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The Malone University football team wrapped up its 2010 campaign on Saturday afternoon at Fawcett Stadium with a 56-21 Mid-States Football Association Mideast League victory over Olivet Nazarene (IL) University. A 54-yard touchdown pass from Tiger quarterback Christian Dobbs to wide receiver Josh Long gave ONU a 21-16 lead with just over nine minutes to play in the second quarter. However, this score would turn out to be the final points of the afternoon for the Tigers as the Pioneers regained the lead later in the period on a 64-yard TD pass from quarterback Mike Karls to wide out Matt Kiel and then out-scored Olivet Nazarene 33-0 in the second half to pull away for the victory. Malone improved its record to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the MSFA Mideast with the win. The Tigers, meanwhile, came out on the short end for the 11th time this season, falling to 0-11 overall and 0-7 in league play.

Pioneer seniors Markus McFolling and Cody Carroll each concluded their Malone playing careers with stellar performances Saturday as McFolling, a running back, ran for 236 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries while Carroll, a defensive lineman, posted a team-high eight total tackles, including 4.5 sacks. McFolling's performance marked the second highest single-game rushing yardage total in school history. The big day pushed McFolling to 1102 rushing yards on the year as he became just the fifth Pioneer to eclipse the 1000-yard mark in a single season. Carroll also made an impact on the record book as his 4.5 sacks were the second most ever recorded by a Malone player in a single game. Carroll ended the year with 15 total sacks which ties him with NAIA Second Team All-American Jason Wallick for the fourth most in a single season (Incredibly, Wallick also owns the top three spots on the Malone single-season sack record list).

As a team, the Pioneers posted a season-high 521yards of total offense in the contest with 146 yards through the air and a whopping 381 yards on the ground. Olivet Nazarene countered by posting 286 total yards, 198 passing and 88 rushing. Malone's big plays proved to be the difference in the contest as the Pioneers recovered three fumbles, intercepted a pass, tallied eight sacks and returned a partially blocked punt 45 yards for a touchdown.

ONU jumped out to an early 7-0 lead as Dobbs concluded an 11-play, 71-yard drive with a nine-yard TD pass to wide receiver Kyle Walker. Malone cut the Tiger lead to 7-3 minutes later on a 28-yard field goal by kicker Jake Hardy. Olivet Nazarene quickly responded, though, as a 66-yard kickoff return by running back Marcell Maiden helped set-up a one-yard sneak into the endzone by Dobbs, putting ONU on top 14-3 early in the second quarter.

Touchdown runs of three and 11 yards by slot back Justin McLean put the Pioneers in front 16-14 (blocked extra point attempt) before the Tigers regained the lead on Dobbs' lengthy TD pass to Long. Kiel then concluded the back-and-forth first half by hauling in the 64-yard toss from Karls, making the score 23-21 at intermission.

The final two quarters belonged to Malone. McLean got the third period started by taking the option pitch from Karls and sprinting 60 yards down the sideline for his third rushing touchdown of the afternoon. After Olivet Nazarene's next drive stalled, linebacker Joseph Gump broke through the line and partially blocked the Tigers' punt. The ball traveled just past the line of scrimmage where defensive back Lepear Smith snagged it out of the air and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown, incredibly his third blocked punt return for a TD this season.

The Tigers' special teams troubles then continued moments later as Pioneer defensive back Isaiah Wyatt recovered a fumbled kickoff return deep in ONU territory. Two plays later, McLean snagged a 21-yard touchdown reception from wide receiver Tyson Hawley on a nifty double-reverse pass that made the score 44-21.

The Pioneers then added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the first on a 72-yard rumble by McFolling and the second on a one-yard plunge into the endzone by Wesley Kauffman, a senior linebacker who saw time in the offensive backfield during his final game.

McLean ended the day with seven rushing attempts for 98 yards and three touchdowns in addition to his 21-yard touchdown reception. Karls completed six of nine pass attempts for 125 yards and a score. Kiel posted four catches for 95 yards, including the long TD grab.

Smith tallied three tackles on defense to go with two kickoff returns for 55 yards and his blocked punt return for a touchdown. Linebacker Dexter Reed notched six total tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks. Linebacker Antonio Scassa made six stops while defensive back Jordan Scott notched five total tackles to go with a 43-yard interception return.

For Olivet Nazarene, Dobbs completed 10 of 16 passes for 121 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver Joshua Howells tallied six receptions for 74 yards. Linebackers Joe Carter Jr. and Nathan Schott each registered 13 total tackles while defensive back Jerett Martin blocked two Malone extra-point tries.

Malone Notes: The Pioneers' 381 rushing yards on Saturday marked the third highest single-game rushing yardage total in school history…Malone rushed for 300 yards or more in five of its 11 games this season…McFolling's 1102 rushing yards in 2010 ranks as the third highest single-season total in Malone history.