MEADVILLE, Pa. -- Special teams plays set up two Grove City touchdowns in the first six minutes of the game Saturday evening to help the visiting Wolverines (4-2, 3-1) earn a 42-6 road win over Allegheny in Presidents' Athletic Conference action at Frank Fuhrer Field.
Senior running back
Ian Demeri (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) scored twice in the first quarter as Grove City jumped out to a 14-0 lead. Grove City forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, which junior cornerback
Levi Teets (Morgantown, W.Va./Trinity Christian) recovered at the Allegheny 26. Senior cornerback
Nick Heltzel (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley) forced the fumble.
Eight plays later, Demeri scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 10:30 left in the first period.
The Grove City defense then forced an Allegheny punt after three offensive plays. Senior linebacker
Ben Bladel (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon) blocked the punt and senior linebacker
Caleb Brubaker (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) returned the ball 13 yards to the Allegheny 2.
Demeri then plowed into the end zone from the 2. Freshman kicker
Brady Lane (Jefferson, Ga./Mill Creek) added the extra point to give Grove City a 14-point lead.
The lead grew to 21-0 with 7:39 left in the first half as junior quarterback
Sutton Ellis (Brunswick, Ga./Frederica Academy) scored on a one-yard sneak.
Grove City led 21-6 at halftime and then limited Allegheny to 84 total yards on 23 plays in the second half. The Wolverines pushed the lead to 28-6 midway through the third quarter when junior running back
Chase Rankin (Coventry Township, Ohio/Covenry) scored on a 12-yard jaunt. That capped an 11-play, 66-yard drive that used 6:42.
Ellis extended the lead to 35-6 with 7:20 left in the game when he tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to senior fullback
Anthony Brunette (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township). That marked Brunette's first career reception.
Freshman running back
Shepherd Miller (Bradenton, Fla./IMG Academy) scored on a two-yard run with 2:46 left to close the scoring. Junior kicker
Devon Thomas (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) added the conversion.
Teets also intercepted a pass for the Wolverines. Senior defensive end
Jordan Karczewski (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley) recovered a fumble that junior end
Dave Cowher (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) forced. Brubaker and Karczewski both had sacks.
Brubaker led Grove City with 11 tackles. Senior linebacker
Jack Jollie (Jeannette, Pa./Penn-Trafford) racked up eight stops. Grove City held Allegheny to 182 total yards on 56 plays. The Gators ran for 58 yards on 25 carries.
Meanwhile, Grove City finished with 166 rushing yards. Rankin led the Wolverines with 96 yards on 17 carries. Demeri added 59 yards on 14 attempts.
Junior wide receiver
Seth McGroerty (Middletown, Del./Red Lion Christian) caught five passes for a career-high 113 yards. Junior
Daniel Sullivan (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) added three catches for 43 yards.
Ellis completed 8 of 18 attempts for 108 yards. Senior quarterback
Ethan Wiley (Mercer, Pa./Mercer) completed 2 of 4 attempts in relief for 58 yards. Grove City finished with 332 total yards.
Winners of three straight games, Grove City hosts longtime rival Westminster (4-2, 3-1) next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Robert E. Thorn Field.