Running backs Gabe Le and John Camino finally got a chance to show Carroll College fans that they're still the tag-teaming force to be reckoned with.

Camino returned after missing most of the last three weeks with an ankle injury and Le found a little bit of the magic that made him a 1,000-yard rusher last season as the two led the No. 2 Saints to a 37-17 win over No. 19 Eastern Oregon on Saturday.

The Mountaineers (4-2, 4-1 Frontier Conference) entered into Nelson Stadium the only other undefeated team in the league

But, with Camino, a junior, and Le, a senior, combining for 271 of the team's 300 yards of rushing - a season high - the Saints (6-0, 5-0) ran away with the game between two teams that were tied for the conference lead.

"It was just good to get back into a rhythm," Camino said. "We were able to show what we were capable of doing."

Camino led the squad with 189 yards and Le picked up 82 as both backs finished with two touchdowns and season-highs in rushing.

"We got our groove going a little bit, kind of like last year, just rotating me and Johnny and keeping our legs fresh," Le said.

It was the first time the two were able to share the majority of the carries since doing it throughout the last two seasons.

But Le suffered a back injury during fall practice that slowed his return to the 2009 season, while Camino had sit out since rolling an ankle in the Saints' 50-13 win over MSU-Northern on Sept. 5.

"This is the first game that we really had Gabe Le and John Camino together," Saints head coach Mike Van Diest said. "They're good. They've been together, they know what's expected and they know their assignments."

And they didn't disappoint.

On Carroll's second possession of the game, Camino found a hole in the left side of the offensive line and broke for 47 yards. He went the opposite direction on the next carry for 15.

After the drive ended in a 38-yard field goal by Connor Janhunen, Carroll's offense knew its strength.

It would need to after EOU sophomore quarterback Chris Ware engineered a 74-yard touchdown drive - thanks in part to a pass interference call on Carroll corner Mike Waldenberg - that ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kirk Miller in the end zone.

The score gave the Mountaineers a 7-3 lead with 13:32 left in the second quarter. It was the first time Carroll trailed all season.

"(Receivers coach Tyler Emmert) just looked at us and said 'We've got a dogfight,' " Saints junior quarterback Gary Wagner said.

After spending the second half of last weekend's 17-10 homecoming win over Montana Western on the bench, the Saints starting quarterback was ready for a fight.

Wagner completed 20-of-26 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown one week after completing just seven passes for 20 yards and an interception. Dane Broadhead replaced him during the previous game and finished with two touchdown passes in that win.

"We don't have a No. 1 and No. 2 quarterback, we have two No. 1s," Wagner said. "I knew I could play better and I just didn't play my best game that day, and that's going to happen."

Wagner helped engineer the next 70-yard drive by completing all three of his passes and handing off to Le twice for 33 yards - including a 27-yard jaunt - while Camino was able to finish up with a 12-yard touchdown run through a hole on the right to make it 10-7.

"There was a couple of times where the defense was calling our plays," Wagner said. "They would just say 'run right' and in my mind I'm trying not to smile and give it away.

"It doesn't matter, our offensive line dominated that game. And even if they know where it's coming, John and Gabe are tremendous running backs."

The defense, meanwhile, continued to put the Saints in good field position.

After defensive tackle Travis Schmidt blocked a pass at the line and defensive end Mike Ogrin blindsided Ware with a sack - the first of six by the Saints - to force a three-and-out, Wagner opened up the lead with a 17-yard TD pass to junior tight end Bubba Bartlett on the next possession.

The Mountaineers answered back with a 20-yard field goal by Thomas Akers to make the score 17-10 at the half.

The Saints didn't slow down as sophomore defensive back Justin Smith started the second half off with another sack and Le scored a 4-yard touchdown run on the ensuing possession.

Senior safety Cody Lamb then recovered a fumble forced out of Ware's hands by senior defensive lineman Mason Siddick, which allowed Le to make another big run to the end zone, this time from 14 yards out.

Camino scored his final TD on a 2-yard run with 4:06 left in the game. Afterward, the Saints put their backups on the field.

Ware finished with 219 yards on 19-for-36 passing while Burroughs had three completions for 29.

As usual, the Mountaineers spread the ball out, completing passes to 10 receivers, though Miller (six for 73 yards) and Jordyn Jackson (five for 93) led their squad.

Wagner hit seven players but spent most of his time looking for Bartlett. He finished with 10 catches for 95 yards. Junior receiver Corey Peterson had four catches for 38 yards, while Le had three for 38.

The Saints start the second half of the season against MSU-Northern next week in Havre. Carroll beat the Lights (2-4, 1-4) 50-13 to start the conference season.

With EOU climbing to the top of the conference standings before Saturday, the Mountaineers looked like they might be able to end the Saints' 29-game win streak against conference opponents.

But Carroll rarely wavered.

"We knew there was a lot on the line in this game," Camino said. "We treated it like a championship game.

"We knew we were up against a really good team."

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or eff.windmueller@ helenair.com