The Malone University football team came out on the losing end of 60-55 offensive explosion with Alderson Broaddus University Saturday afternoon at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, falling to 2-6 on the season and 1-5 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Alderson Broaddus, meanwhile, improved to 3-6 on the season and 2-4 in the G-MAC.  
 
Defense was seemingly non-existent for much of the contest as the two squads combined for 1300 yards of offense and 17 total touchdowns. The 115 combined points were the most-ever in a Malone game and the most-ever in G-MAC history. Despite giving up 60 points, the 2nd-most in team history, Malone had a historic day offensively, breaking numerous records in defeat.
 
Recap
The day's first record was broken on the very first play from scrimmage when senior tailback Matt Blasiole busted off an 86-yard touchdown run, rumbling to the endzone for a 7-0 Pioneer lead. Blasiole's touchdown was the first of six between the two teams in the opening quarter.

Following a game-tying 100-yard kickoff return touchdown, Malone answered later when a wide-open Dakota Hobbs found the endzone on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Deandre Clayton. Hobbs' touchdown was the second of four one-play touchdown drives by Malone in the first half.
 
The Pioneers' third touchdown of the quarter came after senior wide receiver Ashton Dulin returned a kickoff 65 yards to the Alderson Broaddus 31. On the play, Dulin became the all-time leader in all-purpose yards at Malone, passing Justin McLean's previous mark of 4,842. Three plays later, Dulin hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass to make it a 21-13 game.
 
Another AB touchdown and a missed extra point kept the Battlers down 21-19 at the end of the quarter. Malone responded with back-to-back touchdowns to take a 34-19 lead early in the second. Clayton hooked up with Hobbs from 37 yards out for the first score. Then, after a sack-fumble by Arrington Dulin, the Clayton-Hobbs pair connected for a third touchdown, this one a 67-yard catch and run on the first play of the drive. With his third score, Hobbs tied a school record for receiving touchdowns in a half.

Following another Battler touchdown that cut the deficit to 34-26, Clayton set his own school record for touchdown passes in a half when he completed his fifth in just the 21st minute of the game. The redshirt sophomore quarterback found Dulin on a deep crossing route as the senior sprinter broke away for a 65-yard touchdown.
 
Dulin's 65-yard catch on the first play of the drive gave Malone a 41-26 lead with 9:18 remaining in the second quarter. It also gave Dulin the Malone all-time record in career receiving yards as he passed Derek Deardorff, who held the previous mark with 2,838.
 
After Alderson Broaddus cut the deficit to 41-33 with a 7-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, Malone slowed things down with a 12-play, 83-yard touchdown drive that took 5:29 off the clock. Clayton capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal, jumping over the top of the line on a quarterback power. A PAT by Marcus Moeller gave Malone a 48-33 lead, which held through the end of the second quarter.
 
The 48 points accounted for were the second-most in a half in Malone history, one shy of the 49 Malone scored in the second half against Alderson Broaddus in 2013. By halftime, Malone had piled up a video game-like 494 yards of offense on just 38 plays (13 yards per play). Deandre Clayton had more passing touchdowns (5) than incompletions (3) as he started 15-of-18 for 321 yards and the Pioneers scored touchdowns on seven of nine drives, including a stretch of six straight.
 
A 68-yard Alderson Broaddus touchdown pass just 75 seconds into the second half combined with a two-point conversion cut the lead to 48-41. On the subsequent possession, Malone went back to work on a 7-play, 47-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Matt Blasiole.
 
Blasiole's touchdown run gave Malone a 55-41 lead with 10:49 remaining in the second half, but the Pioneers were held scoreless over the final 25+ minutes of the game. AB scored again on a 13-play, 58-yard drive to cut the deficit to 55-47 before Malone missed a 31-yard field goal. The Battlers put would together yet another touchdown drive, but missed the two-point conversion try.
 
Entering the fourth quarter with a 55-53 lead, the Pioneers were driving deep into Battler territory, but lost the football on a fumble at the 18-yard line. Alderson Broaddus responded with an 18-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that lasted nearly six-and-a-half minutes and put the visitors on top for the first time in the game-with 5:21 left to play.
 
Forced to punt on their next drive, the Pioneers needed a huge defensive play to give themselves the ball back with a chance to score. They got that play from Arrington Dulin when he recovered an Alderson Broaddus fumble at the Malone 40-yard line with 2:47 left to go.
 
The Pioneers moved the ball to the Alderson Broaddus 27-yard line on a potential game-winning drive, but the march stalled on three incomplete passes. With no timeouts left, Malone was forced to watch the Battlers take a knee as they held on for the 60-55 come-from-behind road victory.
 
Game Highlights
-Malone finished with 677 yards of total offense, the second-most in school history and 14 shy of the school record 691 set against Walsh in 2007.
-The Pioneers' 483 passing yards were the most in program history.
-Malone added 194 yards rushing and finished with 28 total first downs, the most since 2012. In total, Malone averaged 9.8 yards per play.
-Alderson Broaddus finished with 35 first downs and 623 yards of offense – the most since Lake Erie collected 36 first downs and 833 yards of offense in 2013.
-The Battlers added 326 yards of returns yardage to finish with 949 all-purpose yards. AB went 8-of-14 on third downs and 3-of-4 on fourth downs, but missed three extra points and a field goal.
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Deandre Clayton completed a season-high 28 of 36 passes for 483 yards and five touchdowns. The 483 yards were the most-ever by a Pioneer quarterback. His five touchdown passes tied for second-most in a single-game, one shy of Billy Bob Orsagh's six against Marian in 2008. He also added eight yards rushing along with the touchdown on his way to setting the school record for total offense (491 yards).
-In addition to becoming Malone's all-time leader in receiving and all-purpose yards, Ashton Dulin recorded the fourth-most all-purpose yards in a single game (335). He registered 11 receptions (two shy of a school record) and 164 yards receiving, six kickoff returns for 156 yards, and three carries for 15 yards. With his two touchdown catches, he now has 10 on the season (t-4 in school history). He also has 14 total touchdowns (t-4 in school history). Dulin also passed Deardorff for third all-time at Malone with 33 career touchdowns.
-Dakota Hobbs had a tremendous game, catching eight passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns. He became the 10th receiver in Malone history with three touchdowns and just the second to eclipse 200 yards receiving. His 231 yards were just four short of Ashton Dulin's 235 yards set last season against Missouri S&T.
-Matt Blasiole set the Pioneer record for longest rush (86) on his way to a season-high 153 yards on just 15 carries. He added four catches for 43 yards, ending the day with 196 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns.
-Arrington Dulin tallied seven tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
 
Alderson Broaddus Individual Highlights
-Quarterback Joe Czelusniak was 26-of-34 passing for 353 yards and five touchdowns.
-Maurice Thomas totaled 204 yards (141 rushing, 63 receiving) and three touchdowns.
-Zack Lake caught 10 passes for 100 yards and three more scores.
-Dante Waugh recorded 290 yards on kickoff returns, including a 100-yard touchdown in the first half.
 
Up Next
Malone will travel to Findlay next Saturday, November 3rd for the final road game of the season before returning home to host Walsh in the season finale on November 10th. Both games kickoff at 1:00 pm.