Sept. 29, 2007

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Comstock Park, Mich. - #1 Ranked Grand Valley State jumped out to a 27-10 halftime lead and cruised to a 41-10 victory over Wayne State before a crowd of 10,124 at Fifth/Third Ballpark. GVSU improves to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in GLIAC action, while Wayne State is 1-4 and 0-4. GVSU will hit the road for a GLIAC tilt at Mercyhurst College next Saturday (Oct. 6).

Following a punt on its first possession, GVSU scored TDs on four of its next six possessions. Sophomore quarterback Brad Iciek hit Antione Trent with a 25-yard scoring pass. The scoring drive was 71 yards in four plays. Wayne State's Joique Bell tied the game with a 19-yard TD run for Wayne State, but the Lakers struck quickly as Iciek directed a 6-play, 74-yard scoring drive. Iciek scored on a 4-yard run and Todd Carter added the PAT. The Warrios pulled to within 14-10 when Anthony Morasso connected on a 25-yard field goal with 8:54 left in the second quarter.

GVSU struck back again, this time when Iciek hit Trent with a 2-yard scoring pass to culminate a 4-play, 56-yard scoring drive with 7:35 left in the second quarter to give the Lakers a 21-10 lead. GVSU added another score when Iciek directed a 7-play, 70-yard scoring drive that took just 1:08. Smolen hauled in a 23 yard scoring pass from Iciek with :19 ticks left on the clock to give the Lakers a 27-10 halftime lead.

"I was pleased with the first half, but I also thought we left some point on the field," said GVSU head coach Chuck Martin. "We felt from the start that we could throw the ball and they lined up in the looks that allowed us to be aggressive with the passing game."

The Lakers opened the second half with 70-yard plus drives that both ended with interceptions in the Wayne State endzone. The Lakers scored on their two ensuing drives to open a 41-10 lead. Junior tight end Scott Blasko caught a 17-yard scoring pass from Iciek. The TD catch was the first of Blasko's career. Jimmy Berezik then scored on a 1-yard TD run to close the scoring.

GVSU threw for 412 yards and rushed for 167 yards for a season-high 579 yards of total offense. GVSU averaged 7.8 yards per play. The Laker defense limited Wayne State to 286 yards of total offense, including 155 through the final three quarters. Dan Skuta led the Laker defense with a career-high 17 tackles, two tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Samad Cain, Matt Beaty and Jacob McGuckin each collected eight tackles.

Iciek completed 25-of-40 passes for 403 yards and four TDs. Iciek's 403 passing yards is the third-best, single-game total in Laker football history. Curt Anes owns the top two yardage totals (434 and 419). The Laker receiving corps set a single-game record as well as three receivers broke the 100-yard receiving mark. Sophomore Blake Smolen caught eight passes for 119 yards and a TD, while senior Brandon Horn caught seven for 117 and junior tight end John Mathews five for 108. Smolen rushed seven times for 49 yards, while Berezik added 49 yards on five carries.

"I thought we had a great approach all week and we came ready to play," said Martin. "We did an outstanding job defensively and we made Bell (Joique) earn his yards."

Notes...Grand Valley State upped its winning streak to 32 games, the longest active winning streak in college football and the third longest in DII history...GVSU head coach Chuck Martin improved to 42-3 in his career...GVSU is 90-9 since the 2000 season and 89-5 in its last 94 games...Grand Valley State is 57-3 in its last 60 GLIAC games...GVSU has won 24 straight September games.