Nov. 10, 2012

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University Center, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State claimed a 55-52 victory over Grand Valley State in the season-finale Saturday afternoon in University Center. GVSU ends the season 8-3 overall and 7-3 in GLIAC action. GVSU claimed a share of the GLIAC North Division title for the second straight year.

Saginaw Valley State scored on a 32 yard pass with nine seconds left in the game to complete a 7-play, 95-yard drive that took just 53 seconds for the win.

Saginaw Valley State's Ronnie Lark scored from 1-yard out on the third play of the game following an 87-yard run by Tim Hogue to the GVSU 1-yard line on second down. Following the PAT SVSU held a 7-0 lead.

Sophomore QB Isiah Grimes was picked off on his first pass attempt of the game and SVSU's Jeff Janis scored on a reverse to up the Cardinal lead to 14-0.

The Cardinals took a 21-0 lead on a 54-yard TD pass from Jonathan Jennings to Tim Hogue.

Trailing 28-0 GVSU got on the board with an 8-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took 3:36 off the clock. Sophomore running back Michael Ratay finished the drive with a 6-yard TD run, but the big play of the drive was a 56-yard pass completion from Grimes to Charles Johnson.

Grimes hit Johnson with a 42-yard TD pass on fourth-and-four to pull the Lakers within a 35-14 margin. GVSU went 49 yards in four plays for the score that took just 49 seconds.

Following a Saginaw Valley State 22-yard field goal, running back Kirk Spencer returned the kickoff 94 yards to the SVSU 6-yard line. Grimes then hit Johnson with a 2-yard TD pass and then again with the two-point conversion pass to make the score 38-22 in favor of the Cardinals.

The Cardinals added a field goal at the 6:32 mark of the third quarter to take a 41-22 lead.

The Laker offense continued to roll, moving 75 yards in four plays as just 1:41 went off the clock. Grimes hit WR Brandon Green with a 26-yard completion and Ratay scored from two yards out to pull GVSU within 41-29.

Following an SVSU score, Grimes drove the Lakers 94 yards in 10 plays for a score that took just 2:47 off the clock. Grimes hit Johnson for the third time in the game, this one covering 17 yards out. Ratay ran in the 2-point conversion to make the score 48-37 in favor of the Caridinals.

After forcing a SVSU punt, Grimes hit TE Jaime Potts with a 48-yard completion on first down. The Cardinals were called for a pass interference penalty to give the Lakers possession on the SVSU 25 yard line and Grimes then hit Johnson with a 20-yard TD pass, his fourth receiving TD of the game. The drive covered 88 yards in three plays and took just 1:05 off the clock. Grimes ran the conversion in to pull GVSU within three (48-45) with 7:48 left in the game.

GVSU recovered a Cardinal fumble on the SVSU 22 yard line and needed just four plays to take its first lead of the game. Ratay punched it in from 11 yards out and Iaderosa added the PAT to give GVSU a 52-48 lead.

Isiah Grimes completed 21-of-37 passes for 391 yards and four TDs. He was intercepted twice in the first quarter. Senior WR Charles Johnson caught 10 passes for 198 yards and a career-high four TD receptions. Sophomore Darryl Pitts caught three passes for 82 yards, while TE Jaime Potts caught two passes for 53 and Israel Woolfork hauled in four passes for 21 yards in his final game. Michael Ratay toted the ball 17 times for 95 yards and three TDs. Matt Judon led the defense with 11 tackles.