Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- Senior linebacker Ben Bladel (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon Township) tied a single-game program record with four quarterback sacks Saturday night while junior running back Chase Rankin (Coventry Township, Ohio/Coventry) ran for a career-high 157 yards on 24 carries to help the Grove City College football team secure a 22-9 win at Geneva in Presidents' Athletic Conference action at Reeves Field.
Junior quarterback Sutton Ellis (Brunswick, Ga./Frederica Academy) completed 16 of 27 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Breck Peacock (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Academy) grabbed six passes for 103 yards and two scores while junior Sam Penna (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) had a team-high seven receptions for 70 yards.
The Grove City defense finished with five sacks, held Geneva to minus-10 rushing yards and recorded two interceptions. Sophomore safety Mason Clouse (Templeton, Pa./Redbank Valley) snuffed out a Geneva scoring opportunity in the third quarter by intercepting a pass at the Grove City 2.
Senior safety Keagan Fraser (Butler, Pa./Knoch) sealed the win with an interception with 2:31 left in the game.
Grove City trailed 3-0 in the second quarter but surged ahead with 7:08 left as Peacock hauled in a 75-yard touchdown pass from Ellis. The Wolverines then pushed to 13-3 moments before halftime when Peacock caught a two-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds left. That capped an 11-play, 58-yard drive that used 6:11 of clock.
The Wolverines then opened the third quarter with an 10-play, 67-yard touchdown march that consumed 6:30. Ellis fired a two-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Daniel Sullivan (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury), pushing the lead to 19-3.
Freshman kicker Brady Lane (Jefferson, Ga./Mill Creek) closed Grove City's scoring with five minutes left as he kicked a season-best 44-yard field goal.
Geneva (2-3, 2-1) cut the lead to 22-9 when Luke Crumbacher caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Romano on the first scrimmage play after Lane's kick.
Grove City accumulated a 41:23-18:37 edge in time of possession, including a 22:57-7:03 margin in the second half. The Wolverines finished with 375 total yards, including 193 rushing yards.
Bladel finished with seven total tackles, including five for loss. Fraser and senior linebacker Caleb Brubaker (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) both had six tackles. Fraser also forced a fumble. Junior defensive end Dave Cowher (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) and freshman nose tackle Kellan Taylor (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) shared a sack.
Romano completed 19 of 38 passes for 335 yards. Crumbacher had five catches for 150 yards. The game featured seven total penalties. Grove City committed three penalties for 15 yards. Geneva's four flags cost the Golden Tornadoes 26 yards.
Grove City (2-2, 1-1) will host Waynesburg University next Saturday at 2 p.m. It is the annual Homecoming game at Robert E. Thorn Field.