GLENDALE, Ariz. — Landers Smith and Blake Thelen accounted for three touchdowns apiece, sparking the No. 13-ranked Montana Tech football team to a convincing 56-24 road win over Arizona Christian on Saturday.
Montana Tech (7-2, 4-2 Frontier Conference) set the tone with its first possession, marching 75 yards in seven plays off the opening kickoff to take the lead. Thelen capped the drive with a 4-yard pass to Derek Pearse. Thelen tossed for 235 yards and three touchdowns on the day, completing 15 of his 17 passes.
His next strike, earned after the Tech defense stalled a Firestorm drive at midfield, was a 54-yarder to Wyatt Alexander. The defense ruined ACU's next possession when Jadyn Downs intercepted a pass with 1:09 to go in the first, setting up another Montana Tech drive.
The Orediggers then made it 21-0 early in the second quarter, a 10-play drive that paid off after Smith's 7-yard TD scamper. Smith rushed for three touchdowns on the day, amassing 68 yards on just 11 carries. He also caught three passes for 37 yards.
After Arizona Christian got on the board with a second-quarter touchdown, the Orediggers needed just 2:05 to go 75 yards for another touchdown before the half. Thelen and Smith hooked up for a pair of first-down completions, and a Thelen pass to Nick Michelotti got the Diggers to the ACU 1-yard line. Smith punched it into pay dirt with 42 seconds remaining until half. Tech went into the half with a 28-7 lead.
The highlight of the second half came with some trickery in the third quarter. Levi Torgerson took a handoff and appeared to be headed for a wide-field run, but the junior heaved the ball toward the end zone, where quarterback Cade Wyant was waiting for the touchdown catch. Michelotti and Ethan Renner also scored second-half touchdowns for Tech.
Renner was the Orediggers' leading rusher on the day, collecting 74 yards on 10 carries, including the touchdown.
Several defenders had huge games. Prince Hall racked up a sack and a half, three tackles for loss, and seven total tackles from his defensive end position. Cole Wyant had a season-best 13 tackles. Jace Thompson had an interception for the Diggers, and Anthony Okes fell on a fumble.
Montana Tech is scheduled to continue Frontier play next Saturday, Nov. 9, at home against Montana State University-Northern. The Orediggers will celebrate Senior Day prior to the 1 p.m. ballgame.
