BUTTE, Mont. – The Carroll offense failed to find a rhythm and No. 9 Montana Tech racked up 377 yards of offense while holding Carroll to 266 en route to a 34-15 Oredigger win over the visiting Saints Saturday in Butte.
Montana Tech scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the game. The first was a six-yard touchdown from Quinn McQueary to Dion Williams. The second, a 32-yard pass from McQueary to Williams.
The Carroll defense stepped up and held Montana Tech to just three point for the rest of the half but the Saints couldn't must a score before the break and trailed 17-0 at the half.
The Diggers got the ball to start the second half and the Saints held them to a 35-yard field goal by kicker Derrick Holt. A short Carroll drive stalled and a punt pinned the Diggers on their own 15-yard line but on the first play of the drive, All-American candidate Nolan Saraceni broke two tackles and scored an 85-yard touchdown to put the Diggers up 27-0 with 7:24 left in the third quarter.
Carroll got on the board in the final seconds of the third quarter with a pass from
Tanner Gustavsen to
Connor Fohn. Gustavsen entered the game after starting quarterback
JT Linder went down with an injury earlier in the drive. The Saints tacked on an extra point from Gustavsen to
Troy Arntson to cut the Digger lead to 27-8.
McQuery scored on a 3-yard run with 7:03 left in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 34-8. Carroll answered on its next possession on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Gustavsen to Fohn on a circus catch and run.
Carroll drove down to the Tech 5-yard line on their final drive but Gunnar Kayser picked off Gustavsen with less than a minute remaining to close out the win for Montana Tech.
The Diggers move to 5-1 on the season while the Saints fall to 2-4.
Gustavsen was 7 of 8 for 133 yards, two TDs and an interception. Linder was 11 of 26 for 74 yards.
Dylan Green led all Carroll rushers with seven carries for 37 yards.
Fohn continued his stellar season with nine receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He now has a Frontier Conference high 644 yards receiving and five touchdowns on the season.
McQueary had an efficient game at 17 of 24 for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 41 yards and a score. Nolan Saraceni had 24 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown. The bulk of those yards came on the 85-yard touchdown run.
Dion Williams notched seven receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns.
The Saint will be at home for the first time in three weeks next Saturday when they host Rocky Mountain at 1 p.m. at Nelson Stadium.
