Defense saves day for Saints in first half

Helena Independent Record

Carroll College knew it could expect a dogfight from the University of Montana Western on Saturday.

For the second time in a row at Nelson Stadium, the No. 2 Saints needed some late magic to keep the Bulldogs at bay in their 17-10 homecoming win.

In last season's second matchup between the two, the Saints relied on a late field goal by senior Zach Thiry to win 24-21. This year, it was sophomore quarterback Dane Broadhead's 13-for-16 passing performance and two TDs - all in the second half - that lifted Carroll.

With the Saints - who averaged 485 yards of offense per game heading into Saturday - getting just 62 yards in the first half, it begs the question: "What was going on?"

"I thought their defense up front and linebackers were the best we've seen in a couple of years," Saints head coach Mike Van Diest said of Western. "Nobody's been able to run the ball right at them, and we had a tough time."

Coming off a 27-21 win over then-nationally ranked MSU-Northern last week, Western's linebackers had momentum and were stepping into the gaps left open by Carroll's offensive line. The Saints were only able to net 42 yards rushing in the first half; 107 by the end of the game.

"At times we didn't make the play up front and other times the running backs didn't make the right reads," said senior running back Gabe Le, who finished a team-high 32 yards on 10 carries.

Senior quarterback Gary Wagner, meanwhile, really struggled for the first time all season, completing just 7-of-17 passes for 20 yards and an interception before exiting the game after the first series of the second half.

"Defense, we didn't really worry about it because we handled it fine in the first half," said Saints sophomore safety Ted Morigeau, who finished the game with a defining interception. "We just had to lock down and fight through it. We knew it was going to be a defensive battle the whole game, and the offense stepped up."

Carroll's offense finished in a flurry, but the first half was a series of miscues and three-and-outs (five to be exact) as they simply survived for 30 minutes.

By halftime, the Saints had just three first downs to Western's six, 62 total offensive yards to 136 by the Bulldogs, and 232 yards punting to the opposition's 293 (both off six kicks).

The one saving grace? More big plays by the defense, including one that resulted in Connor Janhunen's 41-yard field goal.

On Western's first drive, Carroll senior linebacker Shane Van Diest wrapped up Bulldog running back Jordan Clary, who was stripped of the ball on the way down. Saints senior free safety Cody Lamb leapt on it at the Western 30-yard line for the recovery.

Carroll was able to get a single first down on a 10-yard run by Le, but four plays later settled for the field goal.

Western played much of the rest of the half in Carroll's end, thanks in part to Wagner's interception and sophomore Matt Ritter's fumble on a punt return.

When sophomore quarterback Micah Mamiya connected with Deryk Van Zee on a diving pass with just over three minutes left in the first quarter, the Bulldogs were less than a foot from the end zone.

But on second-and-inches, the Saints defensive line held on a run by Charlie Dotson. The next play, the same thing.

Western made the ensuing field goal, but head coach Rich Ferris looked back after the game and saw the stop as a defining moment.

"Obviously we wanted to win and we're disappointed we didn't," he said. "We were second and six inches and didn't get in."