BILLINGS, Mont. – In their second meeting of the season, No. 23 Montana Tech faced No. 24 Rocky Mountain in grudge match fashion going blow for blow all four quarters. The Orediggers landed the final blow coming away with the victory 20-17.

The teams split on the season and second year head coach Kyle Samson holds on to a 3-1 record over the Battlin' Bears winning both times at Herb Klindt Field. 

The win gives the Orediggers (6-2) a game up on the Bears (5-3) in the Frontier Conference standings. 

The first half lasted two hours with both teams trading turnovers and penalties. 

Tech opened the game with the first possession but punted after a five-play drive and penalties by both teams. 

Both teams traded off three and out possessions with neither team moving the chains. The Orediggers took over at their own 38-yard line halfway through the quarter and on the opening
play of the drive, Isaiah Schlegel intercepted a Jet Campbell pass giving Rocky the ball back. 

Rocky quarterback George Tribble took advantage on the very next play connecting with Trae Henry for a 60-yard touchdown pass for the first score of the game. Tribble connected with
Henry on the next Rocky drive from 32 yards out putting the Bears up 14-0 in the second quarter. But those were the only two touchdowns for Rocky in the game. Tribble finished with 206 yards passing and the two scores to Henry. 

The Orediggers battled back keeping the Bears out of the endzone the rest of the game. 

Naoki Harmer forced a fumble at the end of a long run by Tribble giving the ball back to the Orediggers. It was the first of two fumbles by Tribble who finished with three turnovers in the half. 

Angel Sanchez was the thorn in the Tech secondary for Tribble. Sanchez had both interceptions for the Orediggers. 

Tech got on the board when Blake Thelen hit Logan Kennedy on a 21-yard score cutting the Rocky lead to 14-7 before halftime. 

Thelen finished with 164 yards passing and one touchdown. 

Blake Counts had his best game of the season keeping the Oredigger offense moving. Counts had 153 yards on 22 touches averaging seven yards a carry. Counts scored the only touchdown by either team in the second half evening the score at 14 all with 4:58 to go in the third quarter. 

The kickers scored the final points as the defenses hunkered down. Austin Drake completed a 28-yard field goal to end the third quarter giving Rocky a narrow 17-14 lead. 

Ryan Lowry hit a pair of field goals in the fourth from 30 and 32 yards giving the Orediggers the win. Lowry was perfect on the day hitting both PAT attempts. 

Kennedy led the Orediggers with 71 yards on four catches. Kyle Torgerson had five catches for 50 yards. Trevor Hoffman was held to his lowest output of the season with four catches for 42 yards and the first game with a touchdown catch since week three. 

Henry led the Bears with seven catches for 139 yards. 

The Tech defense was a force after the first two Rocky touchdowns finding their way behind the line of scrimmage. The Orediggers had eight tackles for a loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. 

Keyshan James-Newby had two sacks in the first half and finished with eight tackles. 

Cole Wyant had his top performance of the season leading the team with 12 tackles and a sack. 

Redshirt freshman Matt Whitcomb also had his best performance of the season with seven tackles and a tackle for a loss. 

Zach Trumble had seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss. 

Ben Windauer had seven tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss. Windauer also recovered a fumble. 

Punter Andrew Almos pinned Rocky inside the 20-yard line three times and average 54.7 yards a punt. Almos also booted a 64-yarder. 

Jack Cline led the Bears with 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss. 

Tech didn't give up a sack all game. 

The Orediggers finish their home schedule against Montana Western next Saturday for their second meeting of the season. Tech won the first game in Dillon 33-24. Senior day kicks off
on Bob Green Field at 1 p.m.