Griz special again in win over Vikings
Montana safety Robby Hauck (17) returns a missed field goal by Portland State 99 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana punter Patrick Rohrbach (41) boots a 55-yard punt in the third quarter against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana defenders Trajon Cotton (3) and Marcus Welnel (37) stop Portland State running back JoJo Siofele (25) on a run in the first quarter at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana wide receiver Mitch Roberts (80) catches a 4-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Lucas Johnson in the second quarter against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana quarterback Lucas Johnson (7) throws in the third quarter against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana cornerback Justin Ford (6) celebrates after a first-quarter tackle against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana punt returner Junior Bergen (5) returns a punt 72 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana wide receiver Mitch Roberts (80) is hoisted into the air by offensive lineman Hunter Mayginnes (61) after a 4-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Lucas Johnson in the second quarter against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The student section cheers on the Grizzlies as they play Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana running back Xavier Harris (13) runs through a hole in the fourth quarter against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Montana quarterback Lucas Johnson (7) celebrates after an 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Portland State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
MISSOULA — The tackle that gave Robby Hauck the career record for the Montana Grizzlies was applauded loudly Saturday from 26,087 fans at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
You should have seen what he did next.
Hauck’s 99-yard return of a missed field goal ended a dizzying Montana surge to close the first half. His first touchdown as a Griz sent his team to the locker room with a comfortable 39-14 lead, and ushered many a fan out to the tailgates a little extra hyped-up.
The final was 53-16; there were more highlights. Nothing like this.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever scored in college,” said Hauck, a senior safety who early in the second quarter got his record 398th tackle at UM. “Last year I was pretty close. I don’t know if it’ll ever happen again. But I’ll remember that one.”
It basically sealed the outcome of the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams. Portland State (0-3 overall, 0-1 in league) started well enough, recovering a perfectly pooched opening kickoff, then cashing it in for an 8-yard scoring run.
Montana (4-0, 1-0) scored the next 17 points, including a scintillating 72-yard punt return by Junior Bergen.
But with 5 minutes, 19 seconds left in the first half, the Vikings closed to 17-14 on Dante Chachere’s 13-yard slant pass to Beau Kelly. That capped a 75-yard drive in which running back Jalynee McGee took a huge hit on an option pass, and the ball still found Emmanuel Daigbe for a 28-yard gain.
From the Vikings’ viewpoint, the next 5:19 went poorly. The Grizzlies answered with a one-play scoring drive — Xavier Harris tore off a 64 run — then a safety and then a 65-yard scoring drive.
Then it got ridiculous: The Vikings, seeking any kind of momentum, lined up for a 50-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in the half.
Whistled for a false start, they lined up again, meaning Gianni Smith was trying a 55-yarder. At that point Hauck ran back to the end zone.
When Smith’s kick fell short, Hauck bobbled it, recovered and took it up the Griz sideline.
“We had a different call before the five-yarder,” UM coach Bobby Hauck allowed.
“It’s something we practice every Friday,” said his son. “Never ran it before and did so today, and were able to execute it. Everybody blocked their tails off and it was pretty cool to get in the end zone.”
“They beat us in all three phases,” Vikings coach Bruce Barnum said. “Caused by them. When you come in and play a team like that you have to play mistake free and get a couple breaks. And we didn’t. We didn’t play that way.”
Special teams were big all game. Aside from Hauck and Bergen’s TDs — Bergen made three cuts, and his one to get around a tackler at the PSU 35 was SEC-worthy — Portland State muffed a fair catch on the kickoff after Harris’ score.
The Vikings had to start from their own 2, and Chachere was swarmed under for a safety on the next snap.
Montana’s Patrick Rohrbach had a punt snap slip through his hands for a safety in the third quarter, but on his next try boomed a 55-yarder that pinned the Vikings deep. That, along with a 61-yard punt return by Keelan White, set up Johnson’s 11-yard TD pass to Aaron Fontes at 14:20 of the first quarter.
Johnson had an 11-yard scoring run in the first quarter, and hit Mitch Roberts on a slant-corner for 4 yards and a TD in the second. Marcus Knight added a short scoring run in the fourth.
Marcus Welnel had 2.5 sacks and seven tackles to lead the Griz defense. Patrick O’Connell, who shared a sack with Welnel, also had seven tackles.
So did the younger Hauck, giving him 402 for his career. Dante Olson (397 from 2016-19) is now second. Libby legend Vince Huntsberger is next at 393 (1998-2001).
“When you look at the top 10 in school history it’s kind of a who’s-who of Grizzly defense,” Bobby Hauck said of his son. “Good on him for getting it. He’s a guy that makes a lot of plays for us.”
