BUTTE — A dream season came to an end Saturday for Montana Tech in a 41-26 quarterfinal playoff loss to Frontier Conference rival College of Idaho at Bob Green Field.
C of I (11-1) rushed for 356 yards, led by a 25-carry, 206-yard, four-touchdown effort by Rylie Byington as the Yotes advanced to the NAIA semifinals for the second time in the past three seasons. The game was a rematch from a Sept. 27 contest in Butte that the Orediggers won 27-24. Montana Tech finishes the year with a 12-1 record.
The Yotes took a 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 1 and 39 yards by Byington in the first quarter. But Montana Tech answered in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jarrett Wilson and a 30 scoring pass from Wilson to Nick Michelotti to go into halftime trailing 14-13.
Still, C of I pulled away in the third quarter with three touchdowns — Byington runs of 2 and 65 yards with a 5-yard run by QB Caden Young sandwiched in between. Byington's fourth and final TD put the Yotes ahead 40-13 with 26 seconds left in the third.
Nate Milanowski scored on a 3-yard rush for Montana Tech but Ryken EchoHawk answered with a 43-yard touchdown scamper after that. Wilson threw a 5-yard TD pass to Derek Pearse to cap the scoring with 4:10 remaining.
Young added 81 rushing yards on 15 carries for College of Idaho. He also completed 9 of 13 passes for 127 yards.
Wilson completed 25 of 39 for 367 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. Wilso rushed for 81 yards on 15 attempts.
Orediggers standout Levi Torgerson caught 14 passes for 202 yards. He also had 137 yards on seven kickoff returns. Torgerson was intercepted on the only pass he attempted. The Orediggers were also limited to 92 rushing yards on 25 total attempts. C of I scored 21 points off three Montana Tech turnovers.
