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Locals carry Carroll

Running back Gabe Le, right, scores one of his two touchdowns for Carroll College on Saturday. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
Running back Gabe Le, right, scores one of his two touchdowns for Carroll College on Saturday. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

SAVANNAH, Tenn. – Offensive MVP Gabe Le rushed for 116 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns to help Carroll College beat defending champion Sioux Falls 17-9 on Saturday for the Montana school’s fifth NAIA title in the past six years.

“Our offensive line played real well,” said Le, a Coeur d’Alene High School graduate who was soaked in mud after a game played on a sloppy field in steady rain. “We turned it on and got it done.”

The rest of Carroll’s points came via the foot of Gonzaga Prep grad Marcus Miller. Miller, a senior, kicked a pair of extra points and his 25-yard second-quarter field goal staked the Saints to a 3-0 lead at halftime.

The Saints (15-0) are 64-6 in the last six seasons, including other unbeaten seasons in 2003 and 2005. Carroll ended Sioux Falls’ 27-game winning streak. The Cougars’ last loss was a 55-0 decision to Carroll in the 2005 NAIA semifinals.

“Our offense answered the bell,” Carroll coach Mike Van Diest said. “The depth we had on our defensive line made a difference. This was an unbelievable team. A lot of people contributed a lot of different ways.”

Sioux Falls (13-1) took a 6-3 lead on Ryan Lowmiller’s 1-yard run early in the second half, but a penalty backed them up for the PAT, which fell short.

Carroll scored on back-to-back drives ending with touchdown runs of 20 and 2 yards by sophomore Le, the second giving the Saints a 17-6 lead with 34 seconds left in the third quarter.

“We’re at our best when we are behind,” Saints quarterback John Barnett said. “Answering with our first touchdown was big, but getting the snap (from center) was most crucial.”

Barnett was 6 of 10 passing for 9 yards and rushed for another 28 yards.

Sioux Falls’ final score was a 27-yard field goal by Matt Lindgren with 2:47 left. Carroll recovered the ensuing onside kick.

Junior linebacker Rick Young (Post Falls) finished with four tackles for Carroll, while senior defensive end Phil Lenoue (G-Prep) and sophomore DE Mike Ogrin (G-Prep) each had a pair of tackles.

“We didn’t really make any adjustments at half,” Sioux Falls coach Kalen DeBoer said. “We started throwing the ball around and Carroll turned around and threw it right back at us.”

Sioux Falls quarterback Chad Cavender, the NAIA player of the year, was 12 of 30 for 116 yards in his final college game.

Carroll’s Owen Koeppen was named the defensive player of the game with six tackles and a forced fumble.