SLIPPERY ROCK — The turnovers were the big thing that popped off the stat sheet the last time the Slippery Rock High and Grove City High football teams played earlier this season.

The Rockets turned the ball over six times in a 33-7 setback at home against the Eagles.

But there was another stat that Slippery Rock coach Larry Wendereusz pointed to as being a key to Grove City's victory on that stormy night in September.

“We have to get them off the field when we manage to get them into third-and-long,” Wendereusz said. “We got them in third-and-8 and third-and-10 and third-and-11 and they were able to convert every time.”

That's easier said than done against a Grove City team that is averaging 46 points per game and who's punter is the loneliest guy on the roster.

Slippery Rock (7-3) will get another shot at Grove City (10-0) when the two teams meet in a District 10 3A semifinal at 8 p.m. Saturday at Slippery Rock University.

It will be the first-ever playoff meeting between the two schools.

“They are just so precise at what they do,” Wendereusz said.

Grove City quarterback Brady Callahan has taken that precision to the next level.

The senior is completing 77.5 percent of his passes (145-of-187). He's thrown for 2,222 yards and 24 touchdowns to just three interceptions.

Callahan's career completion percentage is 75 percent.

And he has a slew of weapons around him, led by Logan Lutz, who has 63 receptions for 1,079 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Throw in three other players with 13 or more receptions, a rusher in Tyler Greer who is just shy of 1,000 yards on the season and another in Colby Nelson who has nearly 800 yards more and 12 scores and the Eagles' attack is as diverse as it is potent.

“They're good up front, very sound up front,” Wendereusz said. “They're good with their play-action passes and RPOs. What coach Mowrey has done there is very impressive. They are very good in all three phases. Their offense gets a lot of accolades, and deservedly so, but that defense hasn't been too bad, either.”

Grove City's defense has been so good, Mowrey said, because of the way they flow to the ball.

The Eagles also have a knack of stripping the football, forcing 11 lost fumbles this season.

“We have to keep it high and tight,” Wendereusz said. “Sometimes you have to know when to go down. I like the aggressiveness and the fight, but if you get a gain of 6 yards, you don't need to fight for 7 because if you fight for 7, it might be seven points the other way.”

Slippery Rock's offense has also been churning out big yardage and points of late.

The Rockets rolled up 44 points in a rout of Harbor Creek in the quarterfinals last week.

“They're playing good football right now,” Mowrey said. “Vito Pilosi is doing a good job at quarterback running what is just another version of the triple option.”

Slippery Rock would like nothing better than to have Pilosi and the offense grind out long drives that end in points.

“I think we've been able to do that at times,” Wendereusz said. “But we've also hit the big play and you're never going to turn down a big play.

“We just can't have three-and-outs,” Wendereusz added. “That puts the ball back in their hands so much quicker.”

Mowrey said the familiarity of the two teams will add an extra spice to a game that already has high stakes attached to it.

But he also said his team has been good at focusing on the fact this is a playoff game first.

“We know this is a rivalry game, but, honestly, we're just excited to get to play another football game,” Mowrey said. “You watch Slippery Rock on film and they are just a gritty, gutty, hard-nosed team that plays really hard.”