The Fighting Saints football team ended their season with two tough losses, that ended their exciting run towards the Frontier Conference championship.
In their final game on Nov. 16 the Saints lost 42-14 to the Montana Tech Orediggers. Tech is Carroll College’s biggest rival. Being only 70 miles away, many Carroll students and Helena Community members traveled to Butte to support the Saints football team.
“The most challenging moment during the game against Tech was the final result. It was a sad way to end such a great season with the team,” said senior quarterback Jack Prka, an Elementary Education major from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
A week earlier, on Nov. 9, the Saints two-month winning streak ended with a 27-14 loss against Montana Western in Dillon, Montana.
With many of these athletes playing their last game as a Saint, it was an emotional day for the Football team and the fans.
“College football has helped me build relationships that will last a lifetime,” said senior Hunter Peck, from Windsor, Colorado, who is majoring in biology. “I think the sport of football in general has taught me many important life lessons. Football has shaped my work ethic and ability to work with a team to achieve a common goal.”
“Playing college football has shaped me into a more hardened person who understands the value of playing a competitive game but also cherishes the fun moments they bring,”Said Prka. “I am super grateful for the opportunity to play a sport that I have and will continue to love throughout my life.”
The Saints football team concluded their overall season with seven wins and three losses, and their frontier conference season with six wins and two losses.
Carroll finished the season ranked 23rd in the NAIA. Despite the bittersweet end to the 2024 season, the Saints football team is taking pride in their accomplishments and the life lessons they gained, finishing as one of the top-ranked teams in the NAIA.