September 2007
Bulldogs Face Carroll in Battle of Conference Unbeatens
Thursday, September 27 2007
The Bulldog football team travels to Helena, Mont. for an important Frontier Conference game against defending champion Carroll College, Saturday, Sept. 29.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. from Nelson Stadium on the Carroll College campus.
The game will be broadcast in southwest Montana on KDBM Radio, AM- 1490.
The Bulldogs enter the weekend with a 3-1 overall record and a perfect 3-0 league mark after last weekend’s 27-14 win over Montana Tech. The Bulldogs moved up to number 17 in the latest NAIA rankings.
Carroll College is 4-0 overall and also 3-0 in conference play after last weekend’s 10-3 win at MSU-Northern. The Saints remained ranked fourth in the poll.
Last year, Carroll won both games between the two schools. The Saints won 31-0 in Dillon and 35-17 in Helena.
This years contest pits the league’s top offensive team against the league’s top defensive team.
The Bulldogs lead the Frontier and are 16th in the nation in total offense (391.3 yards per game) and scoring offense (28.3 points per game).
Carroll leads the league and the nation in total defense (yielding 156 yards a game) and scoring defense (2.3 points per game). The Saints have allowed only three field goals in four games.
Bulldogs sophomore wide receiver Craigh Cornelius leads the Frontier in several categories and leads the nation in one. He leads the conference and nation in receiving yards per game with 147.8 per game. Corneilius also leads the league in receptions per game (7.0) (seventh in nation).
He also leads the league in scoring and in touchdowns with seven (seventh in the nation in both categories).
Bulldog quarterback Keali’I Perbera leads the Frontier in individual total offense with 265 yards per game (10th in nation) and passing (12th in nation) with 265 yards per game.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Chad Schria leads the Bulldogs, the Frontier and is sixth in the nation in tackles with 12 a game. Fellow sophomore linebacker Max Black is second on the team and ninth in the conference with eight tackles per game. Junior Stephen O’Neal is tied for fourth in the league in sacks with two.
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Bulldogs Down Diggers
Saturday, September 22 2007
The University of Montana Western Bulldogs downed Montana Tech 27-14 in Frontier Conference football from Dillon’s Vigilante Field.
The Bulldogs are now 3-0 in league play and 3-1 overall. Montana Tech falls to 1-2 in league play and 2-2 overall.
Montana Western scored first on a one yard plunge from linebacker turned running back Chad Schria with 2:10 left in the first quarter,
Tech tied the game on a 21 yard quarterback keeper from Matt Komac.
At the 6:45 mark of the second quarter, Keali’I Perbera hit Craigh Cornelius with a 17 yard touchdown pass which proved to the game winning score.
The Bulldogs outgained Montana Tech 469 to 246. Perbera was 17 of 28 for 281 yards and one touchdown. Cornelius led the Bulldog receivers with seven catches for 136 yards.
Derrick Pluff led the Bulldog ground game with 100 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown.
In addition to scoring a touchdown, Schira led the Bulldog defense with 14 tackles and one interception.
Komac led the Orediggers in rushing with 106 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown.
Billy Glennon led Tech in tackles with 18.
Next Saturday, Montana Western plays at Carroll College and Montana Tech host Eastern Oregon.
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Bulldogs Host Orediggers
Thursday, September 20 2007
The University of Montana Western Bulldogs hosts the Montana Tech Orediggers in a Frontier Conference football game, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007. Kickoff is 1 p.m. from Dillon’s Vigilante Field.
The game will be broadcast in southwest Montana on KDBM radio, 1490 on the AM dial.
The Bulldogs are 2-1 overall and 2-0 in league play after last weekend’s 45-38 win over then ranked #7 MSU-Northern. The win over Northern propelled Montana Western to a number 25 ranking in the NAIA Top-25.
Sophomore wide receiver Craigh Cornelius was selected the Frontier Conference and NAIA offensive player of the week. Cornelius set a school record for receiving yards in a game with 257. Teammate Colton Wood was selected the league’s special team’s player of the week.
Montana Tech is 2-1 on the season and 1-1 in the Frontier after last weekend’s 14-10 win over Rocky Mountain.
Last year, Tech beat the Bulldogs twice, 37-7 in Butte and in an overtime thriller, 30-27 in Dillon.
Saturday’s game matches up Montana Western with the league’s second best offense against Montana Tech with the league’s second best defense.
The Bulldogs average 365 yards a game while Tech gives up 281 yards a game. The Bulldog defense is last in the Frontier, giving up 480 yards a game while Tech’s offense is second to last in total offense, averaging 290 yards a game.
Cornelius leads the league in all-purpose yardage, scoring, receiving yards and receptions per game. Senior quarterback Keali’I Perbera leads the league in individual total yards and passing.
Tech’s Teague Egan, the defending league-rushing champ was injured in the win over Rocky and will not play on Saturday. He was leading the league in rushing with 96 yards a game.
