Maloney breaks MWC tackles record in Pioneer football team's season finale

Maloney recorded 19 stops in the Pioneers' 34-12 season-finale home setback to Beloit College at Rosenbloom Field to give him 161 tackles on the season, beating the previous MWC and Grinnell best of 157 set by Lee Kraemer. Maloney, a linebacker who was among nine Pioneers honored during Senior Day activities, was also put into the game on the offensive side of the ball for a play in the fourth period and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Mike Bogard '12. Beloit led just 6-0 after one period on a 1-yard run by Terrance Steward, who rushed for 129 yards on the day. But the Buccaneers then erupted for 21 unanswered points in the second period for a 27-0 halftime edge. Steward had a 51-yard TD run for the visitors, while Matt Davis added scoring passes of 58 yards to Derek Carrier and 16 yards to Julian Ross. Beloit added another TD in the third period when Andy Christensen ran in from 16 yards out to make it 34-0. Grinnell got both its scores in the fourth period, beginning with an 11-yard TD scamper by Bogard with 13:21 left in the game. The 16-play, 86-yard drive began in the third period and included an 11-yard completion from Bogard to C.J. Moore '09, an 8-yard run by Bogard and 8-yard completion from Bogard to Kelsey Davis '12. The extra point kick after Bogard's TD was blocked. After holding Beloit and forcing a punt, the Pioneers went to work again. Bogard completed a 15-yard pass to Robert Seer '12 and Davis rushed for 17 yards. The 7-play, 40-yard drive was finished off by Bogard's pass to Maloney in the left corner of the end zone with 8:46 left. The extra point was no good. Bogard completed 21-of-41 passes for 221 yards, with Seer getting five catches for 111 yards and Moore five snags for 30 yards. Besides the defensive effort of Maloney, who had three tackles for loss among his stops, Tyler Schaeffer '09 had 10 tackles and Chris Chavez '10 seven. Grinnell finished its campaign at 3-7 overall and 2-7 in the MWC, while Beloit moved to 5-5 overall and 4-5 in the league.