The Malone University football team opened up the 2016 campaign with a thrilling 39-33 overtime victory over visiting Taylor University (IN) in Fred Thomas' collegiate head coaching debut Saturday afternoon in Canton. The win marked the Pioneers' first season-opening victory since 2011 and snapped a 15-game overall losing streak dating back to 2014.
 
After trading punts on the first two possessions, Taylor struck first when Rich Giordani's eight-yard plunge capped off a six-play, 60-yard drive that gave the visitors a 7-0 advantage. The two teams traded punts once again before Malone would crack the scoreboard on its third possession.
 
Facing a 3rd-and-nine from their own 39-yard line, Matt Blasiole took a perfectly designed screen pass and raced up the left sideline untouched for a 61-yard score. Marcus Moeller's extra point attempt was true as the Pioneers knotted it up at 7-7.
 
Two Malone possessions later, the Pioneers marched 54 yards to set up a field goal attempt. Moeller split the uprights from 25 yards out to give the Pioneers a 10-7 lead. That score would hold until the Trojans' two-minute offense drove 47 yards on 11 plays to the Pioneers' 16 yard-line before a 33-yard field goal with :02 left on the first-half clock tied the game up at 10-10.
 
In the second half, the Pioneers wasted no time before going back in front. Ashton Dulin's 38-yard kickoff return gave Malone great starting field position near mid-field. On the first play from scrimmage, Matt Blasiole took the ball off right tackle, found some daylight, and sprinted to a 51-yard score as the Pioneers took a 17-10 lead.
 
The Pioneers would then force the Trojans into one of their nine punts on the afternoon before taking over at their own 38-yard line. Blasiole's 17-yard dash brought Malone over midfield. Two plays later, John Iacucci connected with sure-handed receiver Eian Elsass on a 33-yard strike down the seams. The drive would stall from that point but Moeller gave Malone a 20-10 lead six minutes into the half.
 
Later in the quarter, Taylor took advantage of excellent position following a short Malone punt. Taylor running back Tim Barrett carried it in from a yard out to make it a 20-17 contest with the 3:41 left in the third.
 
The Pioneers' next drive would carry them into them into an exciting fourth quarter. Facing a third-and short, Iacucci used a little deception before running 35 yards to paydirt. Expecting the Trojans to key on Blasiole, who shredded them for 162 yards through three quarters, Iacucci's perfect play fake on a read option left the middle of the field wide open as the redshirt-sophomore ran virtually untouched for the touchdown. A blocked extra-point attempt, that almost proved to be costly down the stretch, left the score at 26-17.
 
Yet another three-and-out from the Pioneers defense would force a Taylor punt. Dulin's 22-yard return, preceding a Trojans personal foul penalty, gave Malone another short field. Three plays in, slot receiver Alex Stotts took a sweep off the right edge and dashed 18 yards down the sideline for Malone's fourth touchdown of the afternoon. Stotts' TD gave the hosts a 33-17 lead with 9:20 to go.
 
Despite stifling the Taylor offense for most of the game, Malone's defense would surrender two scores in the next five minutes. Taylor quarterback Everett Pollard hooked up with Tim Barrett for a 70-yard catch-and-run on the second play of the next possession. A Pollard to tight end Hans Lundberg two-point conversion made it 33-25. Minutes later, the Trojans found the end zone again as Barrett bounced off left tackle for a 5-yard score. Another Pollard to Lundberg two-pointer knotted it up at 33-33.
 
Dumbfounded, the Pioneer offense quickly went three-and-out, giving Taylor a chance to drive for the winning score. The Pioneer defense stiffened up when it need to most and forced another punt. Malone would take a knee in the final seconds, satisfied for a chance at overtime.
 
After winning the coin toss, Malone took over on defense first in the overtime session. Taylor powered its way to the six-yard line before settling for a field goal attempt on 4th-and-1. Austi Gunderson's kick sailed wide right, leaving Malone in the driver's seat for a game-ending score.
 
Starting from the Taylor 25-yard line, Blasiole took the first down carry to the Trojans' 13. On the very next play, Iacucci went to his bag of tricks again, executing another perfect play fake before scampering for a 13-yard game-winning score. The Pioneer bench rushed the field to find their young quarterback as the stands erupted in thunderous applause among the craze and excitement. The touchdown sealed Iacucci's first win as a starting quarterback, Thomas' first win as the Pioneer's head coach, and Malone's first win since October of 2014.
 
Malone Individual Highlights:
-Iacucci finished the afternoon with 61 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go along 131 yards in the air on 10-of-18 passing.
-Blasiole totaled 233 yards of total offense and two touchdowns. His 178 rushing stripes was the second-highest output of his career.
-Eian Elsass caught three balls for 52 yards
-Hard hitting linebacker Keith Williams led the Pioneer defense with 13 tackles and two pass breakups
-Fellow linebacker Ryan Weber was in on 10 stops for Malone
 
Taylor Individual Highlights:
-Pollard finished 19-of-34 passing for 244 yards and two scores
-Tim Barrett led the Trojans with 103 yards rushing, 90 yards receiving, and three total scores
-Outside linebacker Cameron Gray led the defense with nine tackles
 
Game Highlights:
-Malone ran for 284 yards and four touchdowns on 6.8 yards per carry while holding Taylor to just 3.4 yards a rush
-Malone limited Taylor to just 3-of-16 on third-down conversions; the Trojans were 2-for-2 on fourth downs
-Neither team turned the ball over in the cleanly played contest
-The Pioneers' last victory was a 42-35 overtime win against Northern Michigan on October 11, 2014
-Malone improved to 8-7 all-time against Taylor
 
Up Next:
Malone will travel to play Truman State (MO) next Saturday, September 10th at 1:00 pm ET (12:00 pm CT).