Nov. 16, 2013

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 Postgame Press Conference

ALLENDALE, Mich. - In a game that Grand Valley State needed to have to keep its season alive, the Lakers responded with a huge performance, using a third-quarter explosion to take down rival Saginaw Valley State, 49-34 on Saturday (Nov. 16) afternoon.

The Lakers entered the game ranked fifth in the latest Super Region 4 rankings, while SVSU was in the third spot with the top six teams in the rankings making the playoffs.

In front of 11,888 fans at Lubbers Stadium, a number that resulted in a new single-season attendance record at GVSU, the Lakers moved to 9-2 on the season with a 7-2 mark in the GLIAC. The Cardinals fall to 9-2 overall and take their first loss in conference play, moving to 9-1.

GVSU will now await word on its playoff fate. The selection show for the 2013 NCAA Division II Football Playoffs will take place at 5 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 17) and can be watched live on NCAA.com by clicking here.

SVSU struck first in the game, driving the opening kickoff down to the Laker seven yard line and converting a 24-yard field goal to go up 3-0.

The Lakers responded with a touchdown, as a 31-yard run by Brandan Green and a 28-yard touchdown pass from Heath Parling to Jamie Potts put the Lakers on the board, 7-3, with 8:28 to play in the first quarter.

The Cardinals got a second field goal on their ensuing drive, this time from 37 yards out, to cut the lead to 7-6 with 2:53 to play in the opening stanza.

Only four minutes in to the second quarter, the Cardinals took the lead back, as Jonathon Jennings scrambled in from 19 yards away to give SVSU a 13-7 lead with 11:06 to play in the half.

GVSU put together a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive on its next possession, keyed by 23 and 28-yard catches from Darryl Pitts. The drive ended with a six-yard touchdown reception by Potts, his second of the game, to put the Lakers up 14-13 with 7:50 to play in the first half.

Again the Cardinals responded, using a long 13-play, 73-yard drive to take the lead back at 20-14 with another Jennings rush, this time from 14 yards out. SVSU led 20-14 with 2:56 to play in the half, but it would be the last time in the game that they held a lead.

With only 24 seconds to play in the half, the Lakers ran a play-action pass and Parling found Joe Wirth in the middle of the endzone for a seven-yard scoring strike to put the Lakers back on top, 21-20. SVSU would drive the ball down to the Laker 36 yard line on their ensuing drive, but a 53-yard field goal from Scott Stanford sailed wide left as time expired on the half.

In the first half, Parling was 9-for-14 for 149 yards and three touchdowns to lead GVSU to the halftime lead.

The Lakers received the ball to start the second half and wasted no time extending their lead, as Chris Robinson trucked in from nine yards out to make it a 28-20 game only a couple minutes in to the second half.

SVSU responded with a touchdown of their own, but it would be as close as they got for the rest of the game.

Holding a 28-27 lead with 9:05 to play in the third quarter, GVSU's Erik Thompson received a short kickoff at the GVSU 24 yard line, then raced up the middle and all the way in to the endzone for a 76 yard kick return touchdown to make it 35-27. It was the second time in three years and the second straight home game against SVSU that Thompson returned a kick for a touchdown, as a 100 yard return in 2011 sprung the Lakers to victory in the season finale.

On the next Cardinal drive, GVSU special teams came up with another huge play, as Alton Voss broke through the wall of defenders on a punt and took the ball right off the punter's foot for the block and recovery, setting the Lakers up on the SVSU 24 yard line.

One play later, Parling pitched a ball out to Kirk Spencer on the right side, and on the only touch Spencer would have in the game, he took it to the house, extending the lead to 42-27 GVSU with 7:33 to play in the third quarter.

SVSU would take the ball and drive down to the GVSU 21 yard line on the next drive, but a fourth-and-seven play would get sniffed out when Isiah Dunning sacked Jennings to turn the ball back over to the Lakers.

Maybe the biggest play of a game full of big plays came from Potts on the following GVSU drive. On a second-and-10 from the Cardinal 45 yard line, Parling tossed a pass up the sideline to Potts, who had his right arm being held by the defender. Potts reached out with his left arm, and while falling to the ground, hauled in the 41 yard pass at the SVSU four yard line.

Three plays later, GVSU was in the endzone again, as Robinson punched it in from a yard out to make it 49-27 with 14:51 to play in the game.

SVSU would get another touchdown on the next drive, going 74 yards in 17 plays, but taking over six minutes off the clock, as they made it a 49-34 game.

From there, an interception and a fourth down stop from the Lakers nailed down the victory as the Cardinals could not get any closer.

The two teams were nearly equal in their scoring output for three quarters, but it was a 21-point third quarter that led the Lakers to the win.

Even though the Cardinals had 573 yards of total offense, the opportunistic Laker defense became the first team to hold Jennings, a Harlon Hill Award semifinalist, without a touchdown pass this season.

Parling led the way for the offense, as he finished 14-for-26 with 274 yards, four touchdowns and one interception on the day. His primary target was Potts, who had yet another huge game, hauling in five passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Wirth and Spencer each had a touchdown catch, as well.

Green, though he had only two catches for 30 yards, led the