Game:           Malone University                              0-1 (0-0 MSFA Mideast)
                       at Saint Ambrose (IA) University     1-0 (0-0 MSFA Midwest)
Date:             Saturday, September 11, 2010
Kickoff:         1:00 p.m. CDT (2:00 p.m. EDT) at Brady Street Stadium (Davenport, IA)
Broadcasts: WNPQ 95.9 FM or streaming live on the internet at www.thelight959.com
                        1:45 p.m. EDT pre-game (Clint Scroggs – play-by-play)

Series:
Saint Ambrose holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series. The Pioneers and Bees most recently faced off last season (Sept. 12) at Fawcett Stadium, a game Saint Ambrose won by a final score of 34-14. The only other contest between the squads occurred at St. Ambrose in 1998 as Malone fell by a final tally of 40-30.

Coaches:
Malone – Eric Hehman is in his first season as the Pioneers' head coach after spending the last five years as the head coach at NCAA Division III Greenville (IL) College. Overall, Hehman tallied a 28-22 record at Greenville, leading the Panthers to a 7-3 record in 2009 and a berth in the NCCAA Victory Bowl.

St. Ambrose – Mike Magistrelli is in his fourth year as the head coach at St. Ambrose after having previously served for three years as the Bees' defensive coordinator. Including last week's season-opening victory against Trinity International (IL) University, Magistrelli has compiled a 23-11 mark at the school.

Last Season's Records: Malone 3-6 (2-5 MSFA Mideast), St. Ambrose 6-4 (4-3 MSFA Midwest)

Malone Notes
The Pioneers fell 31-21 at NCAA Division II Tiffin University in their season opener last Thursday… Malone committed just one penalty against Tiffin, outgained the Dragons 343-328 in total yards and held a 20-17 advantage in total first downs…However, the Pioneers also threw three costly second-half interceptions, one of which was returned 84 yards for a touchdown.

Malone players to watch
RB Markus McFolling got off to a fast start in 2010 as he piled up 127 rushing yards and a TD on just 15 carries (8.5 average) against Tiffin…With this strong week one performance, McFolling ranks third in the 16-team MSFA in rushing yards…In the first start of his Malone career, QB Logan Francis completed nine of 18 pass attempts for 111 yards and one touchdown …WR Matt Kiel snagged two catches for 50 yards last week, including a three-yard TD grab…Kiel also threw a 17-yard TD pass to TE Ryan Boland on a double-reverse pass…LB Antonio Scassa paced the defense in week one with 10 total tackles, one sack and a forced fumble…DL Frank McCormick totaled nine tackles, including one sack…LB Matt Vick picked off a Dragon pass deep in Malone territory and also posted seven tackles in the opener.

St. Ambrose Notes
The Fighting Bees opened their 2010 season this past Saturday by notching a 17-9 road victory in a defensive struggle with Trinity International (IL) University…A pair of big pass plays proved vital to Saint Ambrose's win as the Bees scored their first touchdown on a 55-yard strike and then used a 45-yard completion to help set up their second touchdown of the afternoon…TIU struggled to get its offense on track for much of the game as the St. Ambrose defense, which shutout three opponents in 2009, limited the Trojans to nine first downs and 197 total yards while forcing three turnovers and twice stopping Trinity on downs.

St. Ambrose players to watch
Michael Hayward, who started at QB last season for the Bees, moved back to WR this year, a position where he thrived in 2008, earning College Fanz Sports Network First Team All-American honors after setting single-season school records for receptions (88), receiving yards (1,292) and touchdown receptions (11)…Hayward totaled five catches for 58 yards in week one against Trinity International and is now just 215 receiving yards shy of breaking the Saint Ambrose all-time record…QB Danny Tharp moved into Hayward's old position this fall and completed 14 of 38 passes for 176 yards and one TD against the Trojans…RB Brandon Heard totaled 35 rushing yards on eight attempts and was on the receiving end of the 45-yard pass …After the big completion, Heard later capped off the Bees' second-half scoring drive with a three-yard TD plunge…WR Jacob Rohde caught two passes for 65 yards in the opener, including the other big play, a 55-yard TD pass from Tharp…On the defensive side of the ball, DL Joey Carioti led the way with seven tackles, including two tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery…DB John Michaletti posted seven stops with an interception while LB Tyler Boyle also posted seven tackles, including one tackle for loss.

2010 Rosters:  Malone  |  Saint Ambrose
2010 Stats:  Malone  |  Saint Ambrose