GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College football team opened the 2022 season Saturday afternoon with a 63-6 victory over visiting Juniata in non-conference play at Robert E. Thorn Field. 

The Grove City offense amassed 624 total yards and 30 first downs, posting over 300 yards rushing and passing. Meanwhile, the Grove City defense held Juniata to nine first downs and a 2-for-13 effort on third down. Grove City also intercepted a pair of passes.

Sophomore quarterback Logan Pfeuffer (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) made his first collegiate start and threw for 283 yards on 19-of-25 accuracy. He threw a pair of touchdown passes to junior wide receiver Scott Fraser (Butler, Pa./Knoch) and also fired a 53-yard scoring strike to sophomore wide receiver Joshua Gregory (Alliance, Ohio/West Branch).

Fraser finished with 13 catches for 190 yards while Gregory added three receptions for 58 yards. 

Grove City took a 7-0 lead with 9:09 left in the first quarter when Pfeuffer fired a 56-yard touchdown pass to Fraser. Senior Nick Morrow (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) drilled the first of his school-record nine extra points following the touchdown.

The lead grew to 14-0 with 1:38 left in the opening quarter as Fraser caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Pfeuffer. Gregory's 53-yard touchdown catch pushed the lead to 21-0 with 12:51 left in the first half.

The Wolverines then scored the first of their five rushing touchdowns with 1:00 remaining in the half as senior running back Clayton Parrish (Mercer, Pa./West Middlesex) bulled into the end zone from four yards out. Grove City led 28-0 at halftime. 

Grove City then opened the second half with an 11-play, 60-yard drive that used 5:46. Parrish scored on a seven-yard run, extending the lead to 35-0.

Sophomore running back Nico Flati (Aliquippa, Pa./West Allegheny) scored on a 13-yard run with 4:41 remaining in the third quarter, capping a six-play, 45-yard drive. Senior linebacker Nik Grabiec (Newport, Pa./Newport) set up the short drive with an interception at midfield. 

Following a Juniata punt, junior quarterback Ayden Gutierrez (Morrisdale, Pa./West Branch) fired a 30-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Ryan Lenhart (New Castle, Pa./Shenango) with 2:29 left in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, freshman running back Ian Demeri (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Trafford) scored on an eight-yard run at the 13:49 mark and sophomore running back Shay Aitken (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) weaved through the Juniata defense for a 63-yard touchdown run with 5:42 left. 

Parrish led Grove City with 91 rushing yards on 16 carries while Aitken had 79 yards. Flati added 58 yards on 13 attempts and Demeri netted 54 yards on six carries. Grove City finished with 308 rushing yards, to go along with 316 passing yards. 

Junior safety Dominic Magliocco (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) also intercepted a pass in his first collegiate start for Grove City. Junior defensive tackle J.D. Black (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) recorded a quarterback sack. Senior defensive end Ethan Ward (Ashtabula, Ohio/Edgewood) and sophomore linebacker Justin Kabay (Butler, Pa./Butler) shared a sack.

Junior cornerback Trevor Beck (Port Matilda, Pa./State College) recorded a team-leading five tackles. 

Grove City held a 39:02-20:58 edge in time of possession. Grove City went 8 for 12 on third down and also went 2 for 2 on fourth down.

Hunter Wolfley led Juniata with 101 rushing yards on eight carries. Quarterbacks Noah Wright and Thomas O'Chuida combined to go 11 of 30 for 92 yards.

Grove City will host Geneva at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Robert E. Thorn Field.