LA GRANDE, Ore. – Montana Tech started the 2022 season with a blowout road victory over Eastern Oregon, downing the Mountaineers 38-3. 

The Orediggers scored 13 points in the first quarter and 24 unanswered points before the Mountaineers got on the board.

Senior quarterback Jet Campbell finished a 74-yard drive on Tech's second possession of the night on a four-yard pass to Blake Counts for the Orediggers first touchdown of the night. Campbell connected with tight end Logan Kennedy on their next drive to put the Orediggers up 14-0 with an 18-yard touchdown pass. 

Campbell finished the game completing 17 of 25 passing attempts for 235 yards and the two touchdowns. Campbell scored two more touchdowns in the second half running in from four and two yards. 

Blake Thelen stepped behind center for the second quarter completing 5 of 8 attempts for 47 yards. 

Tech held a 14-0 lead going into halftime. The Oredigger defense was impenetrable to the Mountaineers and only allowed four of their seven first downs in the entire game in the first half.  

The Orediggers scored 24 unanswered points while holding the Mountaineers to just a field goal in the entire game. 

The Orediggers gave up 191 yards of offense to the Mountaineers with 83 yards on the ground and 108 through the air. 

The Tech offense finished with 445 total yards of offense with 282 through the air and 163 on the ground. 

Junior Blake Counts rushed for 98 yards and scored a late touchdown in the fourth quarter. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry. 

Trevor Hoffman led the Orediggers in receptions with eight catches for 122 yards. He averaged 15.3 yards per catch. 

Kyle Torgerson, Kennedy and Kaleb Winterburn pulled in four catches each. Winterburn also finished with 24 yards rushing. 

Defensive lineman Zach Trumble and linebacker Ben Windauer led the Oreidggers on the defensive side of the ball. They each had six tackles and had the only sack of the game. Trumble also finished with two tackles for loss. 

Defensive back Brandon Morley had three tackles including two tackles for a loss. 

The Tech secondary played very tight as Jake Orvis, Naoki Harmer, Matt Whitcomb all had interceptions. Orvis also recovered a fumble in the first half. Jordan Washington finished two pass break ups and five tackles. 

Mountaineers quarterback Andrew James started the game and completed four of 11 passes for 34 yards and an interception before getting knocked out of the game. James led the Mountaineers in rushing with 45 yards. 

Quarterback Luke Ross finished completing five of nine passes for 74 yards.

The leading Mountaineer on defense was Josh Mendoza led the team with ten total tackles and two for a loss.

The Orediggers (1-0) host (RV) Carroll College (1-0) next Saturday for the annual Copper Game sponsored by Rocky Mountain Credit Union to open the home schedule in Butte. Kickoff starts at 1 p.m. on Bob Green Field at Alumni Coliseum.