HELENA, Mont. – The Carroll College Football team picked up another win on Saturday, taking down Southern Oregon 26-14 at Nelson Stadium.
 
Homecoming crowds always hit different, and today was no exception at Carroll College. The Fighting Saints (3-1) secured a 26-14 Victory over SOU (1-3) in front of over 4000 Carroll faithful.
 
The Saints defense set the tone early on in the contest. Just three plays into the opening SOU drive, Tug Smith (Newport, Wash. / R-JR) forced a fumble that Jacob Resch (Billings, Mont. / R-JR) was able to pounce on. The Carroll fumble recovery eventually led to a 20-yard Spencer Berger (Billings, Mont. / FR) field goal to put the Saints on top 3-0.
 
Neither team was able to establish much of a rhythm in the first quarter. Carroll Quarterback Jack Prka (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. / SO) managed to lead a drive deep into SOU territory before a pass deflected at the line would lead to a Raider interception, Carroll's fourth pick thrown in the last two games. The Carroll defense would stand pat however, and SOU was unable to do anything with the change of direction.
 
On the first drive of the second quarter, Cormac Benn (Bigfork, Mont. / R-FR) took over, with chunk plays of 12 and 17 yards eventually leading to a one-yard rushing touchdown, the first of his collegiate career to put the Saints on top 10-0.
 
Spencer Berger would add one additional field goal midway through the second quarter, and the Saints would bring a 13-0 lead into halftime.
 
One area of focus for the Saints leading into the game was winning the turnover battle. Carroll did just that in the first half on Sunday, securing three separate fumble recoveries in the frame.
 
Southern Oregon would strike first in the second half. After taking over in plus-territory, Running Back Gunner Yates would snap off a 29-yard touchdown run to put the Raiders on the board 13-7.
 
Not to be outdone, Carroll's Jack Prka engineered a response drive, ultimately ending in a Prka scamper across the goal line for his second rushing touchdown of the year late in the third to put the Saints ahead 20-7.
 
SOU would sustain a long drive to begin the fourth, getting all the way to the Carroll one-yard line, before an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty backed them up 15 yards. The Raiders would attempt a 33-yard field goal that would sail wide left, keeping the score at 20-7.
 
SOU put together a long scoring drive midway through the fourth, with Blake Asciutto connecting with Bryce Goggin on a nine-yard touchdown pass to pull the Raiders within one score, 20-14.
 
The Carroll offense would respond. On a fourth-and-one from the SOU 41-yard line, Baxter Tuggle (Laramie, Wyo. / R-JR) would put the game on ice, bursting through the line and rumbling 41 yards for a Saints touchdown to put Carroll on top for good, 26-14.
 
Jack Prka finished the game at 18-25 for 137 yards passing, and one rushing touchdown. Duncan Kraft led the rushing attack with 92 yards on 13 attempts, with Baxter Tuggle finishing the day with 72 yards on 9 attempts.
 
Southern Oregon was led by Blake Asciutto, who went 22-44 for 263 yards and one touchdown passing on the afternoon.
 
Carroll will turn its attention towards preparing for a showdown with No. 11 College of Idaho (4-0), who beat Eastern Oregon 41-0 today. The Saints will host the Yotes next Saturday at 1 p.m. inside Nelson Stadium as they look to bounce back into the top spot in the Frontier Conference standings.
 
Visit www.carrollathletics.com later this week for a preview of that matchup.