Nov. 30, 2002 November 30, 2002

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - #1 Grand Valley State posted 50 first half points and cruised to a 62-21 victory over #6 Indiana, Penn. in the Northeast Region Championship game on Saturday (Nov. 30) at Lubbers Stadium. The Lakers scored on all eight of their possessions in the first half and led 50-7 at the intermission. The first team offense scored on their opening drive in the second half and left the game with a commanding 57-14 lead with 12:59 left in the third. The Laker rushing attack posted 306 yards on the ground while the offense totaled 526 yards. Reggie Spearmon and Brent Lesniak combined for 237 yards and six TD's in the game. GVSU is 12-0 on the season and move into the NCAA Semifinals where they will play Northern Colorodo on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 1:00 pm.

Grand Valley opened the game with a 69-yard drive that was capped by a Lesniak 15-yard touchown scamper just 2:37 into the game. Harlon Hill candidate Curt Anes connected with WR David Kircus on the Lakers next drive from 11 yards out to boost the lead to 13-0. IUP cut the lead back to one score after a 39-yard TD pass from Brian Eyerman to J.R. Thomas, but GVSU responded with another impressive drive that covered 70 yards and 4:17 on the clock. Spearmon finshed the drive with a 1-yard plunge to give the Lakers a 19-7 advantage after one quarter.

After the GVSU defense forced a fumble the Lakers added three more points on a 35-yard David Hendrix field goal. Again the Laker defense caused a turnover as Joe Ballard picked up a fumble and two plays later Spearmon went 16 yards to add seven more to the lead. The Grand Valley special teams came up with a big play on the next IUP possession as Brandon Langston blocked an Indian punt and took it four yards for a score to give the Lakers a 43-7 lead. After a quick three and out by the IUP offense, GVSU finished off the half with one final drive that Spearmon ended with another one-yard TD run.

IUP started the second half with a 70-yard TD run by Elice Parker to cut the lead to 50-14. But Anes finished his day by leading the Lakers back down the field for one more TD as Lesniak took it in from 15-yards out to push the lead back to 57-14. IUP scored the final TD on the next possesion as Eyerman hit McCoy for a 4-yard touchdown. David Hendrix added a 42-yard field goal with 1:32 left in the third to make the score 60-21 and the Laker defense forced a IUP safety with 1:22 left in the game for the final tally.

Brent Lesniak ended up leading the rushing offense with 125 yards on 16 carries and two TD's, while Reggie Spearmon rolled up 112 yards on 25 carries and a GV single-game record four TD rushes. Curt Anes completed 17 of 22 passes for 191 yards and a TD. Terrance Banks led the receiving corps with seven catches for 96 yards while David Kircus tallied four catches for 23 yards and a touchdown.

Orlando Williams recorded six tackles to lead the GVSU defense. The Lakers caused four turnovers and added five sacks on the day. Joe Ballard recorded a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, while Marcus Spenser and Scott Mackey added forced fumbles and Williams and Chad Day recovered the drops. Shad Risk tallied two sacks and Mackey, Dan Vaughn, and William Gray all added one a piece.

The Lakers end a string of six straight losses to IUP by scoring the most points ever on an IUP defense.