Dec. 16, 2006
Photo Gallery
Florence, AL. - Grand Valley State claimed its fourth NCAA DII National Championship in the last five years Saturday afternoon at Braly Municipal Stadium with its 17-14 victory over Northwest Missouri State in the title game. GVSU finished the year 15-0, becoming just the second team in NCAA DII history to go 15-0 in a season.
Cullen Finnerty's 4-yard TD run with 13:06 left in the game proved to be the game-winner and he engineered a 7-play, 19-yard drive that ran out the clock for the victory in the fourth quarter. Finnerty carried the ball three times for 12 yards and completed two passes for nine yards on the closing drive. Finnerty completed a 4-yard pass to Eric Fowler on third-and-two to seal the win.
Finnerty's game-winning drive started after the Laker defense forced a three-and-out deep in NW Missouri State territory. The Bearcats were pinned deep in their own territory after Bill Brechin downed a Justin Trumble punt at the NWMST 2-yard line. Kyle Johnson's punt went out of bounds at the NWMST 36-yard line to give the Lakers good field position and set up the game winning drive. Astin Martin started the drive with a 5-yard carry and Finnerty then completed a 17-yard pass to Antion Trent. Finnerty carried the ball 4-yards to the Bearcat 10 and Martin then toted the ball to the three before Finnerty capped the drive with his TD run.
"These guys just kept playing for 60 minutes and found a way to win another game," said GVSU head coach Chuck Martin.
The Laker defense came up big late in the game when Matt Beaty forced a fumble that Bill Brechin recovered at the Laker 21 with 3:15 left in the game. That turnover set up the game-ending drive.
Junior corner Bill Brechin kept the Lakers in the game in the first quarter. He picked off a pass in the endzone on NW Missouri's first possession, then picked off another pass at the Laker seven to foil another drive.
"Bill Brechin made four game changing plays in the game and those two first quarter interceptions kept us in the game," said GVSU head coach Chuck Martin.
Grand Valley State got on the board first early in the second quarter. Todd Carter hit a 30-yard field goal after Finnerty drove the Lakers 67-yards in 11 plays. The Bearcats answered quickly, driving 80-yards in 8-plays. Kendall Wright hit Rafael Robinson with a 26-yard halfback pass to give NW Missouri its first lead.
The lead was shortlived as Finnerty drove GVSU 70-yards in 11-plays for a score. Finnerty found Fowler all alone in the left corner of the endzone for a 2-yard TD pass. Finnerty rushed for 33 yards on the drive and completed three passes for 37 yards. Todd Carter added the PAT for a 10-7 Laker lead.
NW Missouri State appeared to be going in for a score late in the first half, but junior corner Brandon Carr picked off the Lakers' third pass of the first half when he stepped in front of a Josh Mathews pass at the goal line with 2:11 left in the second quarter.
GVSU gave the Bearcats the ball deep in its own end following a low snap that Justin Trumble went down to field and put his knee down. NWMST needed five plays to go 25 yards for the score and a 14-10 lead.
Cullen Finnerty completed 15-of-33 passes for 225 yards and rushed for 115 yards on 22 carries for 340 yards of total offense. Finnerty passed for one TD and ran for another. Finnerty became the first QB in NCAA DII Championship game history to pass for over 200 yards (225 passing) and rush for over 100 (115). Astin Martin rushed for 40 yards on 12 carries. Eric Fowler caught seven passes for 96 yards, despite missing almost all of the second half with a hamstring injury. Terry Mitchell caught two passes for 55 yards. John Mathews added two receptions for 24 yards, Sean Stevens one for 19 yards and Preston Garris one for 17 yards.
Matt Beaty led the defense with a season-high 12 tackles, while senior Mike McFadden added seven stops. Dan Skuta added seven stops and Samad Cain six.
