’ hands, but the junior understands that he is still relatively raw. He’s only started four games at the varsity level.
“It’s still a learning experience,” Jensen said. “Each game, I’m learning new things and what I should be doing. And the guys are behind me. I’m pretty confident moving forward because I have a ton of talent around me and I know what I can do. And I didn’t play as well as I should have last week, so I’m fairly confident.”
The coaching staff and Jensen sat down together this week and watched the film.
“It’s not all Lane’s fault,” Lowry said. “He gets the credit for the interceptions, but it’s not always his fault. But he’ll make better choices this week and throughout the rest of the year.
“ … He’ll bounce back and have a better game.”
The Wolfpack have won four consecutive games after starting the season 0-2 for the first time since the school opened back in 2007 and are led by senior tailback Thomas Trefney, who ran all over the Rustlers last November and is averaging 140 yards on the ground this season to along with 11 touchdowns.
“I don’t know that they are doing things differently,” said Lowry, comparing them to last season. “They have different personnel, obviously. They have a great tailback, a good O-line and a good D-front again. They are just a solid team all the way around. They don’t have the Logan Jones kid to go to which was a big factor last year. He returned everything, punts and kicks, so obviously we don’t have a Bryce Cuchine either.”
The recipe for a victory is simple, Jensen said.
“We have to have long, sustaining drives,” he said. “Keep that offense off the field because they’re pretty explosive. And we have to keep the ball in our hands; we can’t turn it over. So I’d say just long drives and no turnovers and that should help us. Because we’re going to score the ball. We have a talented offense.”