SLIPPERY ROCK — The last thing Grove City High football coach Jeff Bell wanted to see was his team fall behind early against Corry.

But that was exactly what happened.

It was how the Eagles responded to the adversity that made Bell smile.

The Beavers took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, but the Eagles responded with a dominating performance in a 34-7 victory Friday night in the District 10 Class AAA playoffs at Slippery Rock University.

“(Corry was) coming down here with revenge on their minds,” said Bell, who watched his team pull away from Corry for a 27-9 win in Week 2. “I thought if they score early on us, we're in for a battle.”

Grove City (11-0) quickly responded to that first — and only — score by the Beavers (9-3), tying the game at 7 with a 15-yard pass from Tyler Dagres to Harold Price.

That was a sign of things to come as Dagres and Price hooked up again on a 45-yard scoring pass with 39 seconds remaining in the second quarter to give Grove City a 20-7 halftime lead.

Dagres completed 5-of-7 passes for 135 yards and two scores. He also scored on a 5-yard run in the first half.

His biggest pass was the second touchdown to Price on a play that was designed to go to the other side of the field.

“The out-and-up was there,” Dagres said. “In practice we usually hit the curl. I put it there, but I didn't think (Price) was looking. I thought he was going to drop it. But he did (make the catch) and I jumped up and ran over to the sideline hootin' and hollerin.'”

The Eagles' defense was just as clutch.

Toss out the Corry scoring drive and the Beavers' went three-and-out six times, had three other drives end in turnovers and another end on a missed field goal.

Corry quarterback Matt Cragg did finish with 137 yards rushing on 28 carries, but leading rusher Adam Zimmerman was held to 31 yards. Zimmerman left the game before the half with a shoulder injury and didn't return.

“If it would have been 8-7 I would have been happy,” Bell said. “At this time of the season, you just have to worry about winning.”

Wes Phipps made sure the game wasn't that close.

Phipps, who hasn't played since Oct. 29 because of a shoulder injury and last week's bye, showed off his fresh legs, gaining 159 yards on 17 carries. He scored on a rambling 40-yard run in the third quarter to extend the lead to 27-7.

Phipps broke up the middle, shook off three tacklers, juked to his right and outran Corry defenders into the end zone.

“That one run he had down here, I don't know how many moves he made. He's usually not that kind of a guy,” Bell said.

Phipps was just pleased to get back on the field.

“The shiftiness is a little unusual for me,” Phipps said. “It was just a lot of fun being out here with the guys again.”

Grove City will face Erie Cathedral Prep in the district championship game either Nov. 26 or 27 at a site and time to be determined.

Cathedral Prep dismantled Oil City 56-6 in the other semifinal game.

“We have a real big challenge for us next week,” Bell said. “We're going to enjoy this one tonight and get back to work tomorrow.”

Grove City 34, Corry 7

Corry 7 0 0 0 — 7Grove City 7 13 7 7 — 34C GC10 First Downs 1440-173 Rushes-Yards 50-26949 Passing Yards 1356-16-2 Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) 5-7-1222 Total Yards 4042-1 Fumbles-Lost 2-10-0 Penalties-Yards 5-40

First QuarterC — Matt Cragg 19 run (Andy Hajec kick), 6:21GC — Harold Price 15 pass from Tyler dagres (Brian Murone kick), 2:46

Second QuarterGC — Dagres 5 run (kick blocked), 3:17GC — Price 45 pass from Dagres (Murone kick), :39

Third QuarterGC — Wes Phipps 40 run (Murone kick), 3:45

Fourth QuarterGC — Erik Record 2 run (Murone kick), 11:54

Individual StatisticsPassing: Corry, Matt Cragg 6-16-49-2; Grove City, Tyler Dagres 5-7-135-1.

Rushing: Corry, Matt Cragg 28-137, Adam Zimmerman 9-31, Cory Owens 2-6, Brent Kaufman 1-(-1); Grove City, Wes Phipps 17-159, Harold Price 11-36, Erik Record 7-34, Tyler Dagres 9-17, Foster Reznor 4-17, Cody Williams 2-2.

Receiving: Corry, Cory Owens 2-17, Adam Zimmerman 2-2, Cody Bailey 1-18, Justin Miller 1-12; Grove City, Harold Price 3-88, Erik Record 2-47.