- ’CAT GRIZA PUBLICATION OF THE BOZEMAN DAILY CHRONICLE THE RIVALRY NOVEMBER 2012 CONTINUES ON T H E PROWL Historic Cody Kirk and Montana State Bobcats look to avenge last year’s loss against UM 112th with win at Washington-Grizzly Stadium Meeting Old Chicago Proudly Supports MSU NCAA • NFL • NBA • MLB • NHL • NASCAR Join us during all NFL games for 1940 N. 19th Ave. • 587-9404 great beer and food specials (next to the Hilton Garden Inn) –– Billings –– Stanton Jones – Vice President/Investments R. Pierre Holland – Vice President/Investments Marci Funk – Registered Client Service Associate 490 North 31st Street, Suite 101 Billings, Montana 59101 (406) 252-2447 | (877) 816-1227 Helping you pursue your financial goals since 1890. –– Bozeman –– David K. Palagi – Branch Manager Michael Augustine – Assistant Branch Manager –– Kalispell –– Jim Bangs – Senior Vice President/Investments James Strainer – Senior Vice President/Investments William H. Bicksler – Vice President/Investments Clarence “Snuff” Frisbee – Vice President/Investments Betty Cure – Vice President/Investments Douglas Houtz – Vice President/Investments Joe Dahinden – Financial Advisor Anna Steblina – Registered Client Service Associate Shawn Hertz – Senior Vice President/Investments ® 1845 Highway 93 South, Suite 203 Koy Hoover, CFP – Vice President/Investments Kalispell, Montana 59901 Fredric Leopold – Senior Vice President/Investments (406) 755-9400 | (877) 635-9528 Joseph Militello – Vice President/Investments Samuel M. Robinson – Financial Advisor –– Great Falls –– Jim Smith – Senior Vice President/Investments Sharon Nalivka-Hancock – Associate Vice President/Investments, Branch Manager JT Tonkin – Financial Advisor Associate Tom Horton – First Vice President/Investments Mike Palagi – Administrative Assistant to the Branch Manager Jeffrey B. Moe, CFP® – Vice President/Investments Erika Gyselman – Cashier John Murphy – Financial Advisor Michelle Harley – Registered Client Service Associate Patricia Coleman – Operations Coordinator Mindy Delin – Registered Client Service Associate Christy Walter – Client Service Associate Justin Klein – Registered Client Service Associate 300 Park Drive South, Suite 101 875 Harmon Stream Boulevard, Suite 200 Great Falls, Montana 59405 Bozeman, Montana 59718 (406) 761-3500 | www.greatfalls-stifel.com (406) 586-1385 | (800) 955-3443 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | member sipc and nyse | www.stifel.com 2 ’CAT / GRIZ 2012 A Montana Tradition... ...just like the Cat/Griz rivalry! & more.... GEAR UP FOR EVERYTHING OUTDOORS! BOZEMAN MISSOULA HELENA BUTTE HAMILTON 586-4381 728-3220 443-2138 494-4452 363-6204 since 1917, montana’s Oldest & 3011 Max Ave. 3015 Paxson 3 3 2 3 D r e d g e D r. 1925 Dewey Blvd. 1 1 2 0 N . 1 s t Largest Sporting Goods Retailer ’CAT / GRIZ 2012 3 2012 ’CAT/GRIZ KICKOFF: SATURDAY, NOV. 17, 1:30 P.M. AT WASHINGTON-GRIZZLY STADIUM IN MISSOULA ’CAT GRIZ SHOWDOWN STORY BY KYLE SAMPLE I CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER t wasn’t until Nov. 3 — in their 10th game of this season — that the Montana Grizzlies won back-to-back games. It also happened to be their fifth win of the season, balancing the number in the win column Iwith the number in the loss column. That same Saturday, Montana State escaped with ence slate — the Bobcats are in line for a top seed a close 20-17 win over upstart Sacramento State, and a first-round bye in upcoming FCS playoffs. the Bobcats’ eighth win of the season that kept For Montana, they’re playing to extend a 25-year them very much in the hunt for the Big Sky Confer- run of winning records. That’s it. The playoffs are ence title. out of question. When the national polls were released the fol- That “spoiler” role has in recent years belonged to lowing Monday, Montana State was second behind the Bobcats. However, In 2012 Montana State has only defending national champion North Dakota done everything to shed the guise. Not once have State. In the same poll, Montana was … Montana the Bobcats’ been ranked lower than ninth, and the was … unranked. expectations of ‘Cats fans have yet to waver from Unranked? serious national championship contention. The 2012 edition of the Brawl of the Wild this Save for an anomaly of a loss to Eastern Wash- weekend marks the first time in 20 years that Mon- ington — the ‘Cats allowed 24 second-half points, tana will enter the game unranked. That’s fine with only seven of which came from the Eagles’ of- the Bobcats. Pending the game against the Grizzlies fense — Montana State has lived up to its current — and how Northern Arizona finishes their confer- national ranking. 