GROVE CITY - Rain? Who cares? Muddy field? So what.

It didn't bother Grove City High's Jim Jaskowak or Jesse Alfreno.

While the conventional football wisdom says run the ball in weather conditions like the ones faced by Grove City and Reynolds Friday night, the Eagles threw caution - and the football - to the wind.

And succeeded.

Jaskowak threw two touchdown passes to Alfreno and the Grove City defense turned in one of its best efforts in school history as the Eagles soared to a 41-0 win.

"(Alfreno) is a heck of an athlete," said Grove City coach Jeff Bell. "We have to use him. I told him tonight, 'Hey, I don't care if it's 50-mph winds, pouring down rain, we're going to throw it deep to you a couple of times."

Bell kept his word.

Alfreno caught six passes for 99 yards and pulled in touchdown receptions of 34 and 45 yards in the first half.

He also scored on a 4-yard run as Grove City scored early and often, taking a 33-0 lead into halftime.

The offensive show left Reynolds shell-shocked.

The Raiders (2-1, 1-1 in Region 3) were coming off an impressive 19-6 win over Slippery Rock. They never expected anything like this.

"They made plays early and took over the game," said Reynolds coach Tim Scarvel. "They played a great game, great defense. We just couldn't recover from being behind the 8-ball and it snowballed on us."

At the end of the first quarter, Reynolds had minus-9 total yards. At halftime, it had 14.

When the game was over, the Raiders had mustered just 9 total yards and had 20 plays that went for negative yardage.

Reynolds tailback Jake McBride was held to 27 yards on 14 carries, with 26 yards coming on one run.

It was about as good as the Grove City defense had ever been.

"We made a few adjustments in the things we normally do," Bell said. "I think the weather played in our hands. McBride on a dry field - he's slippery as a bug."

The running game keyed Grove City early.

The Eagles (1-2, 1-1) found success with fullback Jack Vallely on traps up the middle. The senior, who overcame an accident two years ago in which his foot and lower leg were badly burned, gained 115 yards on 13 carries.

"Being able to run the football opens up our passing game," Bell said. "If you run the football, teams start making adjustments, safeties start creeping up, then you can throw the ball."

Andy Hay kicked a 23-yard field goal to put Grove City on the board in the first quarter and he booted a 33-yard field goal at the end of the first half.

Dan Sonntag played well in the second half, rushing for 54 yards on eight carries and scoring on a 30-yard run with 14 seconds left in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

For Reynolds, the best policy is amnesia.

"We have to forget this game - that's the approach we have to take," Scarvel said. "I don't know if it is going to work or not."

Grove City, though, would like to bottle this effort.

The Eagles were playing with desperation after losing their first two games of the season.

"We came out of the locker room making some plays," Bell said. "In high school football, if you score first, good things seem to happen. We just have to keep it going."