DILLON, Mont. – After holding a 17-14 lead over No. 25 Montana Western at halftime, the Fighting Saints drove deep into Western territory twice in the fourth quarter, but couldn't make the final big play to put the Bulldogs away.



Walker McKitrick caught a 37-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and Western (1-0) defeated Carroll (0-1) 31-24 on Saturday at Vigilante Stadium in Dillon. 

"Hats up off to Western and their coaching staff," said Saints coach Troy Purcell, who nearly pulled off the road victory in his first game as the Saints' head coach. "They did a great job. That was an exciting game. That was a coin flip game. It is what it is. We came up short today but I'm really proud of our kids and our coaches for their effort and toughness for it to come down to a few plays." 

Sophomore Devan Bridgewater made the start at quarterback and got the ball to his senior workhorse to give the Saints a big play early on.  

The Saints showed they will compete with anybody in the Frontier Conference early on, holding Western on its opening drive, thanks in part to sack from Craig Kein, and then used a 63-yard screen pass to Major Ali to drove the ball right into the Bulldogs' territory. 

True freshman Matt Burgess scored the Saints' first touchdown of the season on a four-yard run a few plays later. 

After the sides exchanged punts, the Bulldogs strung together 11-play drive and capped it off with a 14-yard touchdown pass from redshirt sophomore Jon Jund to Nate Simkins. 

At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied 7-7. 

The Bulldogs used reverse to get back in the red zone during the second quarter. Walker McKitrick took the misdirection and ran 43 yards. A few players, Jund lofted a pass into the corner of the end zone for Jamison Hermanson and the Bulldogs took their first lead of the game, 14-7.

The Saints answered with a staggering 15-play drive, picking up two third-and-longs and a fourth-and-long to breathe life into the drive. 

Bridgewater finished the drive off himself with a one-yard QB keeper. 

The Saints invaded the Bulldogs' grass again late in the quarter. Kicker Josh Kraft booted a 23-yard field goal to give the Saints a 17-14 halftime lead and a sense of momentum going into the locker room, knowing the Saints would receive the ball first. 

Alex Hurlbut sacked Jund to end the half. 

Even with the narrow lead, Purcell made sure his team stayed ready for the second half. 

"0-0 baby," Purcell said of what he told his team at halftime. "We have to go out. Now we have to go out even harder. We have to get to the next rep and win that rep."

The Saints stalled in the third quarter as Jund hooked up with Trey Mounts for a 46-yard touchdown pass and then tacked on 21-yard field goal by Mark Kharchenko. 

Early on in the fourth quarter, Bridgewater unleashed a deep ball to tight end Tony Collins, who shredded a few defenders on his way to a 47-yard touchdown. 


Western drove deep into the Saints' territory, but the Saints flexed their muscles on a fourth-and-2 attempt near the goal line. 

After making the stop, the Saints pieced together a near-masterpiece of a drive. Chewing up game clock and moving the chains, the Saints found themselves banging the door down in the red zone once more. 

This time, however, a few runs were stuffed and the Saints attempted a field goal. 

A bobbled snap led Jaden Harrison into a scrambling situation, where he fired a desperation heave toward the end zone. 

Just as the Saints had kept the Bulldogs scoreless on their last major threat, the Bulldogs escaped unfazed by Carroll's offense. 

"Maybe we should have gone for it," Purcell wondered afterward. "Instead of running it a couple times. You just don't know. You want to get closer. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, they scored." 

Western put together another drive late in the game, though this time the Saints looked to have ended it, forcing a run for no-gain and a pass breakdown on third down by Isazah King. 

The Bulldogs instead went for it on fourth-and-2 and found the end zone thanks to McKitrick. 

Carroll drove the ball to Western's 37-yard line, but a shot deep with three seconds left didn't find the mark.

Many wondered how the Saints would do in Year One under coach Purcell. The media and coaches around the Frontier picked the Saints to finish seventh in the conference. 


In Week One, the Saints went out and competed wire-to-wire with the No. 25 team in the NAIA.


Not a bad start to the season, eh? 


"I'm very excited about that," Purcell said. "It will be fun to play our first home game next week. Rocky is another Top 25 team. We're always going to have to come out and beat ranked teams. Let's get better tomorrow and keep looking forward." 

Ali led the offense with 16 carries for 62 yards and added three catches for 77 yards. 


Burgess led the rushing attack with 15 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown. 

Bridgewater, in his first career start, completed 20 of 45 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown. 


Jund led the game with 27-of-41 passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns. 

Western out-gained the Saints 488 yards to 473, though the Saints out-rushed the Bulldogs 181-132. Both sides played well, as neither team turned the ball over. 

"We saw a lot of positive things happen," Purcell said. "A few penalties here and there. We can't have those. But overall I thought the kids played pretty well. You have to make the play. Be at your best when your best is needed."

While the Saints look to continue improving and get back into the win column, they showed the Frontier Conference just how close they are to winning on the road on Saturday. 

Next week, the Saints get another Top 25 matchup when No. 23 Rocky Mountain College, defending Frontier Conference champion, comes to Nelson Stadium.