BOISE, Idaho — The College of Idaho traveled to Butte, MT to take on the Montana Tech Orediggers on Saturday and walked away with a 28 -14 win, improving to 2-0 on the season and 2-0 in Frontier Conference play for the first time.
The fifteenth ranked Yotes entered the game 1-0 after beating Eastern Oregon University 42 to 12 last week at home.
This matchup against the Yotes was the Orediggers' first game of the season and they were just ranked outside of the preseason NAIA Top 25.
The Yotes put up the first points of the game with just five minutes left in the second quarter, thanks to a three-yard running touchdown by senior running back Justin Hellyer. Junior running back Nick Calzaretta helped the Yotes get into scoring position with a 61-yard rush that set the offense up with a first-and-goal at the Orediggers' three-yard line.
The score would stay at 7-0 entering halftime. The Yotes went on to extend their lead to 14-0 at the end of the third quarter after an 87-yard touchdown pass by senior quarterback Darius-James Peterson to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Hunter Juarez.
The College of Idaho would add to their lead quickly after the fourth quarter started with Peterson connecting with redshirt sophomore running back Caynon Olson on a seven-yard passing touchdown.
Montana Tech would put their score their first points of the game midway through the fourth quarter, bringing it to 21-7.
The Yotes responded with a 58-yard rushing touchdown by Calzaretta with 4:23 left in the game.
With less than two minutes left in the game, Montana Tech scored a rushing touchdown to bring the game to 28-14.
Calzaretta led the Yotes' rushing attack, which combined for 327 yards on 45 carries. He finished the game with 240 rushing yards on 25 carries (9.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown.
Peterson ended the game 10 of 17 passing attempts, 163 yards, and two touchdowns. Hunter led the Yotes' receiving corp with 107 yards on two receptions and one touchdown.
The Yotes were effective on third down, converting 55% of the time.
On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Yotes will return to Caldwell in a homecoming matchup against Southern Oregon.
Watch the Yotes' matchup against the Orediggers below:
