Kolby Kansala (88) snags a touchdown pass late in the third quarter against MSU-Northern. The Diggers return to action this Saturday in their first home playoff game since 1997. By Molly O'Neill
The Montana Tech Orediggers won the Frontier Conference championship Saturday, November 14th, defeating No. 10-ranked Montana State University Western 24-17. Following the victory, the Diggers, now ranked No. 5 nationally, will start their run to the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Football Championship series this Saturday against the No. 18 ranked Dickinson State University Blue Hawks out of Fargo, ND.
Tech's Frontier crown is the second for Head Coach Chuck Morrell in his five seasons at Montana Tech, and the first conference championship since 2012. Montana Tech hasn't hosted a home playoff game since 1997.
Saturday's game was a nail biter, providing the fans with a nice dose of quality football. The game was off to a fast start when Zach Bunney returned the opening kickoff 50 yards setting the tone for the eventual win. Tech’s utility man and quarterback, Andrew Loudenback, was able to find eight different receivers during the game going 17 of 25 for 218 yards in the air. Kolby Kansala, a junior from Eagle Creek, Oregon, had an outstanding second half, pulling in two touchdown catches. Kansala’s first touchdown was late in the third quarter on a key third down from the 19 yard line. He caught Loudenback’s 27 yard pass between two defenders to tie the game at the end of the third quarter. His second touchdown came from another Loudenback pass which aided Kansala in a 55 yard touchdown score.
The Digger defense saw yet another strong performance from the whole squad as multiple role players stepped up and continued to play championship style football. Standout linebacker Davis Meis, the senior linebacker out of Helena High, played a game that garnered him Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Matt Berg, the special teams guru and hometown product out of Butte High School, also pulled in Frontier Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his stellar performance knocking in three field goals during the game.
The Montana Tech Orediggers won the Frontier Conference championship Saturday, November 14th, defeating No. 10-ranked Montana State University Western 24-17. Following the victory, the Diggers, now ranked No. 5 nationally, will start their run to the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Football Championship series this Saturday against the No. 18 ranked Dickinson State University Blue Hawks out of Fargo, ND.
Tech's Frontier crown is the second for Head Coach Chuck Morrell in his five seasons at Montana Tech, and the first conference championship since 2012. Montana Tech hasn't hosted a home playoff game since 1997.
Saturday's game was a nail biter, providing the fans with a nice dose of quality football. The game was off to a fast start when Zach Bunney returned the opening kickoff 50 yards setting the tone for the eventual win. Tech’s utility man and quarterback, Andrew Loudenback, was able to find eight different receivers during the game going 17 of 25 for 218 yards in the air. Kolby Kansala, a junior from Eagle Creek, Oregon, had an outstanding second half, pulling in two touchdown catches. Kansala’s first touchdown was late in the third quarter on a key third down from the 19 yard line. He caught Loudenback’s 27 yard pass between two defenders to tie the game at the end of the third quarter. His second touchdown came from another Loudenback pass which aided Kansala in a 55 yard touchdown score.
The Digger defense saw yet another strong performance from the whole squad as multiple role players stepped up and continued to play championship style football. Standout linebacker Davis Meis, the senior linebacker out of Helena High, played a game that garnered him Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Matt Berg, the special teams guru and hometown product out of Butte High School, also pulled in Frontier Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his stellar performance knocking in three field goals during the game.
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