BOZEMAN — For the first time in its five-year program history, Bozeman Gallatin earned an Eastern AA regular season title, an undefeated record and the overall No. 1 seed going into the Class AA football playoffs.
"We all care for each other," Gallatin quarterback Grant Vigen explained of why the team has been so successful this year. "No one is really looking to get personal glory. We’re all focusing on just winning each day, winning each game, and I think the unselfishness of our team has allowed us to be successful this year."
"Just playing really good football, and I think we’ve gotten better throughout the season too," Gallatin coach Hunter Chandler said. "I think we kind of hit our stride, maybe Week 5, Week 6. We started really kind of believing in how good of a team I think we can be."
That time period is when the Raptors earned their first-ever win over crosstown rival Bozeman. Chandler also noted their win over Billings West — which was previously undefeated before facing Gallatin — was a huge boost for the program as well.
The Raptors are no stranger to the postseason; they've had back-to-back semifinal appearances the past two years.
Coming up short of the ultimate goal, however, has fueled them for this upcoming playoff run they hope to have.
"It’s motivated us pretty much every single morning, every single day," Gallatin tight end and linebacker Tommy Springman said. "I mean, that’s pretty much all we talk about is, we’re done being a semifinalist team. We’re ready to get over that curve and make it to the chipper and hopefully win the chipper."
"I think that just fueled us all offseason, to want to come back and not come up short, to finish stronger than we’ve had," Vigen said.
What’s different this season than in years past is the home-field advantage Gallatin has earned.
"Just knowing that state’s going to have to run through us if we take care of our business," Vigen said. "It’s really cool to be able to play for our home town, home fans, home student section, to be able to sleep in our own beds is huge.
"But then, at the end of the day, we’re going to have to play a football game where anything can happen, so I think it motivates us to a certain extent, but obviously we still have to go out there and play football."
Chandler has built the program from the ground-up the past five years. The Raptors' rise to dominance is a credit to the type of culture he instilled since taking over a team at a brand new school in 2020.
"It starts in the morning, when we lift every single day, the whole offseason," Vigen explained. "He just instills the want to win and the will to win, so I think he’s done a great job through these first five years. And I know he’s not satisfied where we’re at, obviously we’ve got a job to finish."
Chandler was quick to give credit to his players, their families and his personnel for his success at the helm.
"I think obviously the talent doesn’t hurt," Chandler said. "We’ve got some talented kids and really good families at home, but these guys, we’ve gotten better every single year as a program, and I think that’s a dedication to all of their offseason work and how much they’ve bought into our football program, our team, our culture and just everything about the team."
Gallatin hosts Helena at 7 p.m. on Friday in Van Winkle Stadium for the quarterfinal round of the Class AA high school playoffs.
