SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University football team hosted Macalester for the battle of the Paint Bucket at Klas Field on Saturday afternoon. For the second year in a row, the Scots took home the bucket via a 33-20 victory over the Pipers.
Macalester, who has now won four of the last five meetings for the Paint Bucket, improve to 3-5, 1-5 MIAC. Hamline drops to 2-6, 0-6 MIAC on the season.
Macalester 33, Hamline 20
Both teams battled their way to a 0-0 score through one quarter, but it was Macalester who led from start-to-finish in the contest. They kicked-off the second frame with a 15-play drive that chewed up 6:45 of possession time. That 86-yard drive ended with Nick Bice's eight-yard touchdown catch from Michael Nadeau that gave Macalester an 8-0 lead following a successful 2-point conversion with 4:44 left in the second quarter.
The Pipers answered right back as backup quarterback Nick Grande began to find a rhythm with three completed passes on the ensuing drive. Grande would find Dorrayn Tapplin for a 23-yard touchdown connection with 2:37 remaining in the frame, but would still trail 8-6 after a failed two-point conversion.
The Scots would maintain that lead, and push it to as wide as 33-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
Charlie Wilson had a hand in both Hamline touchdowns throughout the fourth quarter. His 33-yard touchdown toss to Malik Wynn at the 11:09 mark narrowed the score to 33-13, before his nine-yard touchdown reception from Grande with 2:10 left made things 33-20.
Wilson, who finished the game with four catches for 35 yards and one touchdown, tied the single-season school record for receptions in a season with 71. Kevin Graslewicz broke the record with 71 in 1984.
Nick Grande went 10-of-20 passing for 142 yards and two touchdowns for Hamline. Sam Fritz and Jevon Jones tied for a team-leading eight tackles.
Macalester's Michael Nadeau finished 31-of-51 passing for 273 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Hamline will travel to Concordia (Minn.) on Saturday, November 5 for a 1 p.m. game time.
