Box Score

Sept. 18, 2004

Allendale, Mich. - #1-Ranked Grand Valley State used a stingy defense and an offense that wore down the Ashland defense en route to a 37-7 victory over Ashland Saturday night before an overflow crowd of 9,578. With the win GVSU is 51-2 in its last 53 games.

The first quarter was scoreless as GVSU missed a 36 yard field goal and then was stopped on a fourth and one play from the Ashland 4 yard line. The Lakers got on the scoreboard when QB Cullen Finnerty hit WR Demonte Collins with an 18 yard scoring pass. The drive covered 85 yards in nine plays. Finnerty then found WR Brandon Langston with a 19 yard scoring play to give the Lakers a 14-0 lead. PK Scott Greene hit a 33 yard field goal with :06 seconds left in the first half to give the Lakers a 17-0 lead.

The Lakers went up 20-0 on another Greene 33 yard field goal and CB Marvis Bryant put the Lakers up 27-0 when he picked off a Nick Strance pass and returned it 36 yards for a TD. Greene culminated 17-play, 75-yard drive with his third field goal of the night, this one coming from 22 yards out. Laker QB Jeff Dock hit Antione Trent with a 21 yard scoring pass for GVSU's final score. Ashland, which was held to 108 yards of total offense until their last drive, drove 72 yards in seven plays and QB Kyle Johann hit Michael Hull with a 24 yard pass play with just three seconds left in the game.

GVSU tallied 410 yards of total offense against the GLIACs top statistical defense. The Lakers rushed for 152 yards and threw for 258 yards. Ashland came into the game yielding just 59 yards rushing and 240 yards of total offense per game. Junior Ryan Hukill rushed for a team-high 66 yards, while Finnerty rushed for 64 yards and completed 19-of-34 passes for 225 yards and two TDs. Collins hauled in seven catches for 107 yards and one TD, while Hukill chipped in seven catches for 45 yards.

The Laker defense held Ashland to just nine first downs, four of which came on the final drive. AU running back Antwan Hart, which entered the game as the GLIAC's top rusher, was limited to 25 yards on 13 carries. Ashland was held to 40 yards rushing for the game.

DeJuane Boone led the Laker defense with 11 tackles and one tackle for loss (-9). Matt Beaty chipped in eight, while Keyonta Marshall recorded six tackles, including three tackles for loss.

The GVSU senior class improved to 45-2 overall and 31-1 in GLIAC action.