Archived Video Broadcast

Under the Saturday night lights of North Canton Memorial Stadium, the Malone University football team came up short against its rival Walsh University by the final score of 24-21 in what would've been a momentous victory for the Pioneer program. Instead, the Pioneers lost their eighth straight to the Cavaliers in front of an impassioned and excitable crowd. With the loss, Malone dropped to 2-6 on the season and 6-16 all-time vs. Walsh.
 
The Cavaliers got on the board first on their opening possession. Aaron Male's 1-yard plunge capped off a seven-play drive that covered 69 yards. The PAT try split the uprights to give the hosts an early 7-0 lead.
 
On Malone's first play from scrimmage on the next drive, quarterback John Iacucci hit junior halfback Matt Blasiole on a wheel route out of the backfield that went for 62 yards to their opponent's 12-yard line. An offside penalty against Walsh set up the Pioneers with 1st-and-5 at the 7-yard line but they failed to capitalize and were forced to kick a field goal. Marcus Moeller's 23-yard kick was good as Malone cut the lead to 7-3.
 
On the very next drive, Walsh would answer with a field goal from 31 yards out that capped a 12-play 71-yard march that was aided by a Malone pass interference call on 3rd-and-6 and a clutch 22 yard pass play on 3rd-and-14. Malone helped its cause with a pass breakup in the endzone prior to Maloy's field goal.
 
The Pioneers went back to work on its next possession with a heavy dose of Matt Blasiole. The junior workhorse back led Malone deep into Walsh territory but a 3rd-and-goal pass into the endzone fell incomplete and the Pioneers settled for another field goal. Moeller's 23-yarder cut the deficit to 10-6 with over 10 minutes left in the second quarter. The Cavaliers increased their lead just two plays later, however, when Aaron Male broke off a 65-yard touchdown run down the left sideline.
 
Trailing 17-6, Malone put together its first touchdown drive of the game on the subsequent possession. Taking advantage of a 35-yard catch by Ashton Dulin and two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties by Walsh, the Pioneers set up 1st-and-goal at the Cavaliers' 9-yard line. Two plays later, Blasiole found the endzone from seven yards out. The two-point conversion attempt, that would have made it a three-point game, failed, but Malone still cut the lead to 17-12 with 6:06 left before half.
 
Both teams had a chance to add more points but an Austin Cary sack snuffed out a Walsh drive and an interception snuffed out one for the Pioneers. Malone forced a turnover on downs just before the intermission as the score remained 17-12 at the break.
 
On the initial drive of the second half, Malone went to the ground again. Facing 3rd-and-1 on their own 47, Matt Blasiole put the Pioneers ahead with a 53-yard touchdown scamper. After finding a hole in the line, Blasiole ran through the second level untouched as Malone claimed its first lead of the game. Another two-point conversion try was no good, but the Pioneers led 18-17 just two and a half minutes into the second half.
 
The lead was short-lived, though, as Walsh responded with a touchdown on the next drive. A 5-yard touchdown pass by Mitchell Ault was set up two plays earlier when Ault found Male for a 46-yard catch and run. Maloy's PAT gave Walsh a 24-18 advantage with 9:48 left in the third quarter.

From that point on, the game quickly became a defensive struggle. Back-to-back punts gave Malone the football on its own 15-yard line. 10 straight runs put Malone into Walsh territory before the drive stalled on a third-down incompletion. Marcus Moeller's field goal from 47 yards out cut the deficit to 24-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter. The 47-yard make was the longest of Moeller's career and tied for 5th longest in Malone history.
 
Three more punts gave Malone the football with 7:24 remaining. On a third down play, Iacucci found Dulin on a short pass with room to run but the usually sure-handed receiver couldn't haul in the pass and the Pioneers were forced to punt once again. On the following possession, junior safety Daniel Tepe put Malone back in business when he intercepted an errant Walsh pass, tiptoeing the sideline for his fourth pick of the season.
 
Malone took over at the Walsh 44-yard line but quickly turned the ball over on downs. After forcing Walsh into a late fourth-quarter punt, the Pioneers would have one final chance from their own 33-yard line with 46 seconds remaining. A controversial intentional grounding penalty on first down effectively derailed any chance of a miracle comeback as the Pioneers failed to stake hold of the Bankert-Gallagher Memorial Trophy for the eighth straight season.
 
Game Highlights
-Prior to the game, Malone quarterback John Iacucci was announced as the 2016 winner of the Dick Gallagher Memorial Scholarship
-Iacucci and the Pioneer offense outgained Walsh by the slimmest of margins, 324-316
-Malone totaled 204 yards on the ground compared to 169 for the victors
-Walsh was penalized 10 times for 118 yards. The Cavaliers were flagged six times for unsportsmanlike conduct
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Blasiole finished up an outstanding performance with 235 yards (170 rushing, 65 receiving) and two touchdowns
-Iacucci ended the game with 120 yards passing
-Austin Cary led the defense with eight tackles and a sack
-Josh Correll, Jordan Johnson, and Ryan Weber recorded seven tackles each
 
Walsh Individual Highlights
-Aaron Male totaled 209 total yards (153 rushing, 56 receiving) and two scores
-Mitchell Ault completed 13-of-20 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown
-Trevor Smith led the Cavs with nine tackles while Tim Cook recorded two quarterback sacks
 
Up Next: Malone will host the University of God's Chosen next Saturday October 29th. The Senior Day kickoff is set for 2:00 pm.