’Diggers need overtime to top Western

By Bill Foley of The Montana Standard - 10/29/2006

Montana Tech running back Teague Egan picks up a couple yards while trying to avoid Western's Adam Ridgeway in Tech’s 20-27 overtime win against Western. Photo by Wally Feldt for The Montana Standard

DILLON — How many times can the Orediggers save their season?

Alex Grevas hauled in a 7-yard pass from Justin Kegel in overtime Saturday afternoon as Montana Tech pulled out a heart-stopping 30-27 victory over the University of Montana-Western at Vigilante Field.

“That was our fifth fourth-quarter win and we’ve only got six victories,” Kegel said of the dramatic fashion that has become an Oredigger trademark. “It was giving our fans, giving our coaches, giving our team ulcers.” The Orediggers (6-3 overall, 6-2 Frontier Conference) kept their playoff hopes alive with the victory, Tech’s fifth straight over Western. The Bulldogs (0-8, 0-8) fell an eyelash shy of what they acted like would have been a season-making win.

“Our guys just refused to lose,” said Tech coach Bob Green, whose voice was nearly gone See ’DIGGERS, Page B6 from all the excitement. “They kept making plays.” The game was chock full of heroes on both sides.

The sophomore connection of Kegel-to-Grevas hooked up five times for 96 yards and two touchdowns. They also connected for what turned out to be a huge 2-point conversion.

Kegel completed 20 of 35 passes for 227 yards — all career highs.

Junior receiver Casey Kelly, a former Butte Central Maroon, hauled in 12 passes for 112 yards — both career highs.

Kegel, Teague Egan and Corey Warner all had solid days on the ground as the Orediggers rushed for 254 yards on 52 carries.

J.J. Perino recorded three of the Orediggers’ seven sacks, but Western senior quarterback Travis Blome kept getting up.

Senior Jared Koskela and junior Kyle Carter were both in on two sacks, and junior safety Josh Kling, a former Maroon, picked off a pass.

Blome passed for 378 yards and three fourth-quarter touchdown passes — including an 84-yard prayer to junior Omar Rodriguez to tie the score as time ran out.

Western senior Jake Larson, a former Butte High Bulldog playing his final game against his hometown college, caught nine passes for 142 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Bulldogs overcame a 13-point deficit to take a 17-16 lead with 2 minutes, 39 seconds left in regulation.

But the Orediggers were the last ones standing on a day when a just world wouldn’t have let either team come out on a losing end.

Larson caught a 37-yard pass from Blome to cut the Tech lead to 16-10 with 11:36 left in the fourth quarter.

His next TD reception was a 15-yard strike that Larson bobbled momentarily before coming down with what looked like the game-winning score.

The touchdown came one play after Larson caught a 14-yard pass on fourth-and-9. The Bulldogs also converted three third downs on the 70-yard scoring drive.

“We got to (Blome) a lot, but they were throwing it quick,” said Perino, a junior from Helena who ran his league-leading sack total to 14. “They picked up our game plan and used it against us. They knew we were going to come after Blome, so they got rid of it quick with short routes.” Kegel, appearing calm, cool and collected, responded by leading the Orediggers on what also appeared to be a game-winning drive.

Tech marched 76 yards on the 14-play drive n which included overcoming a third-and-20 predicament and a fourth-down-and-inches conversion.

Egan, a junior who picked up 103 hard-earned yards on 22 carries, gave the Orediggers the lead with 12.2 seconds on a 12-yard run.

“We ran it in,” said Kegel, who praised the play of the Oredigger offensive line. “On a two-minute drive we ran it in. They (the linemen) are busting their (butts) and doing what they need to do.” The over-excited Orediggers were flagged for excessive celebration, a 15-yard penalty on the point-after attempt.

Grevas leaped to pull down a pass from Kegel on the conversion to make it a 24-17 lead. It was a conversion that didn’t seem like a whole lot at the time, but it turned out to be a game-saver.

Western got off two plays after Tech’s Dan Kleckner booted the kickoff out of the end zone.

The first one was a sack by Perino and a 4-yard loss.

The second play was a Hail-Mary attempt that an Oredigger defender got a hand on over the middle of the field.

But Rodriguez — in true immaculate reception form — picked the ball out of the air, cut left, ran down the left sideline and dove into the end zone for the 84-yard score.

“They teach you to knock it down, catch it and fall on it or let the guy catch it and tackle him,” Perino said. “They set up for it, but you can only do so much about luck.

