NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Sophomore cornerback
Cameron Epps (Pittsburgh, Pa./South Allegheny) returned an interception 64 yards for a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter while sophomore running back
Braxtyn Brown (Berwick, Pa./Columbia Montour Vo-Tech) charged through the Westminster defense for a career-high 146 yards and the first three touchdowns of his collegiate career Saturday night as the Grove City College football earned a 34-19 come-from-behind Presidents' Athletic Conference road win over Westminster at Memorial Field.
Epps had two of Grove City's three interceptions Saturday night while freshman safety
Joshua Louk (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) also picked off a pass for the Wolverines (3-2, 2-0), who earned their third straight victory.
Westminster held a 16-13 lead in the third quarter and had possession at the Grove City 43. On third down, Epps jumped in front of a Sean O'Shea pass and sprinted 64 yards to the end zone, giving Grove City a 20-16 lead with 3:41 left in the third quarter.
Westminster drove to the Grove City 2 early in the fourth quarter but the Wolverines stuffed O'Shea on fourth-and-1, preserving the 20-16 lead. Brown ran for 21 yards on the first play of the drive. Three plays later, Brown sprinted 64 yards to the end zone, pushing the lead to 27-16 with 11 minutes left.
Brown then helped seal the win with a 26-yard touchdown jaunt with 5:07 left in the game.
Westminster opened the game with a 7-minute, 13-play, 88-yard touchdown drive that Geno Perry capped with a 12-yard touchdown run. Grove City junior wide receiver
John Perry (Cortland, Ohio/Howland) deflected the extra point, however.
The Titan lead grew to 9-0 on a 23-yard field goal by Mitchell Tingley. Westminster had first and goal at the 5 but Grove City forced the field goal.
Grove City took its first lead of the night by scoring twice in the final two minutes of the half. Louk's interception off a deflection gave Grove City possession at midfield with 4:53 left in the half. Seven plays later, sophomore quarterback
Mike Hollomon (Princeton, N.J./The Pingry School) fired a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver
Darviae Gray (Buffalo, N.Y./Amherst Central). The extra point failed.
Grove City forced a Westminster punt and took possession at its own 30 with 37 seconds left in the half. After a penalty, Gray's 23-yard catch gave Grove City a first down at the 48. Hollomon then lofted a 51-yard bomb to senior wide receiver
Sam Penna (Johnstown, Pa./Richland), whose catch gave Grove City first-and-goal at the 1. Brown bulled in for his first score of the night with eight seconds left in the half.
Hollomon finished 11 of 19 for 177 yards. Gray had seven receptions for 88 yards.
Sophomore linebacker
Nick Clemens (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) recorded a sack for Grove City. Junior cornerback
Noah Wheeler (McKinney, Texas/McKinney Christian) led Grove City with 11 tackles while sophomore linebacker
Oliver Smith (Vienna, Va./Marshall) highlighted his first start by making 10 stops.
Westminster out-gained Grove City, 479-348. The Titans ran 71 plays while Grove City executed 47. The Wolverines averaged 7.4 yards per play. Westminster finished 4 for 10 on third down after converted its first three chances.
Quentin Goode threw for 200 yards on 21-of-33 passing. The Wolverines twice intercepted Goode. Jayveerh White ran for 148 yards.
The game marked the first night meeting between the opponents in New Wilmington. The teams played night games at Grove City in 2011 and during the spring 2021 COVID season. Grove City wore its red jerseys on the road for the first time since the 2015 opener at Juniata.
Grove City has won four straight meetings in the series.
The Wolverines will host conference foe Hiram next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Robert E. Thorn Field.