Bulldog junior Derrick Pluff is second in the conference in rushing with 88 yards a game. He rushed for 134 last weekend against Northern.
Bulldog sophomore Chad Schira leads the team and the conference in tackles with 11.3 per game. Teammate Max Black is next with 8.7 per game.
The Orediggers J.J. Perino leads the Frontier in quarterback sacks with one per game.
In special teams play, the Bulldogs Chris Wells leads the league in kickoff returns, averaging 26.9 yards per return. The Orediggers’ Casey Kelly leads the league in punt returns with a 12.8-yard average per return.
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Cornelius Named National Player of the Week
Monday, September 17 2007
Craigh Cornelius, a 5-10, 170 lb. sophomore wide receiver from Renton, Wash. was named the Frontier Conference and NAIA Offensive Player of the Week.
Cornelius was a big reason for the Bulldogs upset of then-No. 7 Montana-Northern last Saturday.
In the 45-38 road win, Cornelius set a school all-time high with 257 receiving yards. He had 10 receptions and three touchdowns including the game-winner with 1:57 left on the clock.
Montana-Western entered into the Top 25 for the first time this year at No. 25 after the victory.
Wide receiver/kicker Colton Woods was named the Frontier Conference special teams player of the week. The sophomore from Polson kicked a 26 yard field goal and was 6 for 6 in extra points.
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Bulldogs Enter Top-25
Monday, September 17 2007
On the strength of their 45-38 win over #7 MSU-Northern this past Saturday, the Bulldogs moved into the NAIA Top-25 at #25.
The last time the Bulldogs were nationally ranked was during the 2004 season.
The Bulldogs are 2-1 overall and 2-0 in Frontier Conference play and host Montana Tech Saturday, Sept. 22.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. from Vigilante Field.
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Bulldogs Upset #7 MSU-Northern
Monday, September 17 2007
Sophomore Craigh Cornelius set a new school single game record with ten catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs downed MSU-Northern 45-38 in Havre.
The 257 receiving yards breaks a the record of 230 yards set by Jake Larson in 2005. Cornelius' three touchdowns were for 65 yards, 42 yards and a game winning 65 yard catch with a 1:57 left in the game.
With the win, the Bulldogs are 2-0 in the Frontier Conference and 2-1 overall.
Senior quarterback Keali'i Perbera was 21 of 31 for 382 yards and four touchdowns. His fourth touchdown pass went to sophomore receiver Michaell Guelff.
The Bulldog running game was also ontrack as Perbera picked up 94 yards on four carries and junior running back Derrick Pluff rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
In all, the Bulldog offense rolled up 610 yards in total offense, 382 through the air and 228 on the ground.
The Bulldog defense was led by three players with double digit tackles. Sophomore Max Black led with 11 tackles followed by sophomore Chad Schria with 10 tackles. Schira also recovered a fumble. Junior Sean McKinney had 10 tackles including a quarterback sack.
The Bulldogs return to Vigilante Field to host Montana Tech on Saturday, Sept. 22.
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Bulldogs Face Nationally Ranked MSU-Northern On The Road
Thursday, September 13 2007
The University of Montana Western Bulldogs travel to Havre for a Frontier Conference football game against the MSU-Northern Lights. Kickoff is 1 p.m. from Blue Pony Stadium
The game will be broadcast back to southwest Montana on KDBM radio, 1490 on the AM radio dial.
The Bulldogs are 1-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference play after last week’s 28-20 victory over Eastern Oregon.
Northern is 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the Frontier after last weekend’s 20-0 win at Montana Tech. The Lights moved from seventh to fifth in the latest NAIA Top-25.
Northern won both meetings between the two last year. The Bulldogs lost 16-34 in Dillon and 14-34 in Havre.
Offensively, Montana Western is averaging 285 yards and 20.5 points a game. The Bulldogs average 205.5 yards passing and 79.5 yards on the ground. Last week in the win over Eastern Oregon junior running back Derrick Pluff rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown.
Senior quarterback Keali’I Perbera passed for 238 yards and two touchdowns and ran eight yards for another touchdown. Sophomore Craig Cornelius was his favorite receiver with eight catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Chad Schira leads the Bulldogs and is second in the Frontier in tackles with 12. Freshman safety Scott Keiter-Charles is second with nine per game. The Bulldogs give up 20.5 points a game.
MSU-Northern averages 291 yards a game in total offense, 155 on the ground and 136 through the air. The Lights average 19 points a game while giving up a skimpy five per game.
Saxton Shearer leads the Northern ground attack with 51 yards a game. Lights’ quarterback Jeff Van Nest averages 158.5 yards a game passing. Van Nest’s favorite target has been Jake Eldridgre who has caught six passes for 61 yards.
Marc Samson leads Northern’s defense with ten tackles a game. Samson had three interceptions last week against Montana Tech; one returned 103 yards for a touchdown. He was named the league and national defensive player of the week.
