Oct. 5, 2002

Box Score

Houghton, Mich. - #1 Grand Valley State cruised to a 56-14 victory over Michigan Tech Saturday afternoon in Houghton, Mich. before a crowd 2,056. GVSU has now won 20 straight regular season games and 19 consecutive GLIAC games dating back to the 2000 season.

Cornerback Sidney Lewis set up the opening score of the game when he picked off a Dan Mettlach pass and returned it 16 yards to the Michigan Tech 37 yard line. Reggie Spearmon culminated a seven-play, 37 yard drive when he scored from five yards out at the 1:41 mark of the first quarter. David Hendrix added the PAT to give the Lakers a 7-0 lead. Senior WR David Kircus finished an eight-play, 73-yard drive with a three-yard TD reception from Curt Anes. Kircus set the all-time NCAA Division II record (50) for career TD catches with the touchdown reception. After a 51-yard scoring play by Michigan Tech, Spearmon scored his second rushing TD of the game from seven yards out and Phil Condon hauled in an 11-yard TD catch from Anes with 5:34 left in the second quarter to put the Lakers up 28-7. MTU drove 49 yards in six plays to pull within 28-14 at half.

Afte a MTU punt was downed at the GVSU one yard line, the Lakers drove 99 yards in nine plays for a score. Anes hit WR Terrance Banks with a 50-yard scoring pass to put GVSU up 35-14 at the 9:03 mark of the third quarter. Senior RB Brent Lesniak put GVSU up 42-14 with a 25-yard scoring run at the 4:28 mark of the third and then added a 42-yard jaunt early in the fourth quarter to give the Lakers a 49-14 lead. Laker sophomore SS Joe Ballard concluded the scoring when he pick off a pass and returned it 19 yards for a TD early in the fourth quarter. The GVSU starters did not play in the fourth quarter.

Grand Valley State tallied a season-high 626 yards of total offense on the day, including a season-high 348 yards on the ground. Spearmon rushed for 152 yards and two TDs on 28 carries, while Lesniak ran for 137 yards and two TDs on just 10 carries. Anes completed 19-of-32 passes for 278 yards and four TDs. Phil Condon led the receiving crew with four catches for 73 yards and a TD, while Terrance Banks hauled in all three of his passes in the second half for 70 yards and a TD. Lesniak caught two passes for 37 yards and a TD.

Senior linebacker Orlando Williams led the defense with seven tackles. Sophomore Marcus Spencer added five tackles, including two tackles for loss (-10). In addition to the Ballard and Lewis interceptions, sophomore Lucius Hawkins also picked off a pass.The Laker defense picked off three passes in a game for the second time this season.

"I thought we came out ready to play," said 12th-year head coach Brian Kelly. "The offensive line did a great job of run blocking and protecting Curt (Anes) when we threw the ball. Our defense was outstanding and held the second leading rusher in the nation (Joe Johnson) to a season-low 56 yards."

The Laker defense held Johnson under 100 yards rushing for the first time in seven games.