GRINNELL, Iowa – On a day when several members of Grinnell College's past Midwest Conference championship football teams were in attendance, the Pioneers played like champions.
 
Grinnell rolled up 444 total yards and its most points in a game since 2014 with a 46-0 blasting of Trinity Bible College at Rosenbloom Field Saturday. Additionally, Grinnell posted its first shutout since a 42-0 win over Lawrence University in 2009 and snapped a 13-game home losing streak, dating back to 2015.
 
Another impressive mark was via the defense, whose nine sacks broke the previous school record of eight set in 2014 against Lawrence. Trinity made it into Grinnell territory just twice.
 
The first-year tandem of Dustin Saia '22 and Daniel Carter '22 made the most of their Rosenbloom Field debuts, each rushing for well over 100 yards. Saia had 16 carries for 162 yards and a score, while Carter rumbled for 139 yards and 25 carries and three scores – all in the second half.
 
Will Borda '22 hauled in four passes for 69 yards and a score, while Jake Kaplinski '22 passed for 94 yards and two touchdowns on 7-of-16 accuracy.
 
Several Pioneer defenders got into the act, as well, though the work was balanced. Ryan Slager '19, the NCAA leader in tackles the last two years, had 10 stops and half a sack. Jeff Keele '19 added eight tackles and 3.5 sacks, a figure that ranks fourth in program history. Getting five tackles each were Rick Johnson '20 and Jelani McCray '21.
 
Grinnell took the opening kick and made some noise right away, scoring just five plays into the drive on a 26-yard scamper by Saia. Patrick Goldammer's '22 kick made it 7-0 with 12:26 left in the period.
 
After two more stops, the Pioneers put together a nine-play, 50-yard drive that was capped by Kaplinski' s 8-yard run. The kick was no good, making it 13-0 with :23 left in the quarter. The only scoring in the second quarter came with 11:30 left on Kaplinski's 38-yard pass to Borda. The kick was no good, leaving it 19-0 at halftime.
 
Grinnell rolled up several points in the third period, as Saia scored on a 16-yard pass from Kaplinski with 8:33 left and Carter had TD runs of 5 and 2 yards at the 4:15 mark and with 2 seconds left, respectively.. Goldammer kicked the extra point after the last two TDs.
 
The Pioneers capped their scoring in the fourth period on a steady 14-play, 72-yard drive. It was capped by Carter's 7-yard run and Goldammer's kick with 6:15 left.
 
Grinnell finished it off in style, as Anthony Johnson '22 intercepted a pass on Trinity's next possession. The Pioneers ran the clock out from there to finish off the win and improve to 1-1. Trinity dipped to 0-2.
 
The Pioneers have a bye next week before traveling to De Pere, Wis., to face St. Norbert College at 1 p.m. Sept. 22.