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Bulldogs Win Home Opener
Saturday, September 8 2007
The University of Montana Western Bulldogs downed the Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers 28-20 in a Frontier Conference football game from Dillon, Mont.
With the win, the Bulldogs raised their overall record to 1-1 and their league mark to 1-0.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 21-0 lead. Montana Western opened the scoring with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Keali’I Perbera to Craigh Cornelius. Derrick Pluff scored the Bulldogs’ second touchdown on a 19 yard touchdown run. A Perbera eight yard quarterback keeper made it 21-0 with 12:30 to play in the first half. The Bulldog defense held Eastern to two field goals in the first half.
In the second half, the Bulldogs only score was a 40 yard Perbera to Cornelius T.D. strike. Eastern answered with two scores of the their own, but could get no closer. A Bulldog defensive stand and a missed Mountaineer field goal held Eastern to just two touchdowns.
Perbera was 17 of 35 for 238 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Cornelius caught eight passes for 131 yards and the two touchdowns. Pluff rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries.
Eastern’s ground attack netted 248 yards on 60 carries led by Bradley Padayao with 79 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. Mountaineer quarterback Ian O’Brien through for 62 yards and one touchdown.
Drake Kula led the Bulldog defense with 12 tackles followed by Chad Schira and Scott Keiter-Charles with 11 each.
Corey Dunn led Eastern Oregon with 12 tackles.
Next Saturday (Sept. 15). Montana Western plays at MSU-Northern and Eastern Oregon travels to Carroll College.
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Bulldogs Host Eastern Oregon in Frontier Conferennce Opener
Friday, September 7 2007
The University of Montana Western Bulldog football team makes their home debut when they host Eastern Oregon University in a Frontier Conference game Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007. Kickoff is 1 p.m. from Dillon’s Vigilante Field.
The game will broadcast in southwest Montana on KDBM radio, 1490 on the AM Dial. The game will also be available on the internet from a link on the Montana Western football web page.
Both teams are 0-1 on the season after losses last weekend. The Bulldogs lost to Eastern Washington 52-13. Eastern is an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision member and a member of the Big Sky Conference.
Eastern Oregon lost a 48-45 quadruple overtime thriller to NAIA rival Southern Oregon.
In 2006, the Mountaineers won both games against Montana Western. Eastern won 28-21 in Dillon and 37-14 in La Grande. The Bulldogs last win against the Mountaineers was a 17-14 victory in 2004.
In their loss to Eastern Washington, the Bulldogs had 244 yards in total offense, 71 on the ground and 173 through the air. Junior Derrick Pluff led the Bulldog ground game with 27 yards on 11 carries. Senior quarterback Keali’I Perbera was 14 of 34 for 161 yards on one touchdown. Perbera also scored on a three-yard touchdown run. Sophomore Craigh Cornelius caught three passes for 67 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore Chad Schira led the Bulldogs defense with 13 tackles including one tackle for loss followed by senior Adam Ridgeway with 11. Freshman Chris Wells returned seven kicks for 141 yards including a 33-yard return.
In their quadruple overtime loss against Southern Oregon, the Mountaineers rolled up 306 yards in total offense, including 252 yards on the ground. Junior Gavin Smith led Eastern’s ground attack with 78 yards on 19 carries including a three-yard touchdown run in the third overtime. Junior Ian O’Brien was only 2 of 8 in passing for 54 yards. Sophomore linebacker Corey Dunn led the Mountaineer defense with 14 tackles and one interception.
Next week, the Bulldogs travel to Havre for a conference game against MSU-Northern. Eastern Oregon travels to Helena for a game against defending conference champion Carroll College.
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Bulldogs Lose at Eastern Washington
Saturday, September 1 2007
The Bulldogs opened their 2007 with a 52-13 loss at Eastern Washington. Eastern is an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision team and a member of the Big Sky Conference.
The game was delayed by an hour because of severe thunderstorm in Spokane.
The Bulldogs stayed close to their upper division opponent in the first quarter. Senior quarterback Keali'i Perbera scored on a three yard keeper and Matt Pancich tied the game with his extra point.
They scored their final points of the game with 4:17 left in the half as Perbera hit Craigh Cornelius with a 12 yard scoring pass. The extra point was missed.
The Bulldogs had 244 yards in total offense, 173 through the air and 71 on the ground.
Michael Guelff led the Bulldogs in receiving with six catches for 66 yarsd. Cornelius followed with three catches for 67 yards including the 12 touchdown pass.
Perbera was 14 of 34 for 161 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Derrick Pluff led the Bulldog ground attack with 11 carries for 27 yards.
Chad Schira led the Bulldog defense with 13 tackles followed by Adam Ridgeway with 11.
The Bulldogs host Eastern Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 8 in the first conference game of the season. Kickoff is 1 p.m. from Dillon's Vigilante Field.
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