ERIE — Grove City High football coach Jeff Bell saw a lot of positives in his team's play Friday night.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, the scoreboard didn't reflect them.

Despite grinding out 267 rushing yards and holding Erie Cathedral Prep quarterback Shyquawn Pullium to 134 total yards, the Eagles suffered a 47-21 loss in the District 10 Class AAA title game at Veterans Stadium.

Trailing 14-7 with 4:31 left in the first half, the Eagles began a drive on their own 23-yard line.

Runs from Jamarr Patterson and Marty Phipps, and a 14-yard completion from quarterback Tyler Dagres to Brandon Steffanus on a third-down play set the Eagles up just beyond midfield.

With 10 seconds left in the half, Patterson took a handoff, gained seven yards and was fighting for more when the ball popped loose.

Pullium, who was playing cornerback, scooped up the loose ball and raced untouched for a 60-yard touchdown with no time left on the clock and the Eagles faced a 21-7 deficit at the break.

"The fumble right before the half, that hurt," said Bell. "But it was our kid trying to make a play, and their kid ended up making it."

But the Eagles (8-4) weren't out of it yet.

They recovered an onside kick to open the second half, and when fourth down arrived, Bell elected to run a fake punt.

Upback Harold Price took the snap and appeared to have a clear path to a first down, but he was tripped up by Prep's Phil Hampy after a missed blocking assignment.

"We ran the fake, but one player for us didn't hear the call," said Bell.

The teams traded touchdowns by the end of the third quarter — Prep's Justin Wiley scored the third of his five touchdowns on a 53-yard run to make it 28-7 before Dagres connected with B.J. Johnston on a 34-yard scoring strike to cut the Ramblers' lead to 28-14 with a quarter to play.

But Prep (10-2) scored the first three touchdowns of the fourth period to ice the game.

"Talent-wise, they're a bit ahead of us," said Bell of the Ramblers. "But I wouldn't trade our guys for anything."

The Eagles methodically moved the chains in the first half.

Their first drive yielded 11 plays, 36 yards and three first downs before being forced to punt.

Following Pullium's pass to the left flat that Wiley turned into a 64-yard scoring reception, the Eagles set out to tie the game.

Phipps' 25-yard run down to Prep's 31 was the key play in a 10-play, 76-yard drive that ended with the senior back scoring from five yards out.

Jeff Hershberger added the first of three extra points and the game was a 7-all tie with 11:30 left in the opening half.

"We only ran six to eight different plays in the first half because we were concerned with Prep's blitzing," said Bell. "But we just needed to keep moving the sticks."

Wiley, who ended the game with 181 rushing yards and 259 yards from scrimmage, scored on a 13-yard run for a 14-7 lead before Pullium's fumble return extended Prep's lead.

GC's Joel Shaffer scored the final touchdown of the game on a 27-yard run with 3:47 left.

"I feel bad for our seniors," said Bell. "It just didn't happen for us tonight."

Ramblers coach Mike Mischler was unavailable for comment.

Erie Cathedral Prep 47, Grove City 21Cathedral Prep 7 14 7 19 — 47Grove City 0 7 7 7 — 21CP GC11 First Downs 1925-259 Rushes-Yards 61-26778 Passing Yards 723-6-0 Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) 4-6-1337 Total Yards 3393-0 Fumbles-Lost 3-19-67 Penalties-Yards 4-38

First QuarterCP — Justin Wiley 64 pass from Shyquawn Pullium (Noah Ackerman kick), 3:34

Second QuarterGC — Marty Phipps 5 run (Jeff Hershberger kick), 11:30CP — Wiley 13 run (Ackerman kick), 4:34CP — Pullium 60 fumble return (Ackerman kick), :00

Third QuarterCP — Wiley 53 run (Ackerman kick), 10:28GC — B.J. Johnston 34 pass from Tyler Dagres (Hershberger kick), 1:56

Fourth QuarterCP — Wiley 4 run (kick failed), 11:09CP — Pullium 42 punt return (Ackerman kick), 8:10CP — Wiley 76 run (kick failed), 5:53GC — Joel Shaffer 27 run (Hershberger kick), 3:47

Individual StatisticsPassing: Cathedral Prep, Shyquawn Pullium 3-6-78-0. Grove City, Tyler Dagres 4-6-72-1.

Rushing: Cathedral Prep, Shyquawn Pullium 8-56, Will Lubahn 1-14, Justin Wiley 13-181, Joe Oduho 3-8. Grove City, Jamarr Patterson 12-83, Marty Phipps 18-62, Wesley Phipps 3-0, Tyler Dagres 13-11, Nick Reddick 6-44, Harold Price 3-17, Joel Shaffer 4-38, Terry Sevin 1-2, Mason DePeal 1-10.

Receiving: Cathedral Prep, Justin Wiley 3-78. Grove City, B.J. Johnston 2-49, Marty Phipps 1-9, Brandon Steffanus 1-14.