Montana's quiet dynasty ready for another title shot
Carroll vs. Sioux Falls on Saturday for NAIA championship
While the Montana Grizzlies football team was basking in a farewell parade on Tuesday before heading to Tennessee to fight for another national championship, the Carroll College Fighting Saints were practicing dutifully at Nelson Stadium in Helena.
While the Griz were getting ready to appear in their sixth FCS title game, the Saints were focusing on winning their sixth national NAIA title in seven years.
While the Grizzlies rode into Chattanooga, Tenn., with a 25-2 record for the past two seasons, the Saints landed in Rome, Ga., earlier this week with a 60-2 record in the previous 62 games.
For the unseen Saints, playing in the national championship this time of year is same old, same old.
Saturday at 10 a.m., Montana's other gridiron dynasty collides with the Sioux Falls Cougars (13-0) in the 53rd NAIA Football National Championship in Barron Stadium.
The top-seeded Saints (13-0) face the No. 2-seeded Cougars from South Dakota in a rematch of last year's title game, in which Carroll won 17-9 and cinched its fifth overall championship. The Saints, who haven't lost since 2006, are undefeated in title matches while the Cougars are 2-2. They won in 1996 and 2006.
The Helena-crew, who left town on Wednesday in more of a motorcade than parade, finds itself in humid Floyd County after an unorthodox journey through this year's playoffs.
After wrapping up another Frontier Conference title, Carroll beat Dickinson State 35-18 in the opening round with a freshman quarterback after losing second-string starter Jon Von Eschen prior to the game. Eschen, who had filled in for injured starter Gary Wagner early in the season, went down with a season-ending shoulder injury and the Saints looked to third-string QB Matt Ritter to save the game. Ritter finished 13-for-17 for 115 yards.
The following week, while preparing to face Northwestern Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals, the Saints earned an unusual bye after the Rangers were forced to forfeit because of players who were on the roster, but academically ineligible.
Then, on Dec. 6, the Saints faced the Lindenwood Lions in the semifinals and the game came down to the final play when the Lions gave the ball to their MVP Cody Lamb on a 2-point conversion that could win it. But the Saints' defense stuffed Lamb and sealed the victory, 38-37.
Same old, same old.
"The kids are excited and we are looking forward to the game," Carroll head coach Mike Van Diest said in a press release. "We have had only one game in the last three weeks so we are ready to go. I have been amazed at the run that Sioux Falls has done in the last three to four years. Coach (Kalen) DeBoer is a class act and has a great program."
This season, the Saints bring back a similar defensive attack from last year, led by All-American and NAIA defensive player of the year Owen Koeppen.
The 6-foot-2 senior middle linebacker has recorded 105 tackles and two interceptions this season.
The Saints offense has relied on a fleet-footed tandem in the backfield for the most part. Running backs Gabe Le and John Camino have combined for nearly 2,000 rushing yards, averaging roughly 220 per game.
On the other hand, the Cougars have the No.1-ranked defense. Sioux Falls has held opponents to only 102 yards total offense per game while notching seven shutouts this season, one away from tying the national single-season record of eight set back in 1989 by St. Mary of the Plains (Kans.)
The Cougars defense has allowed just nine touchdowns this season.
"The defensive coaches have built a coaching philosophy that everyone buys into," DeBoer said. "The coaches teach the players in detail what they need to know. I think it helps when we have a lot of team speed as well."
Ritter, a Butte native who had played receiver for the Saints this season before stepping behind center, is starting only his second game as quarterback on Saturday.
Reporter Dillon Tabish can be reached at 758-4463, or by e-mail at dtabish@dailyinterlake.com