Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – After hanging close with Illinois College the first half, the Grinnell College football team saw the Blueboys pull away as the hosts won a 42-13 decision in the Midwest Conference opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at England Stadium.

The Blueboys piled up 612 total yards while improving to 2-0. Grinnell dipped to 0-2.

Sam Poulos '16 threw for 219 yards, with Jake O'Polka '15 had eight catches for 53 yards. Jacob Meixler '15 had 79 receiving yards.

Defensively, Jeremy Wiles '14 came up with 18 tackles including 10 solos. Jacob Beecher '16 added 11 stops and David Ternes '15 had eight. Richard Renteria '14 recorded a sack.

After Illinois College scored on its first drive, the Pioneers put together a 10-play, 57-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal by Graham Fisher '16 with 7:04 to go in the first period. The series was highlighted by a 27-yard pass from Poulos to Meixler.

The Blueboys added a touchdown to lead 14-3 after one period. In the second quarter, it took Grinnell just five plays to find pay dirt. After Poulos found O'Polka on a 21-yard pass and Meixler on a 25-yarder, Jacob Bernholtz '17 raced into the end zone from 3 yards out with 11:46 to go. Fisher's extra point made it 14-10.

Illinois College scored later in the period before Grinnell closed out the half with a 42-yard field goal by Fisher with just one tick left on the clock. The drive, which included a 21-yard pass from Poulos to Emmi Sandoval '16 and 18-yarder to O'Polka, made it a 21-13 game at halftime.

However, that would be the end of the scoring for the Pioneers, while Illinois College tallied 14 points in the third period and seven more in the fourth.

Grinnell travels to Lake Forest College for a 1 p.m. game next Saturday.