40 point differential leads Wolverines to 5th straight win
By Sam Fetherlin · Staff Writer
WAYNESBURG — Grove City football extended its perfect start to conference play with a dominant 47-7 victory at Waynesburg University on Saturday afternoon.
Grove City senior Darviae Gray set the tone early, catching two touchdowns from sophomore quarterback Mike Hollomon in the first quarter alone.
With those 11-and-12-yard scores, Gray reached seven receiving touchdowns this season, including six in four conference games.
“Our senior leadership has been incredible, and the performances Saturday are a good example of that,” coach Andrew DiDonato said. “This is one of our biggest senior classes in program history. They’ve helped lead the program to accomplish things we had never done before on the field. … We talk a lot about finding our joy and satisfaction in Christ. It’s been a blessing to see the way this class has lived that out while leading and discipling others.”
Waynesburg struck back with a touchdown five minutes into the second quarter to make it 14-7, halving Grove City’s lead. The Wolverines quickly responded with two more second-quarter touchdowns.
DiDonato said the road game didn’t faze his team.
“A foundational phrase in our program is, ‘Focus on your vision, not your circumstance.’ We have a vision for every position in our program,” he said. “We talk often about living in vision, which helps prepare us for the change of circumstances when we travel.”
Sophomore wide receiver Kaden Spencer recorded a 5-yard touchdown reception with 4:55 remaining in the half, before senior running back Sutton Ellis scored on a 2-yard rush with only 19 seconds remaining. The halftime score was 26-7 after Grove City missed two extra point attempts.
The third quarter brought more of the same: two Grove City touchdowns. Ellis scored again on the ground before freshman running back Nico Casciato added a 12-yard rushing touchdown, the first of his collegiate career.
“It felt nice being able to contribute to the team’s success in that way, but honestly, I see it more as a reflection of the work put in by my teammates and coaches,” Casciato said. “It’s always easier when you have people that have your back.”
In the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Zier Williams scored his first touchdown as a Wolverine with a 2-yard rush.
The final score reflected the Wolverines’ statistical superiority; Grove City racked up 424 total yards compared to Waynesburg’s 180, split almost evenly between rushing yards (209) and passing yards (215).
Grove City’s success can partly be attributed to its third-down efficiency (11 for 12) and red zone efficiency (seven for seven). In addition, the defense recorded three sacks, capping a well-rounded team performance.
Hollomon finished with 17 completions on 23 attempts, 173 passing yards and three touchdowns. The game marked his highest completion percentage of the season.
Elsewhere, Gray led the receiving corps with 86 yards, while freshman Casciato led the backfield with 98 yards on 15 carries.
“Going into the game, our mindset was to stay focused and treat it like any other week,” Casciato said. “We knew that as long as we lived in vision, everything else would come on its own. I think what led to the dominant win was how well we executed in all phases of the game. We played physical, limited mistakes and stayed disciplined from start to finish.”
The victory moved Grove City to 4-0 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). The Wolverines have scored at least five touchdowns in each conference game this season.
“My first season has been a great learning experience,” Casciato said. “The biggest adjustment has been the speed and physicality of the college game, but it’s been fun getting to learn. Just being able to build with the group of guys I get to has been a blessing.”
Next, Grove City travels to Washington & Jefferson for a 6 p.m. game Saturday that may decide the conference title. The two are the only undefeated teams remaining in the PAC, as Washington & Jefferson sits at 5-0.
