Nov. 1, 2008

Final Stats

Marquette, Mich. - #1-Ranked Grand Valley State raced out to a 28-0 first quarter lead and never looked back en route to a 45-14 victory Saturday afternoon in Marquette, Michigan. GVSU improves to 9-0 both overall and in GLIAC action, while Northern Michigan falls to 2-7. Grand Valley State also clinched its fourth straight GLIAC title, marking the first time in school history that GVSU has won four straight GLIAC Championships. Grand Valley State will conclude the regular season next Saturday at Wayne State. Kickoff with the 8-2 Warriors is set for 12 noon.

The Lakers started quickly as junior CB Rob Carlise got a piece of Northern Michigan's first punt. Junior QB Brad Iciek hit WR Blake Smolen with a 50-yard pass to the NMU 10 on the GVSU's first play and the route was on. Sophomore RB Jimmy Brezik dove over on fourth-and-one for the score at the 9:26 mark of the first quarter. Sophomore LB Justin Victor recovered a Fred Wells fumble on first down and the Lakers were back in scoring position at the NMU 24-yard line. Iciek hit Berezik on a pass that went through the hands of Greg Gay for a 23-yard TD score to increase the Grand Valley State lead to 14-0 with 8:22 left in the first quarter. Gay recovered a Laker onside kick and Iciek drove the Lakers 55 yards in four plays, concluded by an Iciek to Mathews two-yard pass and catch for a 21-0 lead with 6:20 left in the first quarter. Following another Wildcat punt, P.T Gates rambled 23 yards on first down, followed by a Berezik eight yard run and an Iciek to Gay 15-yard pass and catch. Iciek hit Mathews with a 44-yard pass to the NMU six-yard line and sophomore QB Marquel Neasman scored on a six-yard run. Todd Carter added the PAT for a 28-0 first quarter lead for the Grand Valley State.

Iciek hit senior TE Scott Blasko with an 18-yard TD reception midway through the second quarter to complete a 6-play, 82-yard drive that ended the day for all of the Laker starters on offense. Senior PK Todd Carter kicked a 39-yard field goal with no time left in the second quarter to give GVSU a 38-0 lead. Northern Michigan got on the board with a 4-play, 70-yard drive. NMU added another late TD on a fourth-and-24 pass late in the fourth quarter, while P.T. Gates concluded the scoring for GVSU with a 14-yard run.

Iciek completed 12-of-14 passes for 266 yards and three TDs in less than two quarters of action. Smolen hauled in three passes for 133 yards, while Mathews caught three passes for 54 yards. Blasko hauled in two passes for 25 yards and a TD. Justin Sherrod rushed for a career-high 117 yards on 10 carries, while P.T. Gates rushed for 107 yards and a TD on 16 carries. Marquel Neasman completed 5-of-8 passes for 33 yards. Senior DL Dan Skuta passed former Laker All-American Mike McFadden in career sacks with his one sack on the day. Skuta now has 31.5 career sacks. Denzell Hinton led the defense with five tackles. GVSU recorded seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

GVSU improved to 106-10 since 2000 and the 2008 Laker senior class is 49-1...GVSU has won 41 consecutive regular season games and 39 straight GLIAC games...GVSU is 72-3 in its last 75 GLIAC games...The Lakers increased their GLIAC record for first-quarter points 164. GVSU has scored 271 first-half points.