Seniors push Warriors to win

ARLEE - The seven seniors on Arlee's football team had their

plates full last Friday night. Not only did they help lead their

team to a 48-7 victory over Seeley-Swan to clinch a Class C

football playoff spot, but they were also honored in what could be

their last home game of the season. ARLEE - The seven seniors on

Arlee's football team had their plates full last Friday night. Not

only did they help lead their team to a 48-7 victory over

Seeley-Swan to clinch a Class C football playoff spot, but they

were also honored in what could be their last home game of the

season.

ARLEE - The seven seniors on Arlee's football team had their plates full last Friday night. Not only did they help lead their team to a 48-7 victory over Seeley-Swan to clinch a Class C football playoff spot, but they were also honored in what could be their last home game of the season.

"It's going to be exciting," fullback and linebacker Damon Cordier said before the game. "I've been looking forward to it my entire high school career."

Arlee put up 22 points in the first and 18 in the second to get the 35-point clock rolling. The offense was largely keyed by the hard running of senior Cole Rice, who ran 14 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

"I knew they wanted this game," Arlee head coach Scott Palmer said.

It wasn't long ago that Cordier and six other seniors were playing touch football beyond the endzone lines as kids, hoping to one day suit up in the Warrior uniforms.

"It's pretty cool looking back and seeing how far we've come," lineman Bryce Norling said.

This Warrior class has certainly come a long way as their seventh grade football team didn't win a single game. However, the group stuck together and committed themselves to getting better throughout the years. With their win over Seeley, Arlee clinched its second straight trip to the playoffs.

"We play hard-nosed football like we do week in and week out," Palmer said.

The passing offense was also working for the Warriors, as senior quarterback Dylan Moran returned from an ankle injury to score the first touchdown of the game with a 32-yard pass to senior Dakota Desjarlias. Moran also had 56 yards on the ground.

"It's really good you can come from zero wins to potentially one of the best teams in the state," lineman Curt Seidel, who's favorite memory of football is beating Lincoln last year to go to the playoffs, said.

It's no secret that team chemistry and camaraderie helps, and that's certainly something these seniors hold in high regard.

"We can go to each other for everything," Rice said.

And with the group playing together for so long, they know what to expect from each other out on the football field.

"You know the guy next to you is going to carry out his assignment," wide receiver and defensive back Kieran Ursua said.

This season has had it's fair share of ups and downs for the Warriors, but they never stopped playing their hard-nosed brand of football, finishing with a 4-3 record.

"All our hard word has finally paid off," quarterback Dylan Moran said.

While the Warriors have been banged up injury-wise this season, Palmer said that this win gives them momentum heading into the playoffs and hopes his players can rest up.

"We're trying to get healed but we have a healthy core," Palmer said.

The seniors have plans for after school, but it's still strange looking back at a four-year career.

"It feels like it had gone by pretty fast," Moran said.

However, it's going to be pretty hard to forget.

"There's nothing like the feeling after we come off a good win and we're hanging out around a bomb fire," senior receiver and defensive back Dakota Desjarlais said. "We're all really good friends and we're a good group. It really helps we have good parents that support us."

Desjarlais along with the other seniors know what it's like to be a freshman.

"It felt like you were busting your butt in practice to freeze it off on the sidelines," he said. "Now I'm the one telling the freshman to stick with it."

Arlee will travel to play Twin Bridges at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30 in the first round of the playoffs.