GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College football team closed the 2016 season Saturday afternoon with a 47-41 home setback against Presidents' Athletic Conference rival Thiel at Robert E. Thorn Field.

Grove City trailed 34-7 late in the second quarter but rallied to tie the game at 41-41 in the fourth quarter. Thiel pulled ahead to stay with 3:09 left in the game when DeShawon Bracy hauled in a 46-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Radke.

Thiel led 27-0 in the first quarter but Grove City broke through with 8:56 left in the second quarter when freshman quarterback Brett Laffoon (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) scored on a one-yard sneak. 

Laffoon contributed to the Wolverines' second score of the afternoon when he threw a five-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Nick Ponikvar (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) with five seconds left in the half, cutting Thiel's lead to 34-14. 

Freshman running back Wesley Schools (Sparrowbush, N.Y./Port Jervis) cut the lead to 34-20 with 4:39 left in the third quarter by scoring on a two-yard touchdown run. Radke threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Rowland with 1:38 left in the third quarter, however, to push Thiel's lead to 41-20.

Grove City surged back in the fourth quarter by scoring 21 straight points. Laffoon fired a six-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Gabe Greco (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton).

Following an interception by freshman linebacker Reese Barger (Chicora, Pa./Karns City) that gave Grove City possession at the Thiel 32, Laffoon scrambled in from the 6 with 9:19 left. Freshman kicker Mitch Causer (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont-Hilltop) kicked his fourth extra point, cutting the lead to 41-34.

Sophomore cornerback Cobie Pratt (Vienna, Ohio/Mathews) thwarted Thiel's next drive with an interception at the Grove City 15. Five plays later, Laffoon lofted a game-tying 24-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Brett Pinson (Canton, Ohio/Jackson) with 4:15 left.

Laffoon completed 29 of 51 yards for 350 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 50 yards while Schools finished with 46 yards.
Greco caught a career-high 11 passes for 130 yards. Ponikvar had nine receptions for 123 yards while Pinson grabbed five passes for 68 yards.

Junior safety Andrew Seifert (Kettering, Ohio/Archbishop Alter) led Grove City with 12 tackles. Junior end Jacob Armbrecht (Streetsboro, Ohio/Streetsboro) recorded 1.5 sacks while senior end Dan Dorman (Canton, Ohio/GlenOak) had a sack. Junior tackle Quinton Reed (Oil City, Pa./Oil City) contributed a half-sack.

For Thiel, Radke threw for 317 yards on 17-of-26 accuracy. He also ran for 131 yards. Bracy had eight catches for 213 yards and three touchdowns.

Thiel outgained Grove City, 572-446. Grove City held a 29-28 edge in first downs.

Grove City now leads the Mercer County Cup series, 21-12.

Sixteen seniors will graduate from the Grove City program: cornerback Luke Brancato (Rockwood, Pa./Rockwood), fullback Ryan Brunson (Mercer, Pa./Mercer), kicker Payton Carlucci (Mars, Pa./Vincentian), quarterback Antonio Carroscia (Stow, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian), quarterback Drew Chorey (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island), cornerback Jimmy Cianciola (Uniontown, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban), linebacker Jeff Croll (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock), Dorman, linebacker Mike Elder (Irving, Texas/Highlands Christian (Fla.))wide receiver David Folkmire (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway), safety Ned Hull (Jenkintown, Pa./Jenkintown), quarterback Caleb Jakiel (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) , tight end Aaron Lundmark (Russell, Pa./Eisenhower), punter Anthony Marnejon (Columbiana, Ohio/Crestview), Pinson, and tackle Mitch Zajicek (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley).