BUTTE — Montana Tech sophomore quarterback Jarrett Wilson put his versatility — something that was touted when he was tabbed as the Orediggers starting quarterback in fall camp — on full display Saturday at Bob Green Field.
The Polson product totaled five touchdowns — three passing, one rushing and one receiving off a trick play — to help propel No. 5 Tech to a 49-21 rout of Dakota State in the Frontier East opener for both teams.
The Orediggers, heading into this game with their best start to a season in program history at 5-0, won their conference opener in commanding fashion as they bolted to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and piled up 555 yards of total offense.
They're now 6-0 overall, 1-0 in East division play and have yet to trail an opponent at any point this season. The Trojans fell to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Frontier.
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Receiver Levi Torgerson also had another stellar game as he piled up 185 receiving yards and one touchdown pass, a 62-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Wilson with 6:51 left in the first quarter to give the Orediggers a 7-0 lead.
Tech then scored again with 3:40 left in the first as running back Nate Milanowski scored on a 75-yard burst down the right sideline. On Dakota State's next possession, Payton Gonser came down with an interception to setup the Orediggers' final score of the first quarter — a 65-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Wilson to Nick Michelotti.
Dakota State cut Tech's lead to 21-7 with 14:35 remaining in the second quarter off a direct snap goal-line plunge from defensive end Kacey Cauley before Tech scored again with 5:13 left off a reverse jet sweep in which Torgerson tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Wilson.
Wilson added a 7-yard touchdown run with 11:01 left in the third quarter to expand Tech's lead to 35-7 before the Trojans reeled off 14 unanswered points to make it a 35-21 game. The Orediggers then scored two unanswered scores off a 6-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Wykece Johnson with 5:09 remaining in the fourth quarter and a 9-yard Christian Vetter rushing score just ouside of the 2-minute warning.
Tech will travel to MSU-Northern next week while Dakota State will travel to Dickinson State.
