GAME NOTES l LIVE VIDEO l LIVE AUDIO l LIVE STATS
THIS WEEK IN CARROLL FOOTBALL
Carroll takes on No. 11 Montana Tech in the second game of a home-and-home series with the Orediggers this season. The Saints fell to Tech 45-28 in a season-opening Thursday night game in Butte. The Diggers are 4-1 on the year with the only loss coming against Montana Western (42-35) last weekend in Dillon. The Saints hope to get back in the win column, but start the game with redshirt freshman Reese Hiibel at quarterback after an injury to Tanner Gustavsen.
LAST GAME: SAINTS FALL TO COLLEGE OF IDAHO
Darius-James Peterson ran for 86 yards and passed for 208 to lead the College of Idaho to a 21-6 win over Carroll College Saturday at Nelson Stadium.
The Saints played well on defense, holding the C of I rushing attack short of their season average. Major Ali ran the ball 24 times for 98 yards and the Saints' lone touchdown to pace the Carrol offense.
Quarterback Tanner Gustavsen left the game in the first quarter with an injury and was replaced by redshirt freshman Reese Hiibel replaced Gustavsen and went 7-19 for 87 yards and an interception.
The Yotes got on the board first with a 7-yard touchdown run by Peterson with 2:42 left in the first half. Nick Calzaretta found the end zone with 1:54 in the second quarter on a three-yard run with 1:54 left in the first half.
Carroll got on the scoreboard with a one-yard leap by Ali with 9:20 left in the fourth quarter, but the PAT attempt was missed in windy conditions.
College of Idaho put the clamps on the comeback bid with a 20-yard touchdown run from Calzaretta with 5:45 remaining.
The Saints fall to 1-4 on the year while College of Idaho is now 2-4 overall and 2-3 in Frontier play.
Carroll next hosts Montana Tech in the second matchup of the season for the two opponents. The Orediggers won the first matchup 45-21.
ABOUT MONTANA TECH
Montana Tech is looking to rebound after the lone loss of the season, but the third-ranked offensive team in the NAIA (574 yards per game) pack plenty of firepower. Jed Fike is ranked first in the NAIA in Yards per Game. Quinn McQueary is the fifth-ranked passer in the NAIA and on the defensive side, Connor Wines is second in the NAIA in sacks per game.
Head coach Chuck Morrell has a 39-32 career record at Montana Tech in his seventh season.
QUICK NOTES
• Carroll hosts Montana Tech in the second meeting of the two teams this season. The first meeting was tied at halftime before the Orediggers went on to win 45-28.
• Carroll returned eight starters on offense, including three offensive linemen, two receivers, the tight ends and a pair of running backs.
•Starting Quarterback Tanner Gustavsen was injured in the first drive of the second quarter against College of Idaho. Redshirt-Freshman Reese Hiibel took over and went 7-19 for 87 yards and an interception.
• In the season opener at Montana Tech, Tight End Eric Dawson made an impressive return from a medical redshirt year with five receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown and a 15-yard touchdown run out of the Wildcat formation. He has a team-high 18 catches for 202 yards and a touchdown to date.
• Major Ali is the Saints' leading rusher after carrying the ball 24 times for a career-best 147 yards and a touchdown against MSU-Northern. He has 73 carries for 374 yards on the year.
• Carroll running backs combined for 321 yards against MSU-Northern, the most since rushing for 396 against the College of Idaho in 2014.
• Shane Sipes was named the Frontier Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 18, after racking up 119 yards on two returns, including an 85-yard touchdown against MSU-Northern.
• In the opener, the Saints and Diggers were tied at 21 at halftime and stats were very similar, before the Saints struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the second half.
• Carroll is eighth in the Frontier in total offense/game after five games.
• Major Ali moved into the NAIA Top-50 in rushing yards per game.
• Dylan Torgerson is ranked ninth in the NAIA in Punt Yards per attempt at 42.7 yards per attempt.
• Ryan Beaulieu ranks 20th in the NAIA for total punt return yards per attempt.
• Drew Melton jumped into the NAIA top-10 in passes defended after breaking up five passes and grabbing a first quarter interception against MSU-Northern. He is now fourth overall at 2.0.
•There are 36 true freshmen listed on the Carroll roster.
• In one of the smallest classes in recent history, only 14 seniors are listed on the roster, 11of those seniors are listed as starters on the two-deep.
• Head Coach Mike Van Diest has the sixth-best winning percentage (.809) of any active college football coach with more than ten years of experience. He is ranked 23rd all-time from any division.
• Van Diest has the highest winning percentage of any coach in NAIA history with 10 or more seasons. Second is Charlie Richard who coached at Baker (Kan.) from 1980-90, 92-94.
• Montana Tech is the reigning Frontier Conference champions.
• Jed Fike is averaging 153 yards per game and has eight TDs under his belt.
• Dion Williams has 450 yards receiving and five touchdowns on the year for Montana Tech.
• Connor Wines has six sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss on the season for the Diggers.
