Bobcat head coach Brent Vigen saw a ‘do-it-all player’ in Grabow’s high school dominance
By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
One of the most talented multi-sport athletes in Lone Peak High School history, Ebe Grabow will play football for the defending NCAA national champions.
The Montana State Bobcats announced Grabow’s signing in a Feb. 4 social media post. “From Big Sky to Bozeman, welcome,” the post stated, listing Grabow’s position as “athlete.” Grabow played wide receiver, quarterback, running back, punt and kick returner, linebacker, cornerback and kicker for Lone Peak. He expects to join MSU’s defensive unit, but will be open to all positions and offers a diverse, coachable skillset.
MSU head coach Brent Vigen said Grabow “really flashed” and stood out at a team camp showcasing small high schools last year.
“Being able to follow him and the success he had for Lone Peak this year, it was evident that he’s a guy we should give an opportunity to,” Vigen said in a written statement shared with EBS via email. “He’s a do-it-all player at that level—receiver, defensive back, kick returner. I think we see him on the defensive side of the ball, but we’re excited to have him in our program.”
“I’m super excited,” Grabow told EBS in a phone call Thursday. “It really is just a dream come true… it’s pretty surreal. You grow up and you see college athletes, and you just aspire to be them.”
During Grabow’s four years as a varsity starter in Montana’s Class C eight-player format, he racked up 5,000 total receiving yards, 2,500 rushing yards, 1,500 return yards and 110 total touchdowns, according to approximations by Lone Peak’s coaching staff. He nabbed 18 interceptions on defense, made countless game-changing tackles, and never missed a game for illness or injury.
This season, he was named offensive MVP for the Class C Southern Division, selected to the all-state team, and named first-team all-conference at five different positions, plus second-team at a sixth.
“What a great conclusion to a great high school career,” Lone Peak head coach Dustin Shipman stated in an email to EBS. “Coaching Ebe Grabow for four years has been a privilege. Ebe’s combination of hard work and natural ability has paid off for him and I couldn’t be more thrilled for him to be joining MSU. I look forward to seeing him on Saturdays as a member of Bobcat Nation, and will continue to cheer loudly for him and await the great things he is going to accomplish as a student athlete.”
Grabow becomes the second-ever LPHS athlete to play a varsity sport for the Bobcats, following current redshirt freshman running back George Helms.
Helms looks forward to reuniting with Grabow, whom he played with growing up.
“It’s just awesome to see the hard work that he’s put in to get to where he is now, because I do know how much hard work that takes,” Helms said, adding that it’s even more significant to come from a small school like LPHS. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he does here at MSU… Super happy to be teammates with him again.”
Grabow said he’s very grateful for the opportunity to join a team coming off its first national championship in 41 years. He credited coach Vigen for making a drastic impact on the program.
“It’s awesome to be able to go there and see what happens,” Grabow said. In football, his biggest motivation is to be the best version of himself and do everything he can to help teammates around him.
He thanked his parents, Libby and Jeff, for doing everything they could to support his dream, from covering program and equipment costs, to many hours of travel. He gave a shoutout to Lone Peak assistant coach Clevan “CT” Thomas Jr., a former Bobcat receiver supporting the Big Horns for the past two seasons. “He had a drastic impact on my development in the past few years, and that’s super helpful,” Grabow said. He also gave thanks to the entire Big Horn coaching staff—coaches Shipman, Mark Gale, Adam Farr, Jeff Helms and others—for helping him reach this goal.
GALLERY BY JACK REANEY
Grabow hopes to see Big Sky’s youth and high school football programs continue to grow. He encourages kids to “keep at it,” especially if they have dreams of playing for the Bobcats someday.
“It’s great to see that everyone is starting to play football here… Football is a smaller sport [in Big Sky], but it’s great to see that a lot of middle schoolers and [kids] coming up are aspiring and hoping to make it to the next level,” Grabow said.
Grabow offers multi-sport experience
Beyond football, Grabow made his mark as four-year starter on Lone Peak’s basketball and baseball teams.
On the court, he played four varsity seasons and contributed as a freshman on Lone Peak’s 2023 state tournament team, averaging 7.6 points per game. He averaged 15.6 points per game as a sophomore, earning second team all-conference in 2024, and continued to improve overall in 2024-25 with first team all-conference honors.
On Jan. 9, Grabow scored his 1,000th point, becoming just the third Big Horn to reach the milestone. He is currently second all-time in career points with 1,102.
He is tied for third all-time in free throws made with 165, second all-time in 2-point shots with 352, and fourth all-time in 3-pointers with 82. He’s fourth all-time in rebounds with 337, second all-time in assists with 212, and third all-time in steals with 148. His career has included 14 games of 20 points or more, and he has scored in 63 consecutive contests.
Head basketball coach Al Malinowski said he looks forward to watching Ebe’s football career continue.
“As the lone senior on the basketball team this season, Ebe’s competitiveness, athleticism and growth as a leader have contributed greatly to our team’s success. It’s exciting to see him pursue this opportunity and I know his coaches and teammates are proud of him,” Malinowski told EBS via text.
In warmer months, Grabow has led Lone Peak’s three-year-old baseball program, anchoring the Big Horn lineup with a .478 batting average during his junior season. In 14 games he smacked 22 hits including three doubles, two triples, two home runs, 16 RBIs and scored 21 runs with 10 stolen bases.
Grabow pitched 40 innings to a 3.85 ERA last season, featuring a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 39 to 3 and earning two wins.
“Having coached Ebe in baseball, I’ve witnessed his relentless work ethic and athleticism,” head coach Matt Morris told EBS via text. “His talent and leadership will be an asset to Montana State University football. He has room to grow, and the Bobcat family is the perfect fit. As a community, we are proud of his accomplishment.”
