ASHLAND, Ore. - Trailing by one with 56 seconds remaining in the game, the No. 8-ranked Carroll Football team made one of the gutsiest calls in program history, and were rewarded with a two-point conversion that helped complete one of the most thrilling comeback wins you'll ever see - edging out Southern Oregon 41-40 at Raider Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The 20-game all-time series between the Fighting Saints (7-1, 4-0) and Raiders (3-6, 2-3) has provided some of the most memorable - or forgettable - games in the 111-year history of the Carroll program. 14 of the 20 meetings have been decided by one score or less - with three of the games decided by just one point. 

2021 - The Raiders storm back, scoring with 37 seconds remaining to steal a win in Ashland
2019 - The Raiders score with 44 seconds remaining to steal a win in Ashland
2015 - A two-point attempt in overtime is deflected, as the Raiders hold on for a one-point win in Helena

Saturday, for the first time, Carroll was the team who walked away with the one-point win.

In one of the wildest two-minute stretches of Football one could imagine, Carroll wide receiver Gavin Vandenacre (Townsend, Mont. / R-JR) came up with two of the most important catches of the season to help keep Carroll's unbeaten streak alive in Frontier-West play.

The Townsend product hauled in a four-yard touchdown pass with 1:55 remaining to pull Carroll within one at 33-34. However, a blocked PAT attempt following the score would start the madness of the final two minutes.

Down by one, and with all three timeouts remaining, Carroll elected to try an onside kick. The ball took one promising hop before SOU's Trevor Jaasko snatched it out of the sky. Instead of going down, Jaasko took off for the endzone - taking the onside attempt 46 yards to the house to put SOU in front 40-33 with 1:48 remaining. 

In a shocking turn of events, the Raiders' kicker would miss the ensuing PAT - giving Carroll new life, trailing by seven.

Six plays later, quarterback Kaden Huot (Helena, Mont. / JR) connected with Carson Ochoa (Yorba Linda, Calif. / R-SR) on a 14-yard strike over the middle for the All-American's fourth receiving touchdown of the game.

Following several special teams miscues by both teams, the Saints made the gutsy call - going for two points and the win right then and there.

One year removed from a devastating season-ending leg injury against the Raiders last year in Helena, Vandenacre pulled in the biggest catch of his Carroll career. 

As Huot rolled left of the pocket trying to find a receiver, Vandenacre slipped behind the Raider defense and worked his way to open space. A wobbly ball managed to float over several SOU defenders, hanging in the air for what felt like a lifetime before Vandenacre secured it to give Carroll the unlikeliest of leads at 41-40.

A Carroll defense that entered the game allowing only 13.7 points per game, but had allowed 40 on the afternoon stood tall on the game's final drive shutting down the Raiders' last chance at points with a fourth down stop near midfield to lock up the win.
 

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What started out looking like a convincing win for the Frontier-West-leading Saints, quickly turned into an absolute scrum - one the Saints will remember for years to come.

The Saints raced out to a 20-3 lead in the game's opening frame, with Carson Ochoa (Yorba Linda, Calif. / R-SR) hauling in a pair of touchdown passes from Kaden Huot (Helena, Mont. / JR) and Peter Minnaert (Boise, Idaho / SO) adding one more on the ground.

Carroll took a 27-13 lead into the half, as Ochoa hauled in touchdown pass No. 3 of the day - a 12-yarder from Huot to wrap up a dominant first half effort with just over a minute remaining in quarter two.

The third quarter, and much of the fourth quarter, belonged solely to Southern Oregon. The Raiders scored 21 unanswered points over the first 28 minutes of the second half, thanks in large part to the efforts of quarterback Dom Martiel, who finished his afternoon 32-52 for 308 yards passing with 2 TD's, and one receiving touchdown of his own. 

All said and done, Ochoa had one of the best receiving days in Carroll history - and potentially the biggest game by a tight end in program history. No. 82 was phenomenal, pulling in seven catches for a team-high 108 yards, and four scores - tying the Carroll College single game school record (Scott Davis - '82, Kevin McCutcheon - '04, Shane Sipes - '18).

While Kaden Huot's run of 300-yard passing games came to a close, the Junior was still a key component to the Carroll victory. Huot finished the day 18-31 for 269 yards and five touchdowns. He's now No. 5 in the NAIA with 27 TD passes on the season, just three shy of becoming the second player in Carroll history to throw for 30 or more TD's in a season (Tyler Emmert - twice).

The ground game was much more effective than it has been in recent weeks, as Peter Minnaert finished his day with 95 rushing yards and one score on 16 attempts. 

Overshadowed by Ochoa's historic day and Vandenacre's clutch late-game catches, both Chris Akulschin (Gig Harbor, Wash. / R-SR) and Lincoln Holmes (St. George, Utah / R-SO) finished with 70-plus receiving yards (Holmes - 75, Akulschin - 70).

After a quiet game against Simpson where he was forced to sit out the first half from a targeting call, safety Braeden Orladni was back to his usual self. The All-American candidate led all players, finishing with 16 tackles (10 solo, six assisted) - nine more than any other player on the field.

Eli Aby (Laurel, Mont. / R-SR) had a strong afternoon as well, tallying seven tackles and a sack, while Daxon Graham (Dillon, Mont. / R-SR) pulled down his first pick of the season.

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The significance of the win can't be overstated, as it keeps the No. 8-ranked Saints at the top of the Frontier Conference - West and right in the hunt for a return to the NAIA Football Championship Series.

The win sets up a huge Top-15 battle next weekend at Nelson Stadium, as the Saints host fellow Frontier-unbeaten No. 15 College of Idaho in what will likely be a de-facto Conference Championship.

Tickets for the 12 p.m. kickoff are available online HERE.