Saints' Regan makes most of return to field

October 18, 2009

By JEFF WINDMUELLER Independent Record

Pat Regan made his return to Nelson Stadium something special.

The Carroll College junior cornerback missed most of the last two weeks with injuries, playing just one quarter against Eastern Oregon on Oct. 3 before sitting out last week's match with MSU-Northern.

"I've been kind of banged up," Regan said. "They wanted to give me some time off to try to get better and I did."

On Saturday, during Carroll's 23-3 romp over rival Montana Tech, Regan proved he hadn't lost his touch.

After the Orediggers drove 63 yards in the fourth quarter to the Saints' 15-yard line, Regan put pretty much any chance of a Tech win away when he snatched a Matt Komac pass to the back corner of the end zone intended for Leif Knatterud.

"They kind of have a tendency to run that route in the end zone," Regan said. "I thought they would either run the fade or that little slant-and-go which they threw.

"The guy was about 3 inches taller than I am. He ran it, I guessed right and the ball came into me. I tried to be a receiver for about 20 seconds."

It was a terrible reminder for Komac of the last time the two teams met in Butte on Sept. 12 when Regan returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.

From the beginning, the Saints' corner felt the day would be a good one.

"It was kind of an undescribable feeling (stepping onto the field)," he said. "When I ran out there and those stands were packed it was a pretty sweet feeling and I really missed it."

In his absence, sophomores Andrew Lopez and Justin Smith have been holding down the corner position and performing admirably.

But with their experienced starter back, the Saints defense had a boost it would need against the 'Diggers short passing game. Komac was on target, completing 30-of-48 passes for 235 yards, and Tech's best wide receiver, junior J.T. McIntyre, returned to the field for the first time since dislocating an elbow four weekends ago.

"With Lopez and Smith, it gave them some great repetitions and great experience while he was out, but we need (Regan) and Mike (Waldenberg) in there," said Saints head coach Mike Van Diest. "When it comes down to it those two guys are pretty good, and today we didn't have any balls thrown over our heads."

The two corners not only kept wide receivers out of the end zone but Waldenberg also picked up his third field goal block of the year.

"That's our goal, to not let the offense score. We've been successful the last two weeks," said Regan, whose squad blanked Northern 32-0. "Tech had two or three drives and got into our territory but we just had to buckle down."

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or

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