The Beloit College football team fell to Grinnell College 41-31 in the team's final game of the 2018 season.
Sophomore Patrick Nicolas, who broke the Beloit College record for tackles in a game earlier this season at Ripon College, set the program record for tackles in a season registering nine in the contest for a season total of 143.
As the score would suggest, it was an offensive game from the onset. The Buccaneers won the toss and deferred to the second half so Grinnell received the opening kick. On the third play of the drive, Pioneer quarterback Jake Kaplinski found Dustin Saia for a 60-yard touchdown strike. With the point after, Grinnell took the early 7-0 lead.
Beloit responded in kind on their first drive of the game. Xavier Haynes' 30-yard kickoff return set up the Buc offense at their own 42. Facing a third and eleven, senior quarterback Erick Mitchell targeted fellow senior Ethan Conley for an 18-yard pickup. A sense of déjà vu two downs later as Mitchell found Conley this time for 15 yards on third and 10 to move the chains. Senior runningback Joey Werner was tapped for four of the next five plays taking the Bucs down to the two-yard line. After a small loss on first down, Mitchell went back to the air finding Travis Price in the endzone for the score. Andy Berlin's kick tallied the equalizer.
For the second time this season, the Buccaneer special teams defense scored on a PAT attempt by their opponent. Grinnell scored quickly marching 50 yards in four plays to take a 13-7 lead. On the point after attempt, a high snap was fumbled, picked up by Haynes and returned for paydirt, the rare defensive PAT to make it 13-9.
Beloit's final drive of the first quarter stalled in Pioneer territory and a pooch punt was downed at the Grinnell 13.
The Pioneers opened the second with a long drive. The Bucs stood up the Grinnell offenses at Beloit's three-yard line taking over on downs after a 19-play drive but Grinnell would get the ball back less than two minutes later as Sal Kargbo intercepted Mitchell and returned the pick to the Bucs' three.
Two plays later, the Pioneers found the endzone to take a 20-9 lead. Once again, the Buc offense responded.
Beloit drove 65 plays in nine plays bolstered by two Mitchell-Conley connections for 34 yards. Mitchell found Kentreyal Carraway in the endzone for the score and again on the two-point conversion to mke it 20-17. A roughing the passer call was enforced on the kickoff and Berlin set up the tee at midfield.
Catching everyone off guard, Berlin's onside kick went off the hands of a Grinnell defender and was recovered by the Buccaneers at the Grinnell 34-yard line. After an incompletiong, Mitchell found Price, then Carraway and finally Tyler Korous to reclaim the lead. Berlin's kick made it 24-20 in favor of the Bucs.
The defenses came out of the half strong as it took nearly 10 minutes into the third before the first score. On Grinnell's second drive of the half, Nicolas forced a fumble from the Pioneer halfback that was recovered by Trey Bishop at the Beloit 37. The Bucs were not able to capitalize on the turnover and were forced to punt. Berlin's kick was blocked up in the air by Jeff Keele at the Beloit 33 and Saia bounced back from the fumble catching the blocked kick and taking it the distance. The PAT was successful and the Pioneers retook the lead 27-24.
That gap widened after the Bucs turned the ball over on downs on the Pioneer side of midfield. On Grinnell's second play of the drive, Kaplinski found Carter, this time for 50 yards and the score. The point after gave Grinnell a 34-24 lead.
The Pioneers added to their total in their first drive of the fourth quarter. Grinnell went 58 yards in nine plays to take a 41-24 lead.
Mitchell was picked off seven plays into Beloit's responding drive but Bishop came up big on defense on the Pioneer possession. Bishop intercepted Kaplinski at the Grinnell nine-yard line returning it eight yards giving the Buc offense the ball on the doorstep. Mitchell went to his favorite target on the day, Conley for the score. Beloit lined up to attempt the two-point conversion and Mitchell's pass was intercepted but a penalty on Grinnell gave the Bucs a second shot at the point after. This time, opting to kick the extra point, Berlin booted the ball through the uprights to pull the Buccaneers to within 10, 41-31 with 7:33 remaining.
Grinnell went to the ground game taking precious time off the clock. The Pioneers drove to inside the Bucs' five-yard line but the Beloit defense held and Bishop nailed Saia for a loss on fourth and one to give the offense a chance with just over one-minute remaining.
The Buccaneers tried for the big play but an interception on second and five sealed the game.
Werner carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards to lead the Bucs in the backfield. Mitchell was 17 of 41 for 174 yards and four touchdowns through the air. Conley registered six receptions for 70 yards and a TD.
Defensively, Nicolas and Caleb Wachal each tallied nine tackles. Bishop recorded two tackles for a loss of six yards, recovered a fumble and picked off the Pioneer quarterback for an eight-yard return. Michael Lafayette burst through the line for two sacks and added 2.5 tackles for a loss of 12 yards in the game.
The Buccaneers end the 2018 season with a 1-9 mark.
