Tiffin University successfully opened its 2010 football season with a 31-21 victory over Malone University, scoring 14 unanswered points in the third quarter to give them a solid lead that it did not relinquish.
The Dragons, who never trailed in the game, opened scoring with an 11-play, 77 yard drive to start the game, capping it off with a 9-yard run by running back David McKnight at the 9:35 mark.
Malone answered at the 1:40 mark of the first quarter with an 82 yard drive of their own, with Matt Kiel catching a 3-yard pass from Logan Francis to knot the score at 7-7.
The Dragons answered immediately with a 9-play, 78 yard drive at the start of the second quarter, with Brendton Williams hauling in a sensational 40 yard TD reception from quarterback Nate Scully at the 11:54 mark and putting TU back up 14-7.
Malone returned the favor with 6:01 on the clock, as running back Marcus McFolling grinding out an 18 yard run to tie the score at 14-14.
TU refused to back down before the half, as kicker Mike Rutkowski capped off a 55 yard drive with a 41 yard field goal with just 18 seconds left on the clock in the first half and giving the Dragons a 17-14 lead heading into the halftime break.
The third quarter proved critical for the Dragons, as they scored twice late in the period to give themselves a substantial lead late in the game. Trey Williams caught a 13 yard pass in the corner of the end zone at the 4:52 mark to jump ahead 24-14.
But the Dragons were not done yet, as defensive back Mike Virgin stopped a driving Malone offense with an 84-yard interception return at the 4:09 mark for a touchdown that catapulted TU to a 31-14 lead. Virgin had a superb game, registering 9 tackles with 2 interceptions in the game.
Malone did manage to score on a 17 yard pass from Matt Kiel to Ryan Boland with 14:57 left in the game, but they were unable to get any closer, as a swarming Dragons defense registered 6 sacks in the game.
Kody David had 7 tackles, 3 for loss with 2 sacks, while DeJuan Graham and Doug Marshall also had sacks. Seven different Dragons were in on Malone sacks. TU had 11 tackles for loss along with three interceptions.
Scully had a strong game passing the ball, completing 18 of 25 passes for 253 yards and 2 TDs with just one interception. Trey Williams had 9 catches for 116 yards while David Singleton also had 7 catches for 78 yards and Brendton Williams added 59 more yards on 2 receptions.
David McKnight had 85 tough rushing yards while Rutkowski was perfect with 4 PATs and a 41 yard field goal. Williams and Singleton also combined for 280 all-purpose yards.
