Jake Bleskin and several other Bobcats return to Memorial Stadium Saturday
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Treasure State Gridders Look Forward to Returning to Memorial Stadium
4/11/2015 10:12:00 AM | Football
Legendary stadium holds special place in hearts of in-state players
When Montana State takes the field at Great Falls High School's Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 1:30 pm, it will mark the annual return of Bobcat Football to the Electric City, a great tradition for both MSU and football in north-central Montana. The day also marks the return of many Bobcats to a site that holds special memories.
Some of Saturday's Triangle Classic participants recall the glory days of Friday Night Lights in one of high school football's most special and unique and historic environments…
Bobcat punter Trevor Bolton (senior, Great Falls High): "There's plenty of memories there. Overall I'd have to say our cross-town games. I loved getting together against the other Great Falls school, getting out there and playing against guys like Jake Bleskin and them. We had a pretty good record against them. Going out our senior year and winning it, sophomore year, too, but cross-town game's my favorite memory, for sure. Always will be."
Bobcat linebacker Grant Collins (freshman, Bozeman): "I didn't play too many games up there, just one game my junior year against Great Falls High. The biggest thing about that game that I remember was when Will Dissly separated someone's shoulder with a big hit."
Bobcat center Joel Horn (senior, Kalispell Glacier): "My senior year when we beat CMR. It was the first time a Kalispell team had beaten CMR in like 30 years. It was very emotional."
MSU Assistant Coach Michael Rider (Billings West): "I've got two (favorite memories of Memorial Stadium). My senior year we played CMR up there and they had a kid named Drew Savage who was a stud running back, and he gave us some poster board material prior to the game and he had like 25 or 30 carries for about 30 yards or somewhere in there, so we shut him down. That was awesome. It's a tough place to play, so that was a huge win. Then I remember the Shrine Game I played there after my senior year and it was one of the hottest games I ever played in, I still think about that every time I'm there. Good memories at old Great Falls Memorial Stadium, man. It's a good spot."
MSU Assistant Coach Kane Ioane (Billings Skyview): "Probably the Shrine Game, July of 2000. I believe the East, our side, won 7 to 3, a defensive battle. But it was fun because during that week it was a great opportunity to get to know the guys that were going to come here (to MSU) together. Chad Gluhm I believe scored the winning touchdown on a hook-and-ladder play. We played against Beau Clark, (future teammates included) Nic Stevenson, the list goes on. Mike Schmidt was part of that team, Brad Johnson, Phil Davey from Columbus, there were a lot of us that came here as freshmen that were all part of that same group, so it was fun. It was a fun experience, and the win was awesome. To have it be a defensive battle the way it was, it was just a fun, unique experience."
Cornerback Trace Timmer (senior, Great Falls High): "Cross-town. We didn't have a good season, only had one win going into that game, but we came together and ended up knocking Jake (nods toward teammate Jake Bleskin) out of the playoffs. I just remember the whole team coming together, kind of that Friday night lights feeling. The team came together for one final time together, and for most of those kids for their careers. It was fun to go out with a win for the whole team."
Some of Saturday's Triangle Classic participants recall the glory days of Friday Night Lights in one of high school football's most special and unique and historic environments…
Bobcat punter Trevor Bolton (senior, Great Falls High): "There's plenty of memories there. Overall I'd have to say our cross-town games. I loved getting together against the other Great Falls school, getting out there and playing against guys like Jake Bleskin and them. We had a pretty good record against them. Going out our senior year and winning it, sophomore year, too, but cross-town game's my favorite memory, for sure. Always will be."
Bobcat linebacker Grant Collins (freshman, Bozeman): "I didn't play too many games up there, just one game my junior year against Great Falls High. The biggest thing about that game that I remember was when Will Dissly separated someone's shoulder with a big hit."
Bobcat center Joel Horn (senior, Kalispell Glacier): "My senior year when we beat CMR. It was the first time a Kalispell team had beaten CMR in like 30 years. It was very emotional."
MSU Assistant Coach Michael Rider (Billings West): "I've got two (favorite memories of Memorial Stadium). My senior year we played CMR up there and they had a kid named Drew Savage who was a stud running back, and he gave us some poster board material prior to the game and he had like 25 or 30 carries for about 30 yards or somewhere in there, so we shut him down. That was awesome. It's a tough place to play, so that was a huge win. Then I remember the Shrine Game I played there after my senior year and it was one of the hottest games I ever played in, I still think about that every time I'm there. Good memories at old Great Falls Memorial Stadium, man. It's a good spot."
MSU Assistant Coach Kane Ioane (Billings Skyview): "Probably the Shrine Game, July of 2000. I believe the East, our side, won 7 to 3, a defensive battle. But it was fun because during that week it was a great opportunity to get to know the guys that were going to come here (to MSU) together. Chad Gluhm I believe scored the winning touchdown on a hook-and-ladder play. We played against Beau Clark, (future teammates included) Nic Stevenson, the list goes on. Mike Schmidt was part of that team, Brad Johnson, Phil Davey from Columbus, there were a lot of us that came here as freshmen that were all part of that same group, so it was fun. It was a fun experience, and the win was awesome. To have it be a defensive battle the way it was, it was just a fun, unique experience."
Cornerback Trace Timmer (senior, Great Falls High): "Cross-town. We didn't have a good season, only had one win going into that game, but we came together and ended up knocking Jake (nods toward teammate Jake Bleskin) out of the playoffs. I just remember the whole team coming together, kind of that Friday night lights feeling. The team came together for one final time together, and for most of those kids for their careers. It was fun to go out with a win for the whole team."
Players Mentioned
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