SLIPPERY ROCK — Dropped passes and turnovers.

The Slippery Rock High football team likes to cause them.

Commit them, not so much.

Slippery Rock turned the ball over three times in the first half, contributing to 10 of Greenville's 17 first half points in a 17-0 loss Friday in the Rockets' home opener.

It was the second week in a row Slippery Rock's offense sputtered at the most inopportune times. The mistakes were even more costly against the Trojans.

“That's on me,” said Slippery Rock High coach Larry Wendereusz. “This is my offense.”

Slippery Rock's receivers didn't help either quarterback who played for the Rockets, Jake Shaffer and Vito Pilosi.

The Rockets dropped four passes in the first half, two going through receivers' hand for interceptions.

It put a sour note on a good defensive gameplan for Slippery Rock, which contained Greenville's two dangerous backs and actually out-gained the Trojans 140-84 in the first two quarters.

Greenville's first drive stalled at the Slippery Rock 35 when Sean Northcott grabbed a handful of Greenville quarterback Nate Bell's jersey for a sack at the Rockets 41 on a fourth-and-12.

The Trojans had converted a fourth down earlier in the drive.

Meanwhile Slippery Rock had a couple of sustained drives that stalled .

The Rockets drove to the Greenville 27 in the first quarter, but Shaffer's high passes went through the hands of his receiver and to Michael Blaney, who scooted down the right sideline for the first score of the game.

Slippery Rock advanced to the Greenville 16 late in the first half, but another dropped pass put and end to the drive.

“We have some work to do on offense,” Wendereusz said. “We didn't click last week and we didn't click again this week. We have to get better. We'll get to work on that (Saturday) and hopefully come back next week and click.”

The most impressive Greenville drive came in the second quarter when the Trojans marched 71 yards on 14 plays, capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Bell to Blaney in the front corner of the end zone for a 17-0 lead.

Greenville's other score, a 23-yard field goal by Canyon Eells, came after a lost Slippery Rock fumble.

Greenville's two-headed running attack of Eells and Brady Gentile combined for just 112 yards on 29 carries after rolling up more than 200 yards last week.

Bell was efficient, completing 8-of-15 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.

Shaffer was 5-of-13 for 37 yards and the two interceptions. He was pulled in favor of Vito Pilosi, who was 5-of-7 for 47 yards. Both, though, weren't helped by the seven dropped passes.

“Just a spark,” Wendereusz said of replacing Shaffer. “Those guys knew that could happen.”

Shaffer later replaced Pilosi, who couldn't corral an errant snap with the Rockets driving in the second half for the fourth turnover of the game.

The loss put a damper on another strong defensive performance by the Rockets.

Slippery Rock had three sacks and gave up just three plays of more than 20 yards.

Hunter Prementine led Slippery Rock with 51 yards rushing on 12 carries.

Williams had 35 yards on three carries and Kaleb Kamerer added 33 yards on six attempts.

Greenville 10 7 0 0 — 17

Slippery Rock 0 0 0 0 — 0

First Quarter

G — Michael Blaney 75 interception return (Canyon Eells kick), 6:09

G — Eells 23 field goal, 1:54

Second Quarter

G — Blaney 8 pass from Nate Bell (Eells kick), 5:46

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Greenville, Canyon Eells 15-77, Brady Gentile 14-35, Nate Bell 5-7, Adonis Scriven 1-2, Michael Blaney 1-(-2), TEAM 5-(-10); Slippery Rock, Hunter Prementine 12-51, Rod Williams 3-35, Kaleb Kamerer 6-33, Vito Pilosi 9-18, Jake Shaffer 3-14, Seth Slater 6-5, Team 1-(-3)

Passing: Greenville, Nate Bell 8-15-92-0; Slippery Rock, Vito Pilosi 5-7-47-0, Jake Shaffer 5-13-37-2

Receiving: Greenville, Michael Blaney 5-33, Brendan Calvin 2-61, Canyon Eells 2-3; Slippery Rock, Seth Slater 4-29, Patrick Shea 3-15, Kaleb Kamerer 2-25, Rod Williams 1-15