ST. LOUIS, Mo. - In the 129-year history of the Carroll University football program, no team has scored more points than the 2023 Pioneers. The Pios scored 23 points in Saturday's 35-23 season finale loss at WashU to finish the season with 364 points, breaking the previous record of 361, which was set in 2014.
WashU (7-3, 6-3 CCIW) started the scoring with a 12-play, 72-yard drive on the opening possession, which was capped by a seven yard scamper by Levi Moore. Carroll (5-5, 5-4 CCIW) would answer in the second quarter with a 19-yard touchdown pass from
Josh Raby to
JR Muth. That tie lasted less than three minutes, as WashU answered with a one-yard TD pass from Matt Rush to Collin Hoyhtya. The Bears would add another score with 24 seconds remaining in the half on a two-yard run by Rush. The Pioneers would put together a quick drive at the end of the half, which was capped by a 30-yard
Jacob Laurent field goal, sending Carroll into the locker room trailing 21-10.
WashU got some breathing room with three minutes left in the third quarter when Rush found Kenneth Hamilton for a 13-yard TD pass. The Pioneers then made things interesting, scoring on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Raby to
Austin Eichstaedt in the final minute of the period, before adding a 43-yard TD reception by
Mikey Coleman in the opening minute of the fourth to cut WashU's lead to 28-23. The Bears would put the game away with a minute and a half remaining on a 22-yard TD run by Hamilton.
Raby completed 23-of-35 passes for 376 yards, which gives him 2697 yards on the season, which breaks Carroll's single season record. The senior also tossed three touchdowns on Saturday, giving him 26 on the season, which is the second-most in a season in program history, just one shy of the school record. Raby also finished the season with 200 completions, which breaks a 22-year-old school record. Another individual record came on special teams, where punter
Noah Streveler finished the year with an average of 40.3, joining Laurent who already set school marks for single season and career field goals earlier this season, while his 13 field goals this season are just one shy of the CCIW record.
Defensively, Carroll added four more sacks to their league-leading total, finishing the season with 36 to lead all teams in the CCIW. Steve Lazaris registered two of the team's sacks on Saturday, with
Nick Mantas and
Brayden Boldt recording the other two. Lazaris also tied with
Damon Loker for the team-lead in tackles (9).
WashU was led by Rush, who completed 14-of-16 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 24 yards on 12 carries and one more score. Hamilton finished with a game-high 98 yards on 17 carries.
