Oct. 29, 2005

Final Stats

Allendale, Mich. - #1-ranked Grand Valley State scored early and often en route to a 48-3 Homecoming victory over Northern Michigan Saturday night before a crowd of 10,460 at Lubbers Stadium. GVSU improves to 9-0 overall and in GLIAC action, while Northern Michigan falls to 2-7.

Grand Valley State went 50 yards in eight plays on its first offensive drive of the game and QB Cullen Finnerty hit WR Eric Fowler with a three-yard TD pass. Scott Greene kicked the PAT for a 7-0 Laker lead. LB Matt Beaty then picked off an NMU pass on the Wildcats' next play and returned it 31 yards for a TD and the Greene PAT put the Lakers up 14-0. RB Astin Martin scampered in from 35 yards out to give GVSU a 21-0 lead with 5:10 left in the game. Martin went over the 1,000-yard mark early in the second quarter and recorded 66 yards on 11 carries in less than two quarters of action.

WR Terry Mitchell finished an eight-play, 83-yard drive when he hauled in a 13-yard pass from Finnerty with 12:07 left in the second quarter to give GVSU a 28-0 lead. Northern Michigan got on the board with 2:15 left in the second quarter when Kyle Marotz hit a 33 yard field goal. Preston Garris returned the NMU kickoff 65 yards to the Wildcat 32 and the Lakers drove 32 yards in five plays that ended with a Jeff Dock to Eric Fowler nine-yard TD pass. Finnerty hit Langston with a 17 yard scoring pass on the Lakers' first possession of the second half and Ryan Hukill closed out the scoring with a one yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter. The Laker starting offensive and defensive units played less than two quarters in the win. Northern Michigan ran nine offensive plays for 21 yards in the second half.

Cullen Finnerty completed 11-of-16 passes for 189 yards and three TDs, while Jeff Dock was 6-10 for 59 yards and a TD. Eric Fowler hauled in seven passes for 96 yards and two TDs, while Brandon Langston caught four passes for 92 yards and a scored. Astin Martin tallied 66 yards on 11 carries with a TD, while Ryan Hukill added 59 yards and TD on 17 carries. Preston Garris toted the ball three times for 29 yards, caught two passes for 11 yards and returned two kickoffs for 104 yards.

LB Rory Steinbach led the defense with six tackles, three tackles for loss (-8) and a QB sack (-2). Kirk Carruth notched four tackles and forced a fumble, while Mike McFadden picked up a QB sack in his ninth straight game. Northern Michigan ran just nine offensive plays in the second half for 21 yards and possessed the ball for 3:37. The Lakers held onto the ball for 14:00 minutes in the fourth quarter.

Grand Valley State clinched a share of the 2005 GLIAC Title with the victory and can claim the outright championship with a victory over Michigan Tech in Lubbers Stadium next Saturday (Nov. 5).

Notes...GVSU is 66-5 in its last 71 games...The 2005 senior class improved to 47-4 overall and 43-3 in GLIAC action...The GVSU defense has yieled eight TDs in nine games this season, three of which have come in the fourth quarter with under six minutes left and the outcome of the game already decided...GVSU has held 23-of-its-last-37 opponents under 100 yards rushing...