HELENA, Mont.- There will be several reasons to remember the 129^and meeting between the Orediggers of Montana Tech and the Saints of Carroll College. Those reasons will be very different depending on your perspective.

If you are a Saints fan, you will remember this match as the first game on the new grass at Nelson Stadium and as the first night game played on the field.

If you are an Oredigger, the 30-22 victory will be celebrated as the second straight win in Helena. It will be remembered as a game where all three facets of the team had a huge impact (offense, defense, and special teams)

Oredigger’s defense made the first impression and was once again the reigning NAIA Defensive Player of the Week Jadyn Downsas he intercepted a pass from Jack Prka and returned it 52 yards deep in Carroll territory before being taken to the ground. Freshman Oredigger Dylan Wortel scored a 32-yard field goal through the uprights three plays later and the Orediggers took a 3-0 lead, a lead they would never relinquish.

The Digger D would make another monstrous play on the next series, causing a fumble and then recovering it at Carroll’s 32-yard line. It would take the Orediggers seven plays to cover those 32 yards, ending with a seven-yard touchdown throw by Blake Thelen Unpleasant Landers Smithgiving the Orediggers a 10-0 lead after they achieved the PAT.

Carroll replied.

Led by quarterback Jack Prka, the Saints covered 80 yards in eight plays and scored seven points, trailing the Orediggers 10-7 in the first quarter.

The momentum the Saints had built from that score would quickly be destroyed, as Levi Torgerson was followed in step by Blake Thelenand he would go 67 yards for the Touchdown. After a missed Pat, the Orediggers would end the first quarter with a 16-7 lead.

The second quarter would see the third facet of the team emerge: the special teams.

On fourth-and-1 from the Carroll 22-yard line, Montana Tech’s Trae Vasquez would block a punt attempt, and the Diggs would take over at the Saints 1-yard line. One play later senior quarterback Blake Thelen would make its way over the goal line, and the Diggs would go up 23-7. That score would stand until halftime.

The lone score of the third quarter went to the Orediggers. After a nine-play, 62-yard drive, Logan Kennedy would haul in a four-yard pass to put the Orediggers up 30-7. Even more impressive, and more important to that drive, the Diggs ate up 6:18 of the third quarter.

The Saints opened the fourth quarter with a nine-play, 90-yard drive that cut the Orediggers’ lead to 16 points.

With 4:41 left, the Saints took advantage of an interception and quickly converted it into points, cutting the lead to eight points after a two-point conversion.

The Orediggers would feed the Saints defense a steady diet of Landers Smithburning the clock and moving the chains until the Saints stopped them at Carroll’s 43-yard line. On fourth-and-5, the punt squad rolled upfield after a Saints timeout. Carroll tried to get the ball back with just over a minute left and no timeouts remaining.

The Orediggers coaching staff and the All-American punter Andrew Almos had a different plan. The Orediggers would call a fake punt, and Almos would deliver a 27-yard pass that would move the chains, effectively ending the game (as Carroll was out of timeouts)

After setting a personal-best 201 yards rushing against Georgetown (Ky.) a week ago, Landers Smith gained 117 yards on 30 carries for the Orediggers. Blake Thelen completed 10 of 23 for 148 yards and three touchdowns. Thelen hit six different receivers on the night, Wyatt Alexander led the way with four catches for 35 yards, Kyle Torgerson three for 35 taken, and younger brother Levi Torgerson hauled in one monster for 67 yards and six points.

Oredigger’s defense had three more sacks this week and Jaydn Downs made his fourth interception of the year.

For Carroll College, quarterback Jack Prka completed 17 of his 26 pass attempts for 154 yards. He threw one interception and was sacked three times. He also ran the ball well, collecting 70 yards on 13 carries. Running back Xzavier Ford carried the ball 21 times for the Saints for 151 yards and broke the plane of the end zone once.

The Orediggs (2-0) have a week off before traveling to LeGrande, Ore., to take on Eastern Oregon on Sept. 21. The Saints play at home next week when they host Rocky Mountain College.