BUTTE, Mont. – Senior running back Dustin Rinker ran for 199 yards on 35 carries to break the Carroll College career rushing record and lead the third-ranked Saints to a 20-12 victory over Montana Tech.
The record breaking run was a 3-yard run in the second quarter, a highlight in an otherwise lackluster first half for the Carroll offense.
The Saints turned the ball three times and managed just three points on a field goal with six seconds remaining in the half.
Fortunately for the Saints, the Carroll defense held the Orediggers to just a field goal of their own.
The Saints had the first possession after the half but a promising Saints drive stalled after mac Roche was sacked at the Tech 38-yard line.
The Diggers took the ensuing drive 83 yards but were forced to settle for a field goal after the Saints made the defensive stop at the five yard line. The field goal gave Tech a 6-3 lead.
The Saints answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a 22-yard touchdown catch by Kyle Griffith. The score gave Carroll a 10-6 lead.
The Saints then forced a three-and-out before taking their next drive 67 yards for another touchdown for a 17-6 lead. Griffith was again on the receiving end of the touchdown pass from Roche, this time for 36 yards.
The Diggers cut the lead to 17-12 on their only touchdown of the game, a 1-yard dive by Pat Hansen, but the two-point conversion failed.
The Saints took a 20-12 lead on a Matt Wiest field goal with 4:15 left in the game. The Diggers had the ball back with time to tie the game up but on the first play of their ensuing drive Clay Cavender threw his only interception of the game on the Tech 36-yard line.
The Saints used Rinker and Jordan Pine to drain the clock and close out the victory.
Rinker's record-setting performance was his second-consecutive game over 199 yards. Head coach Mike Van Diest is excited to see his senior break the record. He knows that Rinker has put in the work to e a great running back.
"He deserves it, and the offensive line deserves it," Van Diest said. "It's one of those things that if people saw how hard he works, they'd understand the success that he has. The same work ethic that J.J. Lamb had when he played for Coach Petrino, the same work ethic that Chance Demarais has, this kid has it, too. And I just hope that, while he's around, these young running backs take from him what he does off the field to have success on the field."
The Saints are now 6-1 on the season while Montana Tech falls to 1-6. A rivalry game is always a challenge and you won't see Van Diest taking the victory for granted.
"Montana Tech did a great job. Chuck is a great defensive coach, and their game plan was absolutely fool proof," Van Diest said. "Not every game is going to be won by 30 points. Everybody wants that, but we just want to win. We don't have to be the third-best team in the nation on Saturday; we've just got to be the best team today, on this field. And I thought we did that."
The No. 3 Saints will look to improve their ranking after No. 2 Baker (Kan.) fell to No. 20 MidAmerica Nazarene 35-27 in overtime.
