MEADVILLE — After Thursday's game, Slippery Rock High and Meadville football players formed a circle near midfield and said a prayer.

Sean White, who started at safety in the place of senior Justin Angerett — one of two Slippery Rock students seriously injured in a one-car accident Wednesday night that also claimed the lives of two others — cried as Meadville senior Marcell Jones put his arm around him.

The final score was relevant on this cold and snowy Thursday night only because a game was indeed played — Meadville won 35-6. But in many respects, the outcome was irrelevant.

"It was pretty impressive," said Slippery Rock coach Glenn Hazlet of the gesture from the Meadville players. "There are a whole lot more things important than football."

On Wednesday night, the Rockets lost senior lineman A.J. Rensel, 18, in the accident that also claimed the life of Corey R. Jones, 18.

Angerett and Kirk Hines, 20, survived the crash.

Hazlet and his team met for several hours earlier Thursday to discuss a variety of topics, including whether or not to play the game.

"We decided we would come out and play, because that's what they would have wanted," said senior captain Ayron Gallagher. "It was important to play the game. We needed it. Those emotions weren't going to go away. It's not like canceling the game was going to make things better."

Meadville players and coaches were cognizant of what the Rockets were going through.

But Meadville coach Mike Pendolino said his players' postgame gesture was their idea.

"I still don't know what to say," Pendolino said, choking back tears. "They took that upon themselves. We had some players who are growing up and becoming men. We are impressed and pleased with our guys, and our hearts go out to Slippery Rock."

The Rockets (2-5) came out with emotion, stuffing Meadville on a fourth-and-short early in the game and took a 6-0 lead on a 4-yard run by John McAvoy in the second quarter.

But the Bulldogs responded with a touchdown on a 65-yard run by Tyler Banks to take a 7-6 lead into halftime.

That's when the events of the day — and miscues — caught up to the Rockets.

Slippery Rock turned the ball over on its first six possessions in the second half — five fumbles and an interception — that led to 28 Meadville points and a 35-6 final.

"We fell apart in the second half," Hazlet said. "The day just got to us. I know a lot of them only had a couple of hours of sleep last night."

Gallagher rushed for 82 yards on 12 carries and Alec McDeavitt had 67 yards, but the turnovers sapped whatever emotion the Rockets had left.

"I'm proud of the boys and how they hung together," Hazlet said. "I have to think we are better for it."

Gallagher said there were very few in the locker room who didn't want to play this game.

"It was a couple of hours to get away from the real world, Gallagher said.

At halftime, the Slippery Rock band dedicated the Alma Mater and the fight song, "On Wisconsin," to the accident victims and their families.

The Slippery Rock locker room after the game was filled with anguish, not for the loss to Meadville, but for the loss of friends and teammates.

"There were a lot of tears," Hazlet said. "A lot of guys are hurting."

Meadville 35, Slippery Rock 6

Slippery Rock 0 6 0 0 — 6Meadville 0 7 14 14 — 35SR M10 First Downs 1045-170 Rushes-Yards 38-23133 Passing Yards 351-7-2 Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) 3-4-0203 Total Yards 2666-5 Fumbles-Lost 0-05-25 Penalties-Yards 2-22

Second quarterSR — John McAvoy 5 run (kick failed), 11:05M — Tyler Banks 65 run (Ted Pierce kick), 10:29

Third QuarterM — Terrance Goodrum 9 run (kick blocked), 6:20M — Michael Adams 26 run (Goodrum pass from Aaron Lloyd), 3:20

Fourth QuarterM — Joe Keenan 25 pass from Jarrod Kilburn (Pierce kick), 9:55M — Adams 2 run (Pierce kick), 7:49

Individual StatisticsPassing: Slippery Rock, Ayron Gallagher 1-7-35-2. Meadville, Jarrod Kilburn 3-4-35-0.

Rushing: Slippery Rock, Ayron Gallagher 12-82, Alec McDeavitt 18-67, John McAvoy 6-28, Brandon Henry 4-7, Cole Knight 2-5, Team 3-(-19). Meadville, Tyler Banks 14-129, Terrance Goodrum 6-41, Michael Adams 4-36, Artell Foster 11-31, Jarrod Kilburn 3-(-6).

Receiving: Slippery Rock, Ryan Gordon 1-33. Meadville, Artell Foster 2-10, Joe Keenan 1-25.