’Diggers miss opportunity

By Bill Foley of The Montana Standard - 10/01/2006

Carroll College defensive back Cody Zimmerman breaks up a pass intended for Montana Tech wide receiver Alex Grevas during a football game Saturday in Helena. Carroll won 16-8. AP Photo

HELENA — If there was such a thing as moral victories on the football field, the Montana Tech team bus would have been flying high on the way home from Carroll College Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately for the Orediggers, that’s not the case.

No. 7-ranked Montana Tech beat No. 1-ranked Carroll College in every major statistical category.

But the Saints won the only stat that counts — on the scoreboard — as the Orediggers misfired on a couple golden opportunities, and Tech left town on the short end of a 16-8 decision that extended Carroll’s winning streak to 26 games.

The Frontier Conference first-place showdown, a homecoming battle that was televised state-wide, was played in front of a Frontier Conference record crowd of 7,413 at Nelson Stadium.

Tech more than doubled Carroll on first downs (20-9), racked up more yards See ’Diggers, Page B6 rushing (152-114), ran for more yards (145-102) and, arguably, outhit the four-time defending NAIA national champs.

“Honest to God, on paper we beat ’em,” said Tech sophomore quarter back Justin Kegel, who had his finest day as a college player. “This is the No. 1 team in the nation and we beat ’em today. We just didn’t frickin’ put it in the end zone from the 4-yard line.” Kegel was referring to a pair of times the Orediggers drove inside the Carroll five only to come away with no points.

After a first-and-goal from the 5 early in the second quarter, Carroll held and senior Dan Kleckner missed a 21-yard field goal attempt.

Early in the fourth, the Orediggers marched to a first-and-goal at the 4.

Three plays later, sophomore linebacker Owen Koeppen blocked a 23-yard Kleckner attempt.

“We’ve got to capitalize in the red zone,” Kegel said. “We were on the 5-yard line. To come away with zero points two times in a row is unacceptable.” On the six plays inside the five, the run-first Orediggers passed five times.

“Maybe there’s a play I should have made there that didn’t happen,” Kegel said. “That’s the way that it came out.” A 40-yard punt return to the Carroll 30 by Butte sophomore safety Cole Salo put the Orediggers in scoring position.

“We tried to capitalize and thought we’d take the weakness of the defense,” Kegel said. “But it didn’t happen in the red zone.” The blocked field goal — one of a handful of big special teams plays by the Saints — gave Carroll the ball at their own 45 and set up a 43-yard Marcus Miller field goal to make it a 16-0 game. It also wasn’t the first big play by Koeppen.

The Park City High School product picked off a Kegel pass and returned it 38 yards to the Tech 2-yard line to set up Carroll’s only touchdown of the game.

Two plays later, senior Ryan Grosulak scored on a 2-yard plunge for a 10-0 lead with 1 minute, 55 seconds left in the first quarter.

Both of Carroll’s first-quarter scores were the result of a short field.

Nick Milodragovich returned a Kleckner punt 38-yards to the Tech 22 to set up a 23-yard Miller field goal.

A Milodragovich 19-yard return earlier in the quarter had the Saints in the driver’s seat right away.

But 5-foot-9 junior cornerback Kyle McCall outbattled 6-4 receiver Bryce Doak to pick of a John Barnett pass in the end zone.

Of Tech’s six first-half possessions, the Orediggers’ best starting field position was their own 22 — and that was with one minute to play in the half when they just wanted to kill the clock.

The other five possessions started at the 20, 20, 19, 16 and 17, respectively.

Carroll made it 13-0 with 1:24 left in the first half on an ugly, line-drive 27-yard field goal by Miller that barely cleared the cross bar.

The score came four plays after Barnett, the junior trying to fill the remarkably large shoes of Tyler Emmert, hit sophomore Travis Browne on a 55-yard pass over the middle to the Tech 6.

“We made some big plays,” Tech coach Bob Green said. “They hit one big pass, but we held them out of the end zone and made them kick a field goal.” Tech finally got on the board with 4:48 in the game when Kegel led the Orediggers on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a 2-yard TD run by junior Teague Egan.

Junior running back Corey Warner hauled in a Kegel pass for the 2-point conversion.

“I was very impressed with Kegel,” Carroll coach Mike Van Diest said. “He just picked us apart.” Kegel, who passed for 152 yards and completed nine straight fourth-quarter passes, hit Butte junior Casey Kelly for a 30-yard pass to the 14 to help set up the score.

“He grew up a lot today,” Van Diest said of Kegel, who also rushed for 34 yards and endured several big hits. “He’s always been good, but this might have been his coming-out party. I’m sad it had to happen against us.” Tech’s defense got the offense the ball back. But the Tech victory hopes were squashed when pressure by Koeppen and junior defensive end Phil Lenoue forced a Kegel incompletion on fourth-and-eight with 55 seconds left.

The final Tech drive started at the 5 after a punt by senior Ben Chaet, who also pinned the Orediggers to their 2 in the third quarter.

Van Diest praised the Oredigger defense after his team compiled just 218 yards (compared to Tech’s 297) in the win.

“You can’t say enough about what they did against our running game,” he said. “I’m just so impressed with their front seven and how hard they played.

“They’ve got a very good football team. Their defense is one of the best we’ve ever seen.” Grosulak ran for 70 yards on 17 attempts, and Tech surrendered just seven pass completions.

“They’ve always been good,” Van Diest said of the ’Digger defense. “But right now they’re just bigger and stronger. (junior linebacker J.J) Perino just always makes things happen. (Senior tackle) Shane Hensleigh is 300 pounds, and he’s so tough in the middle.” The Carroll defense was tough as well.

Warner and Egan ran for 56 and 55 yards, and every inch was earned.

Kelly caught 10 passes for 88 yards, while sophomore Alex Grevas hauled in five passes for 43 yards.

Butte sophomore Cal McQueary caught three passes for 22 yards.

“I’m proud of our guys,” Green said. “I’m proud of how hard they played. I’m proud of how hard we coached. I’m proud that we played all 60 minutes.” Carroll (5-0 overall, 4-0 Frontier) heads to Billings next Saturday to take on Rocky Mountain College, while Tech (3-2, 3-1) will play host to MSU-Northern.

For the record, the Tech-Carroll rematch is Nov. 4 in Butte.

You can bet the Tech fans — who are allowed to accept moral victories — already have that date circled.

“Our team is good,” Kegel said. “Do not count us out of the race. This team is a special team.” Montana Tech 0 0 0 8 — 8 Carroll College 10 3 3 0 — 16 First Quarter CC — FG Marcus Miller 23, 5:27 Drive — 7 plays, 18 yards. Key play — Nick Milodragovich 38 punt return to Tech 22.

CC — Ryan Grosulak 2 run (Miller kick), 1:55 Drive — 2 plays 2 yards. Key play — Owen Koeppen 38 interception return to Tech 2.

Second Quarter CC — FG Miller 27, 1:24 Drive — 10 plays, 78 yards. Key play Travis Browne 55 pass from John Barnett to Tech 6.

Third Quarter CC — FG Miller 43, 8:53 Drive — 4 plays, 28 yards. Key play — Grosulak 17 run.

Fourth Quarter Tech — Teague Egan 2 run (Corey Warner from Justin Kegel), 4:48 Drive — 12 plays, 80 yards. Key play — Casey Kelly 30 pass from Kegel to Carroll 14.

MT CC First downs 20 9 Rushes-yards 32-145 36-102 Comp-Att-Int 20-39-2 7-15-1 Passing yards 152 114 Total yards 297 218 Fumbles-losta 0-0 0-0 Punts-ave 5-44.8 6/38.5 Penalties-yards 4-30 6-51 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING — Tech, Corey Warner 12-56, Egan 12-55, Justin Kegel 8-34. Carroll, Grosulak 17-70, John Barnett 10-9, Jed Thomas 7-21, Travis Browne 1-4, Team 1-(-2).

PASSING — Tech, Kegel 20-39-2-152. Carroll, Barnett 7-15-1-114.

RECEIVING — Tech, Casey Kelly 10-88, Alex Grevas 5-43, Cal McQueary 3-22, Egan 1-3, Kyle Lewis 1-2. Carroll, Browne 2-68, Sean Herrin 2-19, Bryce Doak 1-12, David Whitmoyer 1-12, Thomas 1-3.

MISSED FIELD GOALS — Kleckner 21 (WR), 23 (blocked).