LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Carroll College football team fell to Eastern Oregon 41-34 in overtime to close out the season on the road at Eastern Oregon.
Carroll started the game with a 14-0 lead early. Parker Bernhardt picked off his second pass in two games and returned the ball to the Eastern 35-yard line. Major Ali ran the ball into from three-yards to give the Saints a 7-0 lead.
After pinning the Mounties deep in the second quarter and forcing a punt, the Saints drove 45 yards five plays, capped by a 30-yard touchdown run by Ryan Arntson to give the Saints a 14-0 lead. EOU responded with 11-play, 78-yard drive to cut the Saints lead to 14-7 at the half.
After trading possessions to start the second half, EOU scored on an 81-yard touchdown pass from Kai Quinn to Brendan Kelly.
The Saints responded on the ensuing drive and went 65-yards on six plays, capped with a Ryan Arntson rush for 18 yards to the house.
After the Carroll defense stopped a promising EOU drive at midfield, an excellent Mountaineer punt pinned the Saints at the one-yard line. On the first snap of the drive, the Ali was stuffed in the end zone for the safety to cut the Carroll lead to 21-16.
EOU again drove the field and scored on a two-yard run from Victor Dias to give EOU their first lead.
The Saints regained the lead after a 69-yard drive capped by the one-yard run from Ali to improve to 28-24.
EOU kept the scoring going and took a 31-28 lead with 6:17 left in the game.
The Saints responded with a 75-yard drive capped by a 20-yard TD from Reese Hiibel to Troy Arntson with just 59 seconds left. The PAT attempt was blocked leaving the door open for a tying field goal.
Eastern's Nathan Harden hit a 41-yarder as time expired to tie the game and send it to overtime.
The Mounties got the ball first, and on the second play, Quinn found Kelly in the back of the end zone where he wrestled the ball away from the defender to score and take a 41-34 lead.
The Saints were stuffed on fourth and two on their ensuing possession and the Mounties closed the season with the win.
Ali ran for 176 yards on 36 carries and two touchdowns. Ryan Arntson had six carries for 57 yards and two TDs. The Saints combined for 228 yards on the ground. Hiibel was 9-18 for 136 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. Troy Arntson tallied 44 yards and a score to lead the receiving corps.
Kai Quinn was 18-35 for 417 yards and two touchdowns. Kelly had a stellar game with 195 yards and two touchdowns.
The Saints held EOU to 87 yards rushing in the game.
The Saints close the season with a 4-6 record.
