LA GRANDE, Ore. – Long second half touchdown runs by
Darius-James Peterson and
Dominic Garzoli broke open a tight game, as the College of Idaho completed a season sweep of rival Eastern Oregon, 38-20, at Community Stadium.
The win for the Yotes (4-5, 4-4 Frontier) helped the team get to .500 in conference play and equaled their win total from each of the past three seasons with home dates remaining against Montana Tech and Montana State-Northern.
Leading 17-10 midway through the third quarter, Peterson busted loose on a 58-yard scoring run through the middle of the Mountaineers (2-6, 2-6) defense and following an EOU field goal, Garzoli found a seam and scampered 78-yards to push the lead to 31-13.
Eastern opened the scoring on their first drive, as Nate Harden booted a 33-yard field goal, but
Kellen Copeland returned the ensuing kickoff 41-yards off a reverse to set the Yotes in prime field position. C of I cashed in, as a Peterson 13-yard run set up his first touchdown pass of the day, finding
Keegan Crafton alone in the end zone from 15-yards out for the 7-3 lead.
The Mountaineers countered with a drive to the C of I 14 – but
Nate Moore ended the threat with his second interception of the year. The Yotes used the passing game again – with Peterson finding
Shayne Robinson for 27-yards,
Zach Garzoli for 18-yards and capped the drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to senior
Charlie Shepherd.
The defense continued to come up big in the red zone, as EOU was stopped on four tries inside their five yard line, including Moore stopping Mounties running back Victor Dias at the goal line on a fourth down carry from the 1-yard-line.
The visitors piled up 473 yards of total offense, including 294 yards on the ground.
Dominic Garzoli had 105 rushing yards, with Peterson rushing 13 times for 99 yards – establishing the single-season C of I record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 919.
Nick Calzaretta, who capped the scoring for the Yotes with a 24-yard touchdown run, had 13 carries for 68 yards.
Peterson finished 8-of-15 for 179 yards through the air – with Robinson finishing with 53 receiving yards and Crafton adding 47.
EOU had 558 yards of total offense – but were forced to punt on five of their first six possessions of the second half, as C of I pulled away. Quarterback Kai Quinn had 84 rushing yards, while going 21-of-34 for 239 yards and a third quarter touchdown pass to Calvin Connors. Connors led the Mounties with nine catches for 118 yards.
NOTES: The touchdown run by Garzoli was the longest by a C of I running back since football returned in 2014…C of I's offense did not have a turnover on the day, the first time in 16 games…the Yotes finished 4-of-9 on third down conversions and are now 29 for their last 57 in third down chances…the Coyotes finished with just two penalties on the day, while EOU was whistled 11 times for 132 yards…five different C of I players had nine or more tackles –
Hunter Temple (13),
Troy Carr (12),
Nate Moore (11),
Segun Olubi (9) and Nick Lyons (9), with Moore adding a fumble recovery and the interception.
