Van leads Montana past Cent Washington 48-14

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) Travon Van scored four touchdowns Saturday to propel Montana to a 48-14 victory over Central Washington.

Montana, playing without injured starting quarterback Jordan Johnson, moved to 1-1 on the season in handing the Division II Wildcats a loss in their first game of the year.

Van scored the first three times he touched the ball -- on runs of 31 and 9 yards and an 85-yard pass from Shay Smithwick-Hann to lead the Grizzlies to a 34-7 halftime lead. Van added a fourth touchdown in the third quarter on a 43-yard run.

Tucker Schye picked up a fumbled punt by teammate John Nguyen and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown and Harrison Greenberg booted a 29-yard field goal to round out Montana's first-half scoring.

Central Washington got on the scoreboard with 10:06 to play in the half on a 13-yard pass from Jake Nelson to Kent McKinney Jr.