GREENVILLE — In one respect, Saturday's Region 3 game at Greenville provided Slippery Rock's football team with a clean slate.

The Rockets' two losses to open the season — to General McLane and Mercyhurst Prep — were non-region contests. How a team does in region play will determine whether or not it qualifies for the District 10 playoffs.

Senior Sam Schwartz was determined to help the Rockets make the most of their fresh start.

The senior wide receiver/defensive back turned in the two most crucial plays of the game. The latter, a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown, put the Rockets up for good in the fourth quarter of a 14-7 victory over the Trojans.

"Our offense wasn't moving the ball well and I knew we had to swing the momentum our way," said Schwartz. "Being able to help the team like this, it's huge for me."

Schwartz had scored the tying touchdown just two seconds before halftime when he snagged a 2-yard pass from Eli Anderson.

The pick-6 came with the Trojans (0-3, 0-2) facing a 3rd-and-10 from Slippery Rock's 41-yard line early in the final period. Linebacker Aiden Corace blitzed and hit Greenville quarterback Nick Solderich just as he was releasing the ball. The errant pass sailed directly to Schwartz.

"Wow," exclaimed Slippery Rock coach Larry Wendereusz. "That's what you're hoping for by blitzing on a play like that, either a sack or a bad pass.

"That touchdown gave us our first lead of the season. Our guys on the sideline got excited and that's how it's supposed to feel."

But the Rockets (1-2, 1-0) still had two more Greenville drives to defend. Corace defused the first after just four plays when he picked off Solderich's pass at the Rockets' 32 with 7:26 left in the game.

The final march for the Trojans proved more challenging for Slippery Rock's defense.

Up until that point, Greenville running back Malachi Hyde had gained just 57 yards on 20 carries. But the 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior was given the ball on eight straight plays that produced 46 yards. Included were back-to-back gains of 13 yards.

Hyde's final carry went for four yards and set his team up for a 4th-and-5 play from Slippery Rock's 10-yard line. Solderich's pass to the end zone fell incomplete and the Rockets took over with 1:47 remaining and ran out the clock.

"I think Malachi ran with a bit more attitude on that last drive," said Greenville coach Mike Menold. "That and our line was sticking to its blocks a bit longer."

"I was thinking they would pass on fourth down there at the end," Wendereusz said. "We wanted our front six to focus on the run and our back five to look for play-action or a pass."

Slippery Rock prevailed despite its offense gaining just 113 yards, including minus-3 yards on 17 rushing attempts.

"We've been working on different ways of getting (Schwartz) the ball," said Wendereusz. "We know he's capable of making big plays for us."

Greenville grabbed the lead when Solderich and Cael Thurber connected on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 remaining in the first half.

Slippery Rock's response began with Anderson completing an 18-yard pass to Dominick Zandi that gave the Rockets a first down at the Trojans' 35. On a third down from the 17, Schwartz ran a slant route and caught a 15-yard strike. Two plays later, he caught Anderson's short toss to the end zone. Zach Lasko added the extra point and the score was knotted at seven at halftime.

Also intercepting a pass for Slippery Rock was Owen Long. The three thefts off Solderich's arm, along with a number of drives that stalled in Rockets' territory, were too much for Greenville to overcome.

"You can't have that many opportunities and not cash in," said Menold.

Slippery Rock faces Sharpsville on Friday at West Middlesex High School.

Slippery Rock 0 7 0 7 — 14

Greenville 0 7 0 0 — 7

Second Quarter

G — Cael Thurber 15 pass from Nick Solderich (Megan Wood kick), 1:15

SR — Sam Schwartz 2 pass from Eli Anderson (Zach Lasko kick), :02

Fourth Quarter

SR — Schwartz 55 interception return (Lasko kick), 9:04

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Slippery Rock, Aiden Corace 2-1, Sam Schwartz 2-1, Owen Long 5-8, Eli Anderson 4-(-15), Dominick Zandi 3-3, TEAM 1-(-1). Greenville, Malachi Hyde 28-103, Nick Solderich 9-(-2), TEAM 1-0.

Passing: Slippery Rock, Eli Anderson 13-25-116-1. Greenville, Nick Solderich 13-29-130-3.

Receiving: Slippery Rock, Sam Schwartz 7-61, Aiden Corace 2-11, Cooper Glass 2-12, Dominick Zandi 1-18, Doug Popovec 1-14. Greenville, Rudy Gentile 6-77, Cael Thurber 2-22, Justin Schell 1-8, Malachi Hyde 1-(-3), Jack Strausser 3-26.