Parity isn’t something that exists in Montana Class AA high school football. At least not in 2025.
Through seven weeks of the season, four teams have clearly separated themselves from the rest. A fifth, Missoula Sentinel, has also won four of five games, despite having some close calls.
The Spartans were smacked from the ranks of the unbeaten last week by Kalispell Glacier in a 48-14 loss. The other top three ranked teams in Class AA: Bozeman Gallatin, Billings West, and Missoula Big Sky, combined to give up 6 points, while scoring 122.
No. 1 Glacier is beating teams by an average of 36 points per game. Fourth-ranked Missoula Big Sky (34.6), third-ranked Billings West (30.1) and Bozeman Gallatin (27) aren’t far behind.
Those four teams have each scored over 200 points while limiting their opponents to 51 or fewer. Only two other teams in Class AA have a positive average scoring margin: Bozeman High (9.5) and Missoula Sentinel (0.5). Every other team is in the red, having allowed more points than it has scored.
While four teams have separated themselves, there is plenty of parity among the other 12 teams. Every Class AA team is within a game of being in playoff position, so a lot can happen in the next three weeks.
Here’s a look ahead to every game in Week 7.
No. 2 Bozeman Gallatin (6-0, 4-0) at No. 3 Billings West (5-1, 4-0) Thursday, 7 p.m.
In a pivotal game for both teams, the Raptors and Golden Bears will meet with first place in the Eastern AA on the line.
Whichever team wins this game will be able to clinch the No. 1 seed next week. Last season, Gallatin won the game 37-21. It decided the No. 1 seed in the division and Carter Dahlke, a senior this season, was a big reason why with three touchdown receptions, as well as 151 total yards. Gallatin also intercepted West quarterback CJ Johnson twice and limited Michigan commit Matt Ludwig to 38 yards on four receptions.
Dahlke is averaging 156 total yards per game this season, playing some QB and WR for the Raptors. The senior is fifth in Class AA in rushing yards (490) and seventh in receiving yards (386).
Ludwig has five touchdown receptions and averages 69.8 yards per game, while Johnson is throwing for 211 yards per game.
QB Samuel Litzen has also come on for the Raptors. He’s thrown for 186 yards per game over the past five, with 11 touchdown passes compared to just two interceptions. WR/DB Elias Bonner of Billings West is another player to watch. The Montana State commit had 103 yards receiving last season against the Raptors. He’ll play a key role on both sides of the ball, as will Ludwig.
The same can be said about Dahlke for the Raptors, along with Bobby Gutzman, who plays wide receiver and defensive back. He’s also a Montana State commitment, just like Dahlke.
No. 4 Missoula Big Sky (6-0, 4-0) at No. 5 Missoula Sentinel (4-1, 3-1) Friday, 7 p.m.
Led by quarterback Eli Kasberg, the Big Sky Eagles have the second-best scoring offense in Class AA football.
Big Sky has a solid running game, but Kasberg is the straw that stirs the drink. He’s tied for the Class AA lead in touchdown passes (17), while ranking second in completion percentage (66.7) and passing yards (1,445). That’s in addition to 301 rushing yards, which also ranks fourth among QBs in AA football.
Wideout Mason Ramos is second in the classification in receiving yards (532). He’s averaging 17.1 yards per reception and has five touchdowns.
Big Sky’s offense will face its stiffest challenge in a Sentinel defense that’s allowing just 14.3 points per game. The problem is that Sentinel is scoring just 14.8 points per game. That doesn’t bode well for the Spartans, who are led by running back Kaden Thennis (428 rushing yards) and QB Rudy Hess (881 total yards, six touchdowns), especially since the Eagles are surrendering just six points per game to opponents this season.
No. 1 Kalispell Glacier (6-0, 4-0) at Helena High (4-2, 2-1) Friday, 6 p.m.
The Wolfpack haven’t been challenged since their Week 1 victory over Billings West on the road. Missoula Sentinel was only the second team to score in double digits against the Wolfpack, but that was in a 34-point loss.
Jackson Presley might not have gaudy numbers. Yet, the Sacramento State commit is throwing for 189 yards per game. He also leads the Class AA in completion percentage (68.8) and in fewest interceptions (1). The two-time all-state selection also has 13 touchdown passes to lead the top scoring offense in Class AA (44.5 points per game).
