Byington leads Yotes over Orediggers
Daily Inter Lake | Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 11 hours, 18 minutes AGO
BUTTE — Rylie Byington rushed for 206 yards and four touchdowns in No. 8 College of Idaho’s 41-26 victory over No. 3 Montana Tech in the NAIA Football Championship Series Quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon.
The Yotes led their attack on the ground with 356 yards. Tech was held to just 92 yards rushing.
Montana Tech (12-1) quarterback Jarrett Wilson threw for 367 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Levi Torgerson hauled in 14 passes and led all receivers with 202 yards. Nick Michelotti added 122 yards on six catches.
College of Idaho (11-1) started the game with two takeaways on their first two defensive drives. Max Clark recovered a fumble from Michelotti and Mason Priddy intercepted a pass from Torgerson on a trick play. Byington punched in a 1-yard touchdown between the drives to take an early 7-0 lead.
Later in the first quarter, Byington scored a 39-yard touchdown to increase the lead to 14-0 for the Yotes.
The Orediggers' first score came early in the second period. Wilson finished an 11-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown to cut into the lead 14-7.
On the following Tech Drive, Michelotti caught a 30-yard touchdown from Wilson. Casey Kautzman missed the extra point to bring the score to 14-13, heading into halftime.
It was all Yotes in the third quarter, as Byington scored his third touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run in the first drive out of the break. Caden Young found the endzone on a 5-yard score, and Byington housed a 65-yard touchdown to extend the lead 34-13 before the start of the final period.
Tech running back Nate Milanowski scored his lone touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard rush. Milanowski finished with 30 yards on ten carries.
Ryken Echohawk ended comeback hopes from the Orediggers after he scored on a 43-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 41-20 with just over eight minutes remaining.
Wilson threw his final touchdown pass of the season to Derek Pearse on a 5-yard score with four minutes remaining.
The College of Idaho advances to the NAIA Championship Series Semifinals to face No. 2 Keiser (Fla.) next Saturday in West Palm Beach, Florida.