CALDWELL, Idaho — No. 12 Carroll pulled within one possession of No. 2 College of Idaho three times in the second half Saturday, but the Yotes held off the Fighting Saints to win 49-41 and capture the Frontier Conference's West division title.
With the win, C of I improved to 9-0 overall and to 5-0 in the division. Carroll is now 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the West.
Every time Carroll scored in the second half, the Yotes had an answer.
After Kaden Huot threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Triplett in the third to bring the Saints within 28-21, C of I's Caden Young broke off a 73-yard TD run. After Huot hit Treyton Graham for a 52-yard score early in the fourth, Young answered with a TD pass of his own.
And when Huot connected with Ty Wilkinson for a 29-yard TD — the extra-point kick was blocked — Rylie Byington answered with a 4-yard scoring run to put C of I ahead 49-34.
Huot again hit Wilkinson with a touchdown pass with 2:06 remaining to pull within 49-41, but the Yotes were able to ice the game after that.
Huot threw for 304 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. He also led Carroll with 28 yards rushing. Wilkinson caught 10 passes for 118 yards.
Young was a major factor for C of I. He finished with 292 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and also had 155 yards passing with three TDs through the air. Byington also added 70 rushing yards as the Yotes piled up 398 yards on the ground.
Carroll will close the regular season next week on the road at Eastern Oregon. College of Idaho is also on the road at Southern Oregon.
