Aug. 30, 2007

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Allendale, Mich. - #1 Grand Valley State opened the 2007 just as they finished the 2006 season, with a victory. GVSU claimed a 42-14 victory over St. Joseph's College in the 2007 season opener at Lubbers Stadium before the 10th largest crowd in Lubbers Stadium history (11,134). The Lakers (1-0) will hit the road for the GLIAC opener next Saturday (Sept. 8) at Ashland.

The Laker offense got rolling early, taking the opening kickoff 72 yards in eight plays. Senior WR Brandon Horn hauled in a 4-yard touchdown reception from sophomore QB Brad Iciek just 3:41 into the season to give GVSU a 7-0 lead. Senior WR Brandon Carr gave Grand Valley State a 14-0 lead when he picked off a pass on the first play of the second quarter and returned it 11 yards for a TD. Antione Trent hauled in a 17 yard pass from Iciek to cap a 4-play, 59-yard scoring drive to up the Laker lead to 21-0. Iciek then scored on a 15-yard run with just 2:10 left in the first half to give GVSU a 28-0 lead.

"I thought we came out locked in and ready to play," said fourth-year head coach Chuck Martin. "I liked our intensity and felt like we played smart football. However, we have plenty of teaching points because we also made a whole lot mistakes," added Martin.

Freshman QB Marquel Neasman scored on a 2-yard run to cap a 5-play, 56-yard scoring drive midway through the third quarter and that was the end of the night for starters on both sides of the ball for the Lakers. The Laker starting defense limited St. Joseph's to 92 yards of total offense when before they departed for the night.

St. Joseph's Jashon Banks scored on a 6-yard run late in the third quarter and then on a 5-yarder with 11:47 left in the fourth. GVSU concluded the scoring with a 6-play, 67-yard scoring drive. Freshman RB James Berezik scored his first collegiate TD on an 8-yard run. Junior PK Todd Carter kicked all six PATs.

Grand Valley State rushed for 241 yards on 30 carries (8.0 ypc), while passing for 176 yards. Iciek completed 13-of-21 passes for 176 yards and two TDs. Berezik rushed for 78 yards and TD on 11 carries, while senior Preston Garris toted the ball eight times for 65 yards. Jaquon Morrison added 45 yards on three carries, while freshman Marquel Neasman toted the ball four times for 40 yards and a TD. Sophomore Blake Smolen hauled in a team-high four passes for 64 yards, while Brandon Horn caught three passes for 24 yards and a TD. Antion Trent caught to passes for 26 yards and a TD.

A pair of sophomore's, LB Jordan Munson and SS Gary Anderson, led the way with nine tackles each. Senior All-American Anthony Adams tallied eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a QB sack. Junior DL Dan Skuta notched five tackles, two QB sacks (-8) and three tackles for loss (-12).

"We played a solid first game, but we have a lot of room for improvement," said Martin. "We need to have our experience players step their game up, but we also need our reserves step up because they are going to be called on to deliver."

Postgame Notes...

Season Openers Grand Valley State is 21-16 in season-opening games...The Lakers are 11-6 when opening the season at home, 10-9 when opening the season on the road, and 0-1 at a neutral site.

Home Openers: Grand Valley State is 23-12 in home openers, including a 4-0 mark under Chuck Martin. GVSU did not play a home game in either of their first two seasons.

• Grand Valley State is 279-114-3 (.712). The Lakers have the best winning percentage in DII football history (.712) and the second-best winning percentage in college football since 2000 (.913).

• The Lakers' 87 victories since the 2000 campaign also ranks second in college football. GVSU is 90-10 in its last 100 games. The Lakers are 87-9 since 2000.

• Grand Valley State has won a school-record 29 straight games overall. GVSU's last loss was Nov. 27, 2004 at North Dakota in the NCAA Northwest Regional final. The Lakers' current 28-game winning streak is the longest active streak in college football.

• GVSU has the second best winning percentage of football playing schools in the State of Michigan, behind Michigan's 860-280-36 (.745) mark. GVSU is 279-114-3 (.712).

• The Lakers are 86-5 in their last 91 games with four National Championships (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006).

• Grand Valley State is 87-9 since the 2000 season with four NCAA DII National Championships (2002-2003-2005-2006).

• The 2007 GVSU senior class is 39-3 with two National Championships. The 2006 senior class concluded their careers with an NCAA record 52-4 overall mark and three National Championships.

Grand Valley State entered the 2007 season ranked number one in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, D2football.com and Don Hansen's Football Gazette. GVSU has opened the season as the top ranked team in the AFCA coaches poll five of the last six years. GVSU has opened the season as the top ranked team in DII football in at least one poll each of the last six years. The Lakers were ranked number one by Sports Illustrated prior to the 2005 campaign and number one in AFCA coaches poll in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

• The Lakers are 50-2 when being ranked number one since 2002.

• GVSU has been ranked in the AFCA top 25 in 78 straight polls.

• Grand Valley State has been ranked number one in the country in 55-of-the-last-69 polls since the opening game of the 2002 season...GVSU has finished the year ranked in the top 10 (2001-2, 2002-1, 2003-1, 2004-9, 2005 -1, 2006-1) in six straight postseason polls.

• Since 2001, the Lakers are 46-3 at home, 33-2 in their last 35 road games and 36-3 in all games away from Lubbers Stadium in their last 39.