Aggies rally past Griz

Grizzlies wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) looks for running room with UC Davis defensive back Kavir Bains (23) in pursuit in the second quarter at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat (8) breaks a tackle on an 18-yard run to the goal line in the third quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies quarterback Logan Fife (12) throws a pass to wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) in the second quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies linebacker Riley Wilson (42) celebrates after a sack in the third quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies head coach Bobby Hauck reacts on the sideline after a touchdown call after an 18-yard run by quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat was reversed in the third quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Fans in the student section offer a referee their sunglasses after a touchdown call on a run by Grizzlies quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat (8) was reversed in the third quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) makes a reception along the sideline in the fourth quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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UC Davis defensive back Rex Connors (4) intercepts a pass intended for Grizzlies wide receiver Keelan White (6) in the second quarter at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Grizzlies wide receiver Keelan White (6) holds on to a reception in the fourth quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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by FRITZ NEIGHBOR
Daily Inter Lake | November 10, 2024 3:50 AM

MISSOULA — UC Davis shook off a slow start with a fine finish Saturday, scoring the final 17 points of their Big Sky Conference showdown with Montana to beat the Grizzlies 30-14.

Miles Hastings threw three touchdown passes, two coming after Keali’i Ah Yat’s tumbling, 2-yard scoring run put the No. 7 Grizzlies up 14-13 at 6:51 of the third quarter.

Despite that play — Ah Yat set up his TD with a 17-yard scramble — the No. 4-ranked Aggies’ victory was pretty complete. They held Montana to 77 rushing yards on 27 carries, while piling up 130 — 97 from stud running back Lan Larison, on 24 carries.

Hastings was 28 of 38 passing for 227 yards while Montana’s tandem of Ah Yat and Logan Fife combined to go 20 of 41 for 209. Each threw an interception; Ah Yat, who completed just 7 of 18 passes, threw one to set up the last of Hunter Ridley’s three field goals, a 40-yarder that capped the scoring with 9:52 left in the game.

Fife’s came in the end zone with the Grizzlies poised to break a 7-7 tie in the second quarter. Safety Rex Connors made the pick.

“I think it was more their defense that was too much for us,” Montana coach Bobby Hauck said in a postgame interview on KGVO. “We were really good out the gate. I thought we played extremely well the first quarter.

“I do think that Davis played their best game of the year. They came in and took the win away from us. They really controlled it up front. They played some heavy boxes and we just didn’t handle them very well.”

The Grizzlies (7-3 overall, 4-2 in Big Sky games) started well enough, with Fife finding Junior Bergen wide open up the seam for a 23-yard touchdown at 9:01 of the first quarter.

The play capped a 72-yard drive and came as Connors fell to the SprinTurf at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

UC Davis (9-1, 6-0 in league), which had several early false starts, answered with Hastings’ first touchdown pass, a 2-yarder to Trent Tompkins. The Aggies went ahead 10-7 on Ridley’s first field goal at 8:16 of the second quarter, then 13-7 as Ridley hit a 41-yarder to end the first half.

That came after Montana gambled on fourth down and turned it over near midfield.

Hastings answered Ah Yat’s score as well, hitting Ian Simpson with a 22-yard touchdown pass to cap a quick 75-yard drive. The Aggies led for good, 20-14, at 3:11 of the third quarter. The gap grew to 27-14 on their next drive, a 60-yarder capped by Larison’s 1-yard TD reception.

Bergen had six catches for 93 yards, and 26 yards on two punt returns. The Aggies mostly punted away from the standout on seven attempts.

Montana is home again next Saturday against Portland State while UC Davis has another showdown: The Aggies return home to face No. 2 Montana State.

Grizzlies linebacker Riley Wilson (42) celebrates after a sack in the third quarter against UC Davis at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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