HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Grove City College football team opened the 2021 season Saturday afternoon by rolling to a 39-14 victory at Juniata in non-conference play at Chuck Knox Field.

The Grove City defense recorded a safety, held Juniata to 39 rushing yards, and carried a shutout into the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Wolverine offense produced a 300-yard passer, two 100-yard receivers, a 100-yard rusher and a second running back who ran for four touchdowns. 

Senior quarterback Josh Ehst (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) completed 16 of 28 passes for 323 yards and a touchdown. Senior wide receiver Cody Gustafson (Newburg, Pa./Shippensburg) caught 10 passes for 159 yards and a score while sophomore Scott Fraser (Butler, Pa./Knoch) highlighted his first college start by catching five balls for 114 yards. 

Junior running back Clayton Parrish (Mercer, Pa./West Middlesex) rumbled for 71 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries. Meanwhile, freshman running back Nico Flati (Aliquippa, Pa./West Allegheny) ran for a game-high 105 yards on 17 carries. Grove City finished with 543 total yards and 24 first downs.

Senior kicker Nick Morrow (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) opened the scoring by drilling a 29-yard field goal 1:40 into the first quarter. Parrish pushed the lead to 10-0 with a two-yard touchdown run at the 3:41 mark of the first quarter. His touchdown capped a 12-play, 60-yard drive.

The lead grew to 12-0 midway through the second quarter as the Wolverine defense forced a fumble that Juniata recovered in its own end zone for a safety. 

Gustafson caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Ehst with 27 seconds left in the half and Morrow's subsequent extra point put Grove City up 19-0.

Parrish scored from two yards out with 6:15 left in the third quarter, giving Grove City a 26-0 lead. He added respective touchdown runs of 13 and six yards in the fourth quarter, closing the scoring.

Senior linebacker Nik Grabiec (Newport, Pa./Newport) and junior linebacker Ryan Fleming (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) both recorded sacks for Grove City. Senior cornerback Branden Caffrey (Ashburn, Va./John Champe) and senior linebacker Parker Kilgore (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) each recorded a team-leading 10 tackles for Grove City.

Juniata quarterback Aaron Golberg completed 27 of 47 passes for 314 yards.

Grove City will open its home and Presidents' Athletic Conference schedules next Saturday night against Bethany. Kickoff at Robert E. Thorn Field will be 7 p.m.