“I felt like my heart got ripped out and stomped on. That was horrifying.” Green said his team practices that play all the time.

“We were in the right defense, our guys just tipped it,” Green said. “But you can’t tip it up ’cause it might go to one of their guys. You’ve got to knock it down or intercept it.” Sophomore kicker Brad Hollen booted the equivalent of a 35-yard field goal n Western, too, was flagged for excessive celebration n to tie the game.

The Orediggers won the overtime toss and elected to put their defense on the field. Western decided to go to the east end zone, where it had the wind mostly at its back.

In college overtime, each team gets one possession from 25 yards out.

“The theory is there is that you know what you’ve got to do,” Green said of the defense-first approach in overtime.

The Orediggers knew what they needed to do because the defense forced the issue early.

The Bulldogs gained just two yards on three plays, and Hollen booted a 42-yard field goal to make it 27-24 Western.

Tech moved the ball to the 7-yard line on a 7-yard pass to Kelly and three runs by Egan.

Then Kegel found Grevas over the middle for the game-winner.

“Justin made some good decisions,” Green said. “What a great decision he made on that goal line on that pass.” Tech opened the game strong, and looked to put the Bulldogs away early.

But Western rose to the occasion several times to keep the game within striking distance.

“We are a hell of a team, but I don’t know why our offense only scores when we need to,” Kegel said. “We drive, we drive, we drive and we stall it seems like on the 25- or 30-yard line.” Green credited the Bulldogs for not allowing Tech to run away early.

“Congratulate coach Lee and his staff,” Green said. “For an 0-7 team, they played their skillets off. That’s says a lot about coach Lee, and it says a lot about their guys.” Tech struck first when Kegel hooked up with Grevas for a 21-yard score. The extra-point attempt was blocked.

The drive was set up by a couple of tough runs by Kegel, who looked more like a fullback than a quarterback while rushing for 47 of his 74 yards in the first half.

“Sometimes I probably try to fight for more than I should,” Kegel said. “I should go down. I have that running back mentality sometimes, and I try to fight for every yard.” Tech made it 9-0 on a 28-yard Kleckner kick before the Bulldogs cut the lead to 9-3 before halftime with a 23-yard Hollen boot.

The Orediggers made it 16-3 with 5:42 left in the third quarter when Warner, who ran for 77 yards on 18 carries, scored on a 24-yard scamper.

The outcome looked like it was decided. But the game, which will long be remembered by every soul at Vigilante Field, was still far from over.

The Bulldogs close out their home schedule next Saturday against Rocky Mountain College.

The Orediggers will try to save their season once again when they take on four-time defending NAIA national champion Carroll College at Alumni Coliseum.

Tech 6 3 7 8 6 n 30 Western 0 3 0 21 3 n 27 First Quarter Tech n Alex Grevas 21 pass from Justin Kegel (kick blocked), 8:05 Second Quarter Tech n FG Dan Kleckner 28, 13:13 Western n FG Brad Hollen 23, 9:45 Third Quarter Tech n Corey Warner 24 run (Kleckner kick), 5:42 Fourth Quarter Western n Jake Larson 37 pass from Travis Blome (Hollen kick), 11:36 Western n Larson 15 pass from Blome (Hollen kick), 2:39 Tech n Teague Egan 12 run (Grevas from Kegel), 0:12.2 Western n Omar Rodriguez 84 pass from Blome (Hollen kick), 0:00 Overtime Western n FG Hollen 42 Tech n Grevas 7 pass from Kegel (no PAT attempt) Tech Western First downs 23 21 Rushes-yards 52-254 23-52 Comp-Att-Int 20-35-0 32-54-1 Passing yards 227 378 Total yards 481 430 Punts-Ave 2-34.0 3-41.3 Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-2 Penalties-yards 8-65 4-45 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING n Tech, Egan 22-103, Warner 18-77, Kegel 12-74. Western, Derrick Pluff 12-52, Blome 11-0.

PASSING n Tech, Kegel 20-35-0-227. Western, Blome 32-54-1-378.

RECEIVING n Tech, Casey Kelly 12-112, Grevas 5-96, Warner 2-12, Cal McQueary 1-7. Western, Larson 9-142, Rodriguez 8-129, Travis Hartman 5-37, Pluff 3-12, Kahal Sevilla 2-13, Kaleo Igarta 2-5, Craigh Cornelius 2-37, Jeff Schultz 1-3.