GREENVILLE, Pa. – Quarterback Matt Grimard ran for two touchdowns and threw for a touchdown Saturday to lead the visiting Bethany Bison to a 26-13 win over the Thiel Tomcats at Alumni Stadium.
 
The Tomcats held the momentum early in the game after they mounted an 8-play, 53-yard drive on their opening possession to take an early 7-0 lead. Freshman running back Josh Potter (Chipley, Fla./Chipley) highlighted the drive with seven carries for 27 yards before quarterback Andrew Smith (Williamsfield, Ohio/Pymatuning Valley) scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 11:11 remaining in the first quarter.
 
Bethany threatened to score on two drives in the second quarter. The first of those drives, which began on the last play of the first quarter, ended at the Thiel 31-yard line when Grimard's fourth-down pass intended for Ed Holmes fell incomplete. On their next possession, the Bison drove down to the Thiel 14-yard line, but Grimard's pass on third-and-goal was intercepted at the goal line by Thiel defensive back Julian McLean (Clairton, Pa./Clairton), who returned the ball to the 17-yard line.
 
The Tomcats picked up one first down on their ensuing offensive possession on a 24-yard run by Potter, but the drive stalled at the Thiel 41-yard line.
 
Bethany went on to score on its next possession, capping off a 10-play, 79-yard drive with 36 seconds left in the first half when Grimard scored on a 14-yard run. The extra point attempt was no good, however, and the Tomcats held a slim 1-point lead at the half.
 
The Bison drove down to the Thiel 19-yard line on the opening possession of the second half but could not convert a crucial fourth-and-4 play to keep possession.
 
The Tomcats responded with a long drive of their own on the following drive but, like the Bison the series before, could not convert an important fourth-and-4 play at the Bethany 22-yard line.
 
After Bethany went 3-and-out on its next series, Thiel mounted another long drive that appeared to end with a Jon Fennick (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock ) 36-yard field goal. However, Bethany was flagged for roughing the kicker on the play, which gave the Tomcats a fresh set of downs at the 10-yard line.  The drive was halted two plays later, however, when Jordan Joyce intercepted a Smith pass.
 
Joyce's interception ignited the Bethany offense, which embarked on what would eventually count as the game-winning drive. Grimard ran for a first down on the drive and threw for two first downs before scoring on a 5-yard run to cap the 12-play, 87-yard drive that consumed nearly five minutes of game clock. Bethany's 2-point conversion try failed, but the Bison held a 12-7 lead.
 
Later in the fourth quarter, Grimard went on to throw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Eric Blinn and Phil Acrie scored a touchdown on an 11-yard run.
 
Thiel's offense was able to mount a good drive late in the fourth quarter that ended with a 17-yard pass from Smith to senior receiver Zane Garza (Conneaut, Ohio/Conneaut).
 
Taylor Fink (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) paced the Tomcats on the ground with 12 carries for 92 yards. Smith ran 16 times for 67 yards while Potter also carried 16 times for 65 yards. Acrie paced Bethany with 55 yards rushing on 12 totes.
 
Grimard completed 26-of-40 passes for 293 yards. He threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass. Smith completed six passes for 59 yards, one of which was a 17-yard TD pass to Garza.
 
Blinn caught eight passes for Bethany for 182 yards, including a 43-yard TD pass from Grimard.
 
Senior linebacker Ethan Ludwig (East Liverpool, Ohio/East Liverpool) made 14 tackles for Thiel, two of which were for a loss of yards. Senior defensive end Tim Taylor (Girard, Pa./Erie Cathedral Prep) recorded two sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and forced one fumble.
 
Joyce intercepted two passes for Bethany. Greg Lotozo made nine tackles, 2.5 of which were for a loss of yards.
 
Thiel (2-6, 2-4 PAC) will travel to New Wilmington, Pa., Saturday to face the Westminster Titans. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.