Oct. 7, 2006

Box Score |  Photo Gallery

Allendale, Mich. - #1-Ranked Grand Valley State scored on its second play of the game and never looked back en route to a 49-17 victory Saturday night before a Family Day crowd of 10,121. The victory was the Lakers' 19 straight, extending the nations longest winning streak in NCAA college football. GVSU, which improves to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in GLIAC action, will hit the road for a GLIAC contest at Indianapolis next Saturday (Oct. 14).

Senior QB Cullen Finnerty hit senior WR Eric Fowler with a 43 yard TD pass on the second play of the game and the Lakers never looked back. Astin Martin scored the first of his three first half TDs at the 8:28 mark of the first quarter to culminate a 7-play, 77-yard drive. Mercyhurst scored its only points of the first half on a Phil Scanlon 39-yard field goal with three ticks left on the clock in the first quarter. GVSU then scored 28 second quarter points. Fowler hauled in a 19 yard pass from Finnerty and Martin scored from 6 yards out to put the Lakers up 28-3 with 6:52 left in the first half. Junior receiver Jaquon Morrison sprinted 66 yards for a TD to finish a 4-play, 80-yard drive. Martin finished the scoring with a 2-yard TD run with 13 seconds left in the first half to up the GVSU lead to 42-3.

"I thought we came out ready to play," said third-year head coach Chuck Martin. "We showed great balance offensively and the defense played well despite haveing several starters out," added Martin.

The Laker starters, both on offense and defense, sat the entire second half, but the Lakers kept the pressure on early. Morrison opened the third quarter for GVSU with a 51-yard TD scamper to up the lead to 49-3. Mercyhurst scored two TD for the final margin of 49-17.

Jaquon Morrison rushed for 113 yards and two TDs on just four carries, while Astin Martin toted the ball 10 times for 62 yards and three TDs. Finnerty completed 13-of-16 passes for 210 yards and two TDs, while rushing five times for 50 yards. Freshman Brad Iciek completed 4-of-7 passes for 85 yards.

Fowler caught three passes for 101 yards and two TDs, while Ryan Bass hauled in a career-high four passes for 85 yards. Terry Mitchell and Antione Trent each caught three passes. The Laker offense rolled up a season-high 568 yards of total offense, including 416 in the opening half. GVSU rushed for 273 yards and passes for 295.

Derek Stansbery led the defense with seven tackles, while Drew Hinkle added six.

Notes... • Grand Valley State is 269-114-3 (.700). The Lakers have the best winning percentrage in DII football history (.700) and the second-best winning percentage in college football since 2000 (.889).

• The Lakers' 77 victories since the 2000 campaign also ranks second in college football. GVSU is 83-17 in their last 100 games.

GVSU has the second best winning percentage of football playing schools in the State of Michigan, behind Michigan's 855-280-36 (.744) mark. GVSU is 269-114-3 (.700).

• Grand Valley State is 77-9 since the 2000 season with three NCAA DII National Championships (2002-2003-2005).

• The Lakers are 76-5 in their last 81 games.

• GVSU is 49-3 in GLIAC action since the 2001 season and the GVSU senior class is 43-4 with two National Championships.

• Grand Valley State has won 19 straight games overall.

• The Lakers are 41-2 when being ranked number one since 2002.

• GVSU has been ranked in the AFCA top 25 in 71 straight polls.