BETHANY, W.Va. -- The Grove City offense surpassed the 500-yard mark for the fourth time in the 2022 season while the Wolverines' defense recorded its first touchdown of the season Saturday as Grove City rolled to a 55-7 win Saturday afternoon over host Bethany in Presidents' Athletic Conference football action at Don Ault Field. Grove City stormed out to a 27-0 lead in the first quarter, then extended the lead to 41-0 by halftime.

Grove City amassed 529 total yards and 32 first downs Saturday. Grove City's ground attack generated 295 rushing yards while sophomore quarterback Logan Pfeuffer (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) completed 10 of 13 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns in his two quarters of action. Pfeuffer's three touchdown passes all came in the first quarter to help Grove City charge out to a 27-0 lead.

Pfeuffer capped Grove City's game-opening 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 43-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Scott Fraser (Butler, Pa./Knoch), giving Grove City a 6-0 lead with 10:54 left in the quarter.

Fifty-two seconds later, senior defensive end Ben Bladel (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon) stripped Bethany quarterback Marquice Robinson, picked up the fumble and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. Senior kicker Nick Morrow (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) hit the first of his seven extra points, pushing the lead to 13-0.

Junior wide receiver Ryan Heckathorn (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) caught a 24-yard touchdown strike from Pfeuffer with 4:10 left in the first quarter, extending the lead to 20-0. Freshman wide receiver Gavin Mauger (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) scored on Grove City's next offensive play when he hauled in Pfeuffer's 50-yard touchdown pass with 1:59 left in the opening quarter.

The Wolverines added a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second quarter. Sophomore running back Nico Flati (Aliquippa, Pa./West Allegheny) scored on a three-yard run with 9:12 left in the half. After Bladel forced and recovered another fumble, junior Joey Guida (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) sprinted 29 yards to the end zone with 8:05 left in the half. 

Freshman Ian Demeri (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Trafford) scored on a two-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and on a one-yard plunge in the fourth period.

Flati led Grove City with 76 yards on 14 attempts. Demeri had 72 yards on 13 carries. Senior Clayton Parrish (Mercer, Pa./West Middlesex) added 50 yards on 13 carries in the first half. Fraser caught five passes for 98 yards. 

Junior linebacker Cole DeFillippo (Jeannette, Pa./Penn Trafford) also forced and recovered a fumble for Grove City (5-1, 3-1 PAC). Senior linebacker Parker Kilgore (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler), senior cornerback Andrew Mason (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) and freshman linebacker Nathan Kadosh-Harris (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) all had a team-high five tackles.

Junior quarterback Ayden Gutierrez (Morrisdale, Pa./West Branch) played the second half and completed 3 of 7 passes for 42 yards. 

Robinson completed 18 of 27 passes for 178 yards. Grove City held Bethany to 47 rushing yards on 18 attempts. Bethany finished with 225 total yards. Grove City held a 40:05-19:55 edge in time of possession.

Grove City will visit conference foe Allegheny at 7 p.m. next Saturday in Meadville.