The Malone University football team scored five touchdowns for the third consecutive contest, but came out on the losing end Saturday against Hillsdale College by a 45-35 final tally. The Homecoming Day loss dropped Malone to 1-3 on the season and 1-2 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Hillsdale, meanwhile, improved to 4-1 on the season and 3-0 in the G-MAC.
 
During halftime, Pioneer seniors Ryan Logan and Katie Grimes were named the 2018 Homecoming King and Queen.
 
Recap
One year after dropping a 45-7 decision to Hillsdale in Michigan, Malone needed just over four minutes to match last year's scoring output. The Pioneers received the opening kickoff and set up shop at the Hillsdale 38 following a 44-yard return by senior playmaker Ashton Dulin. Malone covered the 38 yards on just six plays, including a 2-yard touchdown run by quarterback Deandre Clayton. The 7-0 lead was Malone's first-ever in four games against Hillsdale.
 
The Malone scoring drive was the first of four straight between the two squads. Hillsdale answered with a 9-play, 78-yard scoring march that included three third-down conversions and a 5-yard touchdown reception by All-American receiver Trey Brock.
 
On the ensuing possession, Malone traveled 65 yards over six plays to retake the lead. An 18-yard reception by Riley Escalle on 3rd-and-11 kept the drive alive and a 30-yard reception by Dulin set up Malone in the redzone. Clayton capped off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown scamper.
 
Down 14-7, Hillsdale would score the next 17 points and never trailed again. Quarterback Chance Stewart found Brock a second time from 48 yards out to tie the game at 14-14. The Chargers made it a 24-14 contest midway through the second quarter with a 32-yard field goal and a 33-yard touchdown pass on consecutive drives.
 
The Pioneers cut the lead to three with a third touchdown drive just before half. Set up with excellent field position following a botched long snap, Malone covered 28 yards on seven plays and closed the gap to 24-21 on a Clayton-to-Dulin 4-yard touchdown pass. Dulin's acrobatic catch near the end line was his fifth receiving touchdown of the season.
 
After trading punts on the first two possessions of the second half, the two teams continued the offensive showcase with three straight touchdown drives. The first of which, a 7-play, 75-yarder by Hillsdale, saw Brock find the endzone for the third time.
 
Trailing 31-21, Malone answered with a 6-play, 64-yard drive highlighted by a pair of long runs by Keon Singleton and a 2-yard touchdown run by the redshirt sophomore back. The Chargers countered with a 6-play, 65-yard touchdown drive that extended their lead to 38-28 with 2:22 left in the third quarter. Hillsdale made it a 45-28 contest a minute into the fourth on its sixth touchdown of the game.
 
Clayton and the Malone offense went back to work and engineered an 11-play, 62-yard scoring drive highlighted by two third-conversion passes to Dakota Hobbs. Clayton capped off the scoring with his third touchdown run of the game, a 7-yarder that cut the deficit to 45-35.
 
An interception by Kei Beckham in the endzone on Hillsdale's next possession gave Malone all the momentum, but the subsequent drive stalled in its own territory. Following a punt, Malone held Hillsdale on a fourth-down conversion try and took over again near midfield with 3:41 to play. A 3rd-and-20 conversion run by Clayton ignited a spark in the Malone offense and excited the Homecoming crowd, but an interception on the very next play all but ended it.
 
Game Highlights
-The two teams combined for 53 first downs, including 28 by Hillsdale. The 25 by Malone were the most since piling up 27 vs. Notre Dame (OH) in 2016.
-The Chargers converted 8-of-13 third down conversion tries, including eight of their first 11. Malone finished 8-of-16 on third downs, marking the most since totaling nine against Michigan Tech in 2015.
-Hillsdale outgained Malone 566-365 in total yards. Of the 566 yards, 450 came through the air.
-The Pioneers racked up four rushing touchdowns, the most since running for four against Taylor in the 2016 season opener.
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-The three rushing touchdowns by Deandre Clayton equaled the most-ever by a Pioneer quarterback. Clayton finished with 74 yards rushing on 19 carries in addition to 196 yards and a touchdown on 22-of-40 passing.
-Ashton Dulin scored a touchdown for his fifth straight game. He finished with 71 yards on nine catches and 75 yards on kickoff and punt returns.
-Keon Singleton totaled 63 yards on just six carries (10.5 ypc)
-Outside linebacker Christian Mathews was in on a career-high 14 tackles.
-Middle linebacker Mahlon Slaughter and safety Lamon Mathison each recorded 10 tackles.
-Kei Beckham recorded his second interception of the season.
-Fred Johnson registered his first collegiate sack.
 
Hillsdale Individual Highlights
-Chance Stewart completed 30-of-43 passes for 450 yards and four touchdowns.
-Trey Brock caught nine of those passes for 173 yards and three scores.
-Konnor Maloney added seven receptions for 143 and a touchdown.
-Tailback David Graham ran for a game-high 87 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
-Defensive end Schuyler Snell recorded 2.5 sacks.
 
Up Next
Malone will travel to Tiffin next Saturday, October 6th for the first of three straight road games.