Box Score

GREENVILLE, Pa. – Three first period touchdowns and five turnovers helped Grove City College roll to a 35-3 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory over host Thiel Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

The win for Grove City (3-7, 5-5) was their fifth-straight over the Tomcats in the institutions' annual battle for the Mercer County Cup. Grove City has posted a 19-9 mark in the 28 Mercer County Cup meetings.

Senior Blaine Miller rushed 32 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns to pace the Wolverines offensively. In concluding his junior season Miller ran 33 times for 225 yards and two touchdowns in the Wolverines 31-25 win over the Tomcats in 2010.

Grove City finished with a 364-215 advantage in total yards and a commanding 244-67 edge in rushing yards while maintaining a 33:55-26:05advantage in time of possession, helped out by an 11:52-3:08 split in the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines managed to convert eight-of-14 (.571) third down opportunities, while the Tomcats struggled in converting just three-of-11 (.091) times on third down.

Brian Pell completed 11-of-17 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown and also carried the ball seven times for 37 yards in commanding the Wolverine offense.

Jimmy Bailey ran three times for 55 yards and a score while Dustin Anewalt hauled in three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Anthony Ritchie added three catches for 22 yards.

Ben Manwaring and Vince Angelo each tallied nine tackles for Grove City, with Manwarning adding 1.5 tackles for loss and Angelo a forced fumble. Tim Irwin chipped in with seven stops while Joe Diani added five tackles and a pair of interceptions.

Jared Soell (Oakmont, Pa./Riverview) finished 17-of-30 passing for 148 yards and three interceptions and ran 13 times for 27 yards for Thiel (0-10, 0-8). De'Von Drish (Bratenahl, Ohio/Ginn Academy) rushed 11 times for 32 yards, finishing his freshman campaign with 151 rushes for 538 yards and four touchdowns.

Bill Frizzi (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) and Zane Garza (Conneaut, Ohio/Conneaut) each caught four passes while Kyle Turkalj (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) hauled in three.

Ryan Dawes (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) finished with a career-best 13 tackles and a fumble recovery in his final collegiate game. Ethan Ludwig (East Liverpool, Ohio/East Liverpool) added 11 tackles and a blocked third quarter Ethan Witmer 21-yard field goal.

Grove City wasted no time in landing the first punch as Bailey scored from 49 yards out on just the Wolverines second offensive play, and after a Pat Donoughe extra point, the visitors assumed a 7-0 lead just 50 seconds into the game.

The Wolverines forced a Tomcat three-and-out on their ensuing possession, and after securing possession at the Thiel 36-yard line, Miller was able to punch it in from two yards out to cap an 11-play, 64-yard drive that took over six minutes off of the clock. The Donoughe extra was again true and the Wolverines upped their lead to 14-0 with 6:34 remaining in the first.

Following another three-and-out Grove City's Bailey retreated to his own 20 to corral a Thiel punt, and after a 66-yard return the visitors took possession at the Thiel 14-yard line.

Following an eight-yard completion to Ritchie and consecutive rushes by Miller the Wolverines saw their lead extend to 21-0 with just under four minutes to go in the opening period.

Cody McClelland (Sarver, Pa./Freeport)'s 31-yard field goal with 4:01 gone in second period put the Tomcats on the board, but Miller scored his third and final touchdown with 5:43 remaining in the second to give Grove City a 28-3 edge. Following a Thiel fumble on the ensuing kickoff Pell hooked up with Anewalt from nine yards out with 3:42 to go in the opening half to push the Grove City lead to 35-3.