Copperhead football is energizing the community-and records are in danger of being destroyed
After last week’s 63-14 win in Thompson Falls, it has given us a pretty good idea on where the football team stands in the thick of not only the Western B, but in the entire classification thanks to a sprawling non-conference slate. It led me to the library to do some research back from the time when I did it daily. And now, we bring you to what I’m referring to as the Travis Dye Experience!
So here goes …
Senior QB Travis Dye, right along with receivers Carson Lacey, top left, Brody Galle, Ryder Anderson, bottom left, Soren Keeland, Gillie Everett, Kyson Patrick and Teague Cromwell have been lighting it up on offense this season. Photos courtesy of Kari Hoscheid, Zo Photo
I have long stated that Matt King was the best passing quarterback Anaconda has ever had. That’s not to say he was the best to ever play that position, it’s just a verifiable fact supported by the numbers. Many forget his freshman foray into a helping Anaconda to their first road playoff win in Polson (2006) since a 14-0 win in Sidney in 1951. King was forced into action on Fourth and 8, broke the pocket right and scrambled for an 11-yard gain to set up the game winning TD and two point conversion for the 28-27 win. The next three years, King set the school record in attempts, completions and yards, racking up 3,229 yards on 251-of-507 passing.
His best years were his junior and senior seasons, recording 1,170 and 1,764 yards, respectively — the top two marks in school history. His senior season led to two record-breaking seasons for receivers as well, putting Marcus Fischer (receptions in a game and career and total yards in a career) and Kyle Moore (receiving yards in a game and season) in the record books.
Now, the mantra of “records are meant to be broken” is the phrase of the day. It just so happens these records might not just be broken, they may be destroyed.
Through four games of the nine-game regular season slate, what senior QB Travis Dye is doing is, quite frankly, historic. And it’s not just that he’s attacking school records, he is leading the position and the numbers associated with it throughout the state.
Currently, Dye is 57-of-88 for 1,045 yards, a 64.8 completion percentage with eight touchdowns including another five on the ground. He’s been responsible for 319 ypg for the 3-1 Copperheads.
Much like King, he’s not doing this alone. The receiving corps is deep and talented, mixing seniors, juniors and sophs with receptions.
Senior Brody Galle leads the team with 20 catches for 485 yards and three TDs. In terms of approaching or eclipsing records, Fischer has the school season record with 51 receptions, Moore with season record for yards with 656 and 207 on nine receptions at Whitefish in 2009. Fischer also holds the career receiving records with 88-1,133. Oh, and don’t forget, Galle is the leading tackler on the team with 11.5 tpg, 35 solo tackles and seven tackles for loss.
Galle’s numbers are ridiculous. He’s averaging 24.3 yards/rec. this season, and his total yards and yards/game leads all of Class B. For his career, he’s hauled in 50 passes for 1,003 yards and a staggering 20.1 ypc, giving chase to the young man they called FISH, only 130 yards away from tying the career record — or for the sake of context, just outside his remarkable 121.3 ypg average.
With both King and Dye, they have used multiple weapons to get the job done. Both players hooked up with seven different receivers during the season, although Dye is only approaching the halfway point of his campaign.
That leads to the TDs. One might think Matt King also holds that record too. Not so fast, in 1993, Ike Heaphy set the record with 26 career TD passes with King close behind with 24. Dye is slowly climbing up the charts with 13 career TDs with Jonathan Clark at 19 next on the list.
Just last week in Thompson Falls, Dye put himself in second-all time with the school record for passing TDs in a game with five, hooking up with Ryder Anderson twice and Galle, Teague Cromwell and Carson Lacey for one apiece. Dye tied Braxton Hill, who set the record in the 2016 season.
The school record sits at six, set against the same Thompson Falls team instead it was at home in 2018, a 46-13 win over the Blue Hawks. Junior QB Dylan Smith connected with five different receivers for TD, Braedon Sawyer, Pat Galle, Connor Sampson, Kyler Gochanour (2) and Dylan Skocilich to set the record. https://copperheadcountry.org/2018/10/record-breaking-performance-leads-heads-to-season-ending-win/
Bottom line, what’s happening for the football team this year has been uplifting. The team hasn’t made a playoff appearance since 2015, and the close 15-6 loss to Manhattan to open the season appears to have been a sign of great things to come.
In speaking with head coach Dan Lacey and the assistants who are all responsible for building this program up what it is now and what it will be in the future, their message is clear. The team-first attitudes have been contagious. The players mentioned might not have been fully aware at what they were approaching, but there’s been a buzz. In Thompson Falls, Dye told me he was going to break some records tonight. Quickly, assistant coach Travis Crawford chirped back, “That’s not the goal. If it comes, it comes. Focus on the game.”
But, with winning in the manner they have comes statistical greatness. Sometimes, the stats can get in the way of production. But this year, under Lacey, it appears winning is all these young men care about. And what a helluva ride it’s already been.
What the team needs now more than ever is the support that has already been in abundance. Friday’s game against Eureka will result in the lead in the Western B and a big step towards potentially hosting a playoff game – a 32-14 win over Columbia Falls – for the first time since 2012.
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