Box Score NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Grinnell College hung with St. Olaf College early in Saturday's game before the hosts pulled away for a 56-13 victory in the season opener for both teams.
 
Tony Bergida '18 tossed two touchdown passes for the Pioneers, boosting his career total to 10.
 
Touchdown receptions were made by David Taylor '20, the fifth score of his career, and Trent Mayfield '21 scoring his first collegiate TD.
 
St. Olaf took a 7-0 lead in the first period before the Pioneers forced a three-and-out and went to work. Grinnell put together an eight-play, 85-yard scoring drive that went into the second period to tie things at 7-all.
 
Bergida went 5-of-6 through the air during the series, including a 15-yard completion to Max Hill '20 and then a 34-yard score to Taylor with 14:01 left in the second period. Anaan Ramay's '21 extra point tied it.
 
However, St. Olaf reeled off 28 second-period points for a 35-7 halftime lead and was up 56-7 through three quarters.
 
Grinnell's final scoring drive was a strong 10-play, 62-yard series that covered 4:56 on the clock early in the fourth period. Hill rushed for 11 yards and caught a pass from Bergida for another 11.
 
Carson Dunn '18 added an 18-yard scamper before Bergida hit Mayfield from 6 yards out with 8:48 left in the game.
 
Bergida was 24-of-47 through the air for 189 yards. That allowed him to surpass the 1,500-yard passing mark for his Grinnell career as he now sits at 1,609.
 
Dunn caught nine passes for 56 yards, Hill had six grabs for 34 yards and Taylor made five snags for 68 yards. Dunn also rushed for 60 yards.
 
Last year's nation's best tackler, Ryan Slager '19, was tops in the game with 11 stops. Jeff Keele '19 and Jordan Hall '20 had six tackles each, while Reed Winter '21 and Hassan Thompson '19 made five tackles apiece.
 
The Pioneers are on the road again next Saturday, facing Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, N.D.