Nov. 12, 2011

 Post Game Press Conference |  Rubick's View |  GameHighlights

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Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State closed the 2011 regular season in fine fashion Saturday at Lubbers Stadium with an impressive 49-24 victory over previously No. 25 Saginaw Valley State before a crowd of 11,163. GVSU, which has won seven straight games, closes the regular season 8-3 overall and 7-3 in GLIAC action. SVSU finishes 7-3 overall and in GLIAC action. GVSU claimed the GLIAC North Division crown with the win and have now won seven straight meetings with the Cardinals.

Grand Valley State took control of the game offensively from the opening kickoff. The Lakers scored TDs on their first three drives, all covering 80 yards or more. GVSU's opening drive went 80 yards in 8 plays for a touchdown. Sophomore running back Hersey Jackson finished the drive with a 3 yard TD run and sophomore PK Ryan Stokes added the PAT for a 7-0 Laker lead. GVSU ran the ball four times and threw four passes on the drive.

Saginaw Valley State answered quickly as sophomore QB Jonathan Jennings turned a QB keeper into a 60 yard TD run and the PAT tied the game at 7-7. The Cardinal defense had no answer for the balanced Laker attack as GVSU drove 80 yards in 12 plays (8 run/4 pass) for a 3 yard TD run by freshman Michael Ratay. Stokes' PAT upped the Laker lead to 14-7. The Laker defense forced a three-and-out and the offense went back to work. Sophomore QB Heath Parling directed an 11-play, 86-yard drive that took 6:11 off the clock. Six passes and five runs, including three straight by Ratay for 42 yards moved GVSU inside the SVSU 30 yard line. Ratay rambled 24 yards for a first down on fourth-and-one. Parling hit senior WR Jovonne Augustus with a 24 yard completion and then found junior Charles Johnson in the back of the endzone for a 5 yard TD pass.

GVSU had a field goal blocked with 32 seconds left in the first half and the Cardinals used two big plays to get into scoring range. Jennings then hit WR Jeff Janis with a 30 yard completion as time expired for a touchdown to pull the Cardinals within seven at the half (21-14. GVSU dominated the first half in every statistical category, outgaining the Cardinals 275-179, with 80 yards of the 179 coming in the final 32 seconds.

Saginaw Valley State scored on its opening possession of the second half as PK Scott Stanford it a 28 yard field goal to pull SVSU within four (21-17). GVSU was stopped on a fourth down play, but Jennings was picked off by sophomore CB Reggie Williams on the first play to set the Lakers up inside Cardinal territory. However, Parling was picked off three plays later at the Saginaw Valley State 22 yard line. The trading of turnovers continued as DL Brandon Allen forced a fumble by RB Ronnie Lark that sophomore LB Luther Ware recovered at the GVSU 46 yard line. The Chris Robinson show started for the Lakers as he toted the ball seven times for 44 yards as GVSU drove 54 yards in eight plays for a TD. Robinson finished the drive with a 4 yard TD run and Stokes added the PAT for a 28-17 lead.

SVSU returned the kickoff 88 yards to the Grand Valley State nine and scored three plays later as Jennings hit TE Zach Cecich with a 3 yard TD pass to close the gap (28-24). That would be as close as the Cardinals would get as Erik Thompson answered with the big blow, a 100 yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Stokes kicked his fifth PAT of the day for a 35-24 GVSU lead.

GVSU's defense forced another punt and Robinson then accounted for all 86 yards in six plays for a Laker touchdown. Robinson rushed five times for 72 yards, including a highlight reel 38-yard scamper, and hauled in a swing pass for a 14 yard gain. He completed the drive with 3 yard TD run.

The Laker defense forced another turnover as senior DB Zach Breen sacked Jennings and forced a fumble that Ware recovered. Senior TE Andrew Lorman hauled in a tipped pass and rambled 48 yards to the SVSU 14 yard line and Robinson then finished the drive with runs of 13 and 1 yard for a TD to up the GVSU lead to 49-24.

GVSU forced yet another turnover on the ensuing kickoff as DL Matt Judon recovered the fumble on the SVSU 41 yard line. Freshman RB Ben Hutchins toted the ball five times for 36 yards to the Cardinal five and the Lakers let the clock run out to close the game.

GVSU's 541 yards of total offense versus Saginaw Valley State was second to its total of 547 at Lake Erie for a season high. GVSU rushed fir 317 yards and passed for 224. The Laker defense held SVSU to 338 yards of total offense on 53 plays. In addition, Grand Valley State possessed the ball for 36:27.

Robinson rushed 22 times for 175 yards and three TDs, all career-highs, while also hauling in two passes for 18 yards. Robinson became the fourth different GVSU running back to break the 100 yard rushing mark this season. Ratay ran for 54 yards and a TD on nine carries and caught four passes for 25 yards. Parling completed 18-of-24 passes for 224 yards and one TD, while rushing five times for 24 yards. Johnson hauled in five passes for 53 yards and a score, followed by WR Greg Gay's three catches for 46 yards, all of which resulted in GVSU first downs.

The Laker defense tallied eight tackles for loss (-24) and three QB sacks (-13) on the day. Williams led the defense with eight tackles and an interception, while Breen recorded six tackles, two tackles for loss (-12) and two QB sacks (-12). Thompson and senior LB Brad Howard each contributed six tackles. Thompson added the 100 yard kickoff return for a TD.

Notes...Heath Parling finished the season leading the nation in pass efficiency rating (180.35). Parling tossed 34 TD passes, the fifth-best, single-season total in Laker history...Junior WR Charles Johnson hauled in 56 passes for 1,030 yards and 15 TDs. Johnson's 1,030 yards is fifth on the single-season list, while his 15 TD receptions is fourth..SS Erik Thompson tallied two kickoff returns for TDs that covered 100 yards each and he picked off a team-high 5 five pass and had 225 return yards...Senior DT Andre Thompas capped his senior year by leading the GLIAC in QB sacks with eight (-36) and tackles for loss with 15 (-60)...Senior LB Brad Howard led the Lakers with 79 total tackles, while also recorded 12 tackles for loss (-27).