The Wolfpack will travel to Helena this week to square off against a Helena High squad that has won three in a row. The Bengals lost their starting quarterback three weeks ago against Flathead, but have responded by scoring 62 points (31 points per game) since. That included a trick play and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Peyton Lorenz has also been a key factor for the Bengals, rushing for 498 yards this season (4th in AA). The senior has averaged 112 rushing yards per game the past three weeks. That will put two of Class AA’s most productive backs on the field Friday at Vigilante Stadium as Asher Knopik, the classification’s leader in rushing yards (737), will be the focal point for the Glacier ground game.
Great Falls CMR (3-3, 2-2) at Bozeman (4-2, 3-1) Friday, 7 p.m.
In the fourth matchup between two teams with at least .500 records this week, the Rustlers will head to Bozeman for a game that could decide third place in the Eastern AA when it’s all said and done.
Bozeman, which owns the third-best scoring offense in Class AA (40 points per game) behind Van Shockley, Class AA’s leader in passing yards (1,552) and co-leader in touchdown passes (17), still has an outside shot at the No. 1 seed if it wins out and gets a lot of help. Either way, a win makes a top-3 finish much more likely in the Eastern division.
The Hawks’ offense will face the sixth-best scoring defense in CMR (17.3 points per game allowed). CMR’s problem has been a lack of offense, scoring just 16.3 points per game and just 14 per game over the past five games.
It’s also been hit or miss for the Rustlers. They have scored 25 points or more in three wins this season, as well as seven or fewer in all three losses.
Helena Capital (2-4, 1-3) at Missoula Hellgate (1-5, 1-4) Thursday, 7 p.m.
Brit Linder has been one of the bright spots in a tough season for Capital. The Montana State pledge has 712 rushing yards (second in AA) and nine rushing touchdowns after a four-touchdown performance last week in an overtime win over Flathead.
That has the Bruins in much better shape playoff-wise. They are tied for fifth in the Western AA with Missoula Hellgate, which will head to Helena on Thursday night. The winner will have the inside track on the No. 5 seed, with a chance to still move into the top four if things shake out just right.
Yet, the Knights will need to reverse some recent trends. They are 15th out of 16 teams in points scored (65 total) and last in Class AA in points allowed (225).
Belgrade (1-4, 1-3) at Great Falls High (1-4, 1-3) Thursday, 7 p.m.
You will be hard-pressed to find any single player more dynamic in the state of Montana than Steele Harris, a three-star recruit in the 2027 class. The junior has been a big play waiting to happen for the Bison this season. He’s got a run of 80 yards, to go along with receptions of 86 and 70 yards. He also had two kickoff returns of over 40 yards.
Harris, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound younger brother of Boston College wideout Reed Harris, is averaging 112 yards from scrimmage this season. He averages 21 yards per reception and 18 yards per rush.
Belgrade’s Wesley Ehret is one of the few in that conversation with Harris. The Montana Grizzly commit has 690 all-purpose yards so far this season. Ehret has 298 yards as a receiver and also leads Class AA in return yards by a healthy margin with 387, a total that included a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Capital earlier this season.
In terms of the playoff race, Belgrade and Great Falls High are tied with Billings Skyview for fifth in the Eastern AA. The top six teams make it, so the winner will have a leg up in the effort to make the postseason.
Butte (1-5, 0-4) at Kalispell Flathead (1-4, 0-4) Friday, 6 p.m.
The Braves and Bulldogs are both winless, but each team still has a chance to make the postseason. Butte has a better chance than Flathead, simply because the Braves face No. 1 Glacier, No. 4 Big Sky and No. 5 Missoula Sentinel over the next three weeks.
Butte struggles to run the ball, averaging just 2.1 yards per attempt as a team. That’s the opposite of Flathead and quarterback Eli Coopman, who has 572 rushing yards compared to 371 for Butte’s entire team.
Coopman is third in Class AA in rushing yards with five touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior also ranks seventh in passing yards (841) despite playing in just five full games. Interceptions have been the one issue with seven.
Butte’s offense has been pass-oriented, which makes sense when you have Hudson Luedtke, Class AA’s leading receiver in yards (610, 101.6 per game) and receptions (49). The senior is coming off a 12-catch, 180-yard game against Helena High that featured two touchdown receptions in a losing effort.
Billings Skyview (1-5, 1-3) at Billings Senior (0-6, 0-4) Friday, 7 p.m.
Skyview and Senior are each in the playoff chase, despite having one combined win between the two of them. A win by the Falcons, though, would allow them to control their own destiny with two games to go.
For tips, email: chris.peterson@406mtsports.com or text/call: 406-475-4292.
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