CALDWELL, Idaho – On a day dominated by The College of Idaho defense,
Nick Calzaretta stole the show, setting the Coyotes career rushing mark on a game-clinching 76-yard fourth quarter touchdown run in a 21-3 victory over Eastern Oregon at Simplot Stadium.
The No. 19-ranked Yotes (7-2, 7-2 Frontier) won their fourth-straight game, remaining tied with Rocky Mountain atop the Frontier Conference standings heading into the final week of the regular-season.
C of I limited the Mountaineers (3-6, 3-6) to 187 yards of total offense – as the Yotes forced five turnovers, had 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Calzaretta rushed for 123 yards – his fourth 100-yard game of the season and the 13th of his career. The touchdown run pushed the senior past Darius-James Peterson's C of I career rushing mark of 3,413 yards – as Calzaretta heads into the regular-season finale with 3,424 yards.
The Coyotes took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, capitalizing on the first of two
Dorian Hardin interceptions, as
Ryan Hibbs connected with
John Kreps on a 22-yard touchdown pass.
Both teams had chances – as the Mountaineers (3-6, 3-6) couldn't capitalize on a short C of I punt, missing a 39-yard field goal, while the Yotes had a pair of short first half field goals blocked.
Late in the first half, a 34-yard
Hunter Gilbert punt return set C of I up near midfield – with a Hibbs 17-yard pass to Kreps setting up a 1-yard scoring pass from Hibbs-to-
Ben Hruby for a two score lead.
The Mounties kept the game close in the second half – holding C of I to just 22 third quarter yards – as Sage DeLong and Chase Van Wyck combined for four sacks in the period. However, EOU could only muster a 45-yard field goal from Zachary Cahill to cut the margin to 14-3 – with Calzaretta's long jaunt dashing the visitors upset bid.
Hibbs finished the day 17-of-31 for 199 yards with two touchdowns and an interception – connecting with
Bo Stevens five times for 57 yards.
Carson Bohning, making his first collegiate start for EOU, went 11-for-23 for 105 yards, but was intercepted three times. Nathan Reed led the Mounties with 52 rushing yards – as Eastern lost for the sixth-straight time against the local rivals.
The Yotes close out the regular-season next weekend with a Noon road date in Helena, Mont., vs. Carroll College.
NOTES:
- The five turnovers forced by C of I was the most by a Coyote team since a 2016 road win at Willamette. Along with Hardin's two interceptions, Jacob Batubenga added his first career pick, while Cade Flint and Allamar Alexander recovered fumbles. C of I leads the Frontier Conference with a plus-11 turnover margin.
- Keagan McCoy had seven tackles on the afternoon, including four tackles for loss and three sacks – pushing his school record sacks total to 19.5. He added a pair of forced fumbles.
- C of I's season leaders in tackles paced the squad – as Taeson Hardin had nine tackles and three pass break-ups and Dylan Martinez posted eight tackles to become the second Coyote to crack the 100 tackle mark for a season (101)
- Vince Seth added a career-high two sacks in the victory
- The two teams combined for 15 punts and five missed field goals on the afternoon, with EOU finishing 1-of-13 on third down
- The Yotes have recorded their ninth 7-win season in program history (1908, 1934, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1953, 1954, 2019, 2021)
- The three points allowed were the second time this season C of I has held a foe to 3-points or less (defeated Southern Oregon 29-3). It is first time since 1961 that the Yotes have held multiple teams in a season to 3-or-fewer points
- Calzaretta moved into 12th-place on the Frontier Conference all-time rushing list