4 ’CAT / GRIZ 2012 CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO Bobcat running back Cody Kirk gets upended by the Grizzly defense during last year’s ‘Cat-Griz game in Bozeman With junior quarterback DeN- Cody Kirk and Orenzo Davis have kept defenses from arius McGhee orchestrating the offense, the Bobcats are the keying on the ’Cats’ passing attack. Through the win conference’s highest scoring team. at Sacramento State, the two backs have run for 658 McGhee has passed for 2,247 yards and 22 touchdowns. Tanner yards and 532 yards, respectively. Bleskin has been McGhee’s favorite target, leading the team with 53 the win at Sacramento State, the yards and two touchdowns against catches for 687 yards and three two backs have run for 658 yards Sacramento State. Davis added 145 touchdowns. Jon Ellis, with 41 and 532 yards, respectively. Kirk yards and two touchdowns in the catches, has been to the end zone missed games against UC Davis and 55-10 win over North Dakota State. more than any other Cat receiver, Eastern Washington but has been at The Bobcats also possess what making four trips there in 2012. his most productive since returning is, statistically, the conference’s Cody Kirk and Orenzo Davis from the hamstring injury, running top defense, allowing 291 yards a have kept defenses from keying on for 160 yards and three touchdowns game, only 66 of which come on the Cats’ passing attack. Through against North Dakota and 129 the ground. ’CAT / GRIZ 2012 5 Montana State leads the Big Sky Conference in interceptions, rushing yards allowed, third-down conversion defense and is second in pass defense and, most importantly, scoring defense. Injuries to defensive leaders Brad Daly and Zach Minter and a suspension for an illegal hit levied against linebacker Caleb Schreibeis have tested the Bobcats’ defensive depth, but the unit never took a step back. Montana State leads the Big Sky Conference in interceptions, rushing yards allowed, third-down conversion defense and is second in pass defense and, most importantly, scoring defense. The Grizzlies on the other hand have been plagued by incon- sistent play, largely attributable to a lack of experience of both coaches and players. Montana this season welcomed a new head coach (Mick Delaney), new offensive coordinator (Timm Rosen- bach) and new defensive coordinator (Ty Gregorak) and has started a freshman (Trent McKinney) at quarterback for all but two of their games. Off the field troubles were pinned for the upheaval, which the Grizzlies managed well in the early part of the season. But after a Zach Minter 6 ’CAT / GRIZ 2012 34-14 drubbing over Liberty, the Griz- zlies have gone an uncharacteristic 3-4, including a 1-3 stretch in which they were run over by Northern Arizona, let two victories slip away in the closing seconds and, unthinkably, dropped back-to-back home games at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. At no point since the loss to NAU have the Grizzlies factored into the Big Sky title race until now. They have a chance to spoil the Bob- cats’ title chances, and, despite the record, have a team that has shown itself capable. Shay Smithwick-Hann took over at quarterback in the first quarter of a loss at North Dakota and the Grizzlies have since won both of his starts. Smithwick-Hann, aided by the strong UM ground game, led the offense to 70 points against Idaho State in his first start. Montana has the conference’s yardage leader and second best FILE PHOTO running game. Depending on the availability of senior Dan Moore, the Grizzlies have three running CHRONICLE backs that have gone over 100 yards in games this season. For the Grizzlies to have a chance against MSU, they’ll need a big game from those backs, control- ling the game clock and keeping McGhee on the sidelines. Bobcat running back Tray Robinson runs the ball against the Grizzly defense last year in Bozeman. The Grizzlies also have a defense that, despite its at times glaring problems against the pass, is While UM will be a heavy underdog this weekend, the second best against the rush and sack the quarterback with Grizzlies do have history on their side. Montana leads the greater consistency than any other team in the conference. series 70-36-5 and have won five of the last six. While UM will be a heavy underdog this weekend, the Grizzlies do have history on their side. Montana leads the series 70-36-5 and have won five of the last six. ’CAT / GRIZ 2012 7 THE SERIES 1897 — Griz 18, ‘Cats 6 1902 — ‘Cats 38, Griz 0 surrendered by Griz all season. 1929 — ‘Cats 14, Griz 12 The series begins on Thanksgiving Day as the Will Flaherty scores four TDs. Twenty years of losses end when Montana’s “Varsity” wins in Missoula. 1916 — ‘Cats 6, Griz 6 final drive falls short at the Bobcat 5-yard 1903 — ‘Cats 13, Griz 6 Losing ways end as ‘Cats score late to earn tie. line. Ivar Twilde and Gus Wylie combine for 1898 — Griz 6, ‘Cats 0 MSC’s win earns a tie with Montana School of 71 rushing yards for MSC. Max Worthington Griz 16, ‘Cats 0 Mines for state title.