GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College's football team was within striking range the entire game on a rainy and gray Saturday afternoon at Rosenbloom Field, but couldn't quite catch Cornell College as the Rams escaped with a 23-13 win.
Hassan Thompson '19 celebrated Senior Day with a big game, collecting 4.5 tackles for loss which ranks fifth in program history. Offensively,
Dustin Saia '22 had an explosive day, generating 243 all-purpose yards which is 15th-best in program history. He gained 156 yards on six receptions and added another 87 yards rushing.
Max Hill '20 added three catches for 29 yards and also averaged 21.5 yards per punt return, 13th-best in program history.
Jake Kaplinski '22 completed 13-of-24 passes for 238 yards and a score. On defense,
Ryan Slager '19 had 14 stops,
Jeff Keele '19 added 10,
Rick Johnson '20 posted nine tackles and Thompson eight.
Grinnell trailed just 6-0 at halftime, with Cornell's score coming on its first series. After Cornell went up 13-0 midway through the third period, Grinnell went to work with an eight-play, 77-yard scoring drive that included a 10-yard rush by Kaplinski as well as a 63-yard completion to Saia all the way down to Cornell's 1-yard line. Three play later, Saia scored from a yard out.
Patrick Goldammer's '22 kick made it 13-7 with 2:41 left in the quarter.
But the Rams managed to score late in the period and again early in the fourth. Grinnell got its final score with 1:36 left in the game when Kaplinski passed to Saia for a 1-yard score. On the 6-play, 60-yard drive, Kaplinski had a 39-yard completion to Saia and 11-yarder to Hill.
Cornell ran out the clock from there to move to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the Midwest Conference South Division. Grinnell is 1-8 overall and 0-5 in the division.
Thompson now ranks 11th in program history for career tackles for loss with 27 and 13th in assisted tackles with 143. Keele is 15th in quarterback sacks with 9.5 and
Ben Lim '19 ranks 15th in punt returns with 17.
In terms of the all-time best list for a season, Slager ranks fifth in total tackles with 146 and unassisted tackles with 77, and ninth in assisted tackles with 69. Keele is ninth in tackles for loss yardage with 66. As a team, Grinnell's 139 yards from sacks rank 10th.
The Pioneers finish off their 2018 campaign next Saturday at Beloit College.
