HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Football team improved their unbeaten start to the 2023 season on Saturday, earning a 35-20 win over Arizona Christian in front of a raucous crowd at Nelson Stadium in Helena.

The Fighting Saints (4-0) found a way to overcome both internal miscues and the Firestorm (2-2), 35-20, in a late-Saturday afternoon showdown in Helena.

FINISH

A word that is preached consistently around Carroll College, finish is exactly what the Saints did in their win on Saturday.

The game started with an explosive first play from scrimmage, with Jack Prka (Couer d'Alene, Idaho / JR) connecting with Camron Rothie (Hamilton, Mont. / R-SR) on a chunk play, before a fumble on an attempt at extra yards would turn the ball over to the Firestorm.

Arizona Christian would embark on a 17-play, 71-yard drive that took up the majority of the first quarter, ultimately resulting in a Firestorm field goal, with ACU taking a 3-0 lead.

Carroll would respond on the ensuing possession. After a terrific kick return from Jaden Harrison (St. George, Utah / R-SR), Duncan Kraft (Billings, Mont. / R-JR) would burst through the ACU defenders forb a 24-yard touchdown run that capped a 43-yard scoring drive for the Saints. Carroll would take a 7-3 lead with 2:51 remaining in the first.

Jalen Davenport, a running back for Arizona Christian, would score from one-yard out on the first play of the second quarter, and the Firestorm would regain the lead at 10-7.

After a punt by the Saints, Ben Held (Great Falls, Mont. / R-JR) would force a fumble on an ACU completion. Gunner Guilio (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / R-FR) would hop on the ball and Carroll would regain possession at midfield.

Kraft would once again find paydirt for the Saints, with his eight-yard touchdown rush putting a bow on a three-play drive to give Carroll a 14-10 lead, and one that they would not relinquish.

After forcing a three-and-out, Carroll would extend their first-half lead. On third-and-ten from the ACU 13-yard line, Prka found Ryan Rickman (Salem, Ore. / R-JR) in the back of the end zone to extend the Saints' lead to 21-10 heading into the halftime break.

Coming out of the break, Arizona Christian would receive the kick and storm down the field on an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with Tyler Duncan connecting with Dion Gilbert on a bobbled, batted ball at the goal line to narrow the gap to 21-17.

Later in the third, Abiel Lepe would knock down a field goal from 23-yards out to cut the deficit even further, 21-20 Carroll with just three minutes remaining in the quarter.

Max Lehman (Meridian, Idaho / R-SO) would take over on the next Carroll drive. Lehman rumbled for 32 yards on a 13-play 75-yard drive which ended with the "third-string" running back piling into the end zone to extend the Carroll lead to 28-21.

On the ensuing ACU drive, Ben Melhaff (Eugene, Ore. / R-JR) would provide an essential game-sealing pick-six, securing a Duncan pass attempt at the 35 and racing nearly untouched to the end zone to give Carroll the 35-20 lead, where the game would ultimately finish.

The Carroll offense was not as flashy as prior weeks, finishing with just 251 total yards in the win, but the Carroll staff will not be disappointed in the final outcome.

Prka finished 12-22 for 149 yards and one passing touchdown.

Duncan Kraft led all players with 97 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the afternoon, followed by Lehman's 37 yards and one score.

Arizona Christian QB Tyler Duncan attempted 51 passes on the day, completing 31 for 247 yards, one touchdown and one costly interception.

Jacob Resch (Billings, Mont. / R-SR) and Elijah Larson (Sandpoint, Idaho / R-SO) each finished with nine tackles to lead the Saints.

Chris Akulschin (Gig Harbor, Wash. / R-SO) had a "slow" day, finishing with 71 yards on four receptions.

Up next for the Saints is a trip to the hi-line for a battle with MSU-Northern next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Havre.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of that game, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.