Oct. 20, 2007

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery  |  Wallpaper

Midland, Mich. - #1 ranked Grand Valley State claimed a 51-20 victory over Northwood University Saturday and in the process made NCAA Division II history by winning its 35th consecutive game. GVSU's 35 straight wins passes the previous record held by Hillsdale College (1954-57). Grand Valley State improves to 7-0 overall and 6-0- in GLIAC action, while Northwood falls to 3-4 both overall and in league action. The Lakers will host West Michigan rival Ferris State next Saturday at Lubbers Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

GVSU scored early and often in the opening half, scoring on four-of-five first half drives. Grand Valley State drove 50 yards in eight plays and Todd Carter kicked a 25 yard field goal to give the Lakers a 3-0 lead at the 9:40 mark of the first half. The Lakers then drove 95 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown. Sophomore QB Brad Iciek hit Jonn Mathews with a 13 yard scoring pass and Carter added the PAT for a 10-0 lead.

Northwood gambled on its own 20 by going for it on fouth and one and the gamble paid off three plays later when Spencer Klukowski hit Quillan Mathis with a 38 yard scoring pass. However, GVSU struck back quickly, going 65 yards in three plays for a touchdown. Iciek hit Blake Smolen with a 55 yard pass and catch, and then found Antione Trent in the corner of the end zone with a 12 yard TD pass.

Northwood answered again as Antione Ivy scored on a 55 yard run to pull the Timberwolves within a 17-13 score. But Northwood was unable to contain the Laker offense as GVSU went 76 yards seven plays, the final being a Preston Garris 44-yard TD run to give GVSU a 24-13 lead.GVSU drove to the Northwood 10 yard line with just over a minute in the second quarter, but Iciek was picked off at the one.

"I was pleased with the first half offensively and defensively we just kept playing," said head coach Chuck Martin. "We wanted to come out in the second half and set the tone early because we knew we were going on offense."

Blake Smolen returned the second half kickoff 70 yards to the Northwood 19 yard line and James Berezik scored on the second play with a 15 yard TD run to give GVSU a 30-13 lead. Northwood drove 85 yards in five plays on its first possession of the second half, 50 of which came via defensive penalties. Klukowski hit Phillip Davis on a slant pass that covered 22 yards to cut the GVSU lead to 10, 30-20. That would be as close as Northwood would get as GVSU scored 21 unanswered points, all in the third quarter. RB Blake Smolen scored on a 29 yard run, followed by a 35 yard pass from Iciek to Garris to give GVSU a 44-20 lead with 5:13 left in the third quarter. Iciek completed the scoring for the Lakers when he hit Brandon Horn on a perfectly thrown 67 yard TD pass with 1:55 left in the third stanza to up the Laker lead to 51-20. Grand Valley State racked up 255 yards of total offense in the third quarter, and including a 70-yard kickoff return that total increased to 325 total yards (23.0 ypp). GVSU ran just 12 rushing plays in the fourth quarter to kill the clock.

"I am so proud of how these kids handle themselves," said Martin. "They treat every opponent with the upmost respect and always look out for the team first."

Brad Iciek completed 17-of-24 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns. The 403 passing yards and four TDs both tied career highs. Preston Garris rushed for 97 yards and a TD, while catching two passes for 41 yards and a score. James Berezik chipped in 57 yarrds and a score, while Blake Smolen added 50 yards and a score. WR Brandon Horn caught six passes for a career-high 147 yards and a TD. Antione Trent caught three passes for 93 yards and a TD and Smolen hauled in three passes for 74 yards.

GVSU tallied 641 yards of total offense and averaged 10.0 yards per play.

Defensively, Samad Cain led the way with 12 tackles, while Dan Skuta added eight tackles, two QB sacks (-16) and two tackles for loss (-16). GVSU recorded three QB sacks on the day (-21) and eight tackles for loss (-42).

Notes...GVSU is 60-3 in its last 63 GLIAC games...GVSU has won 27 straight GLIAC games...GVSU is 92-5 in its last 97games and 93-7 in its last 100 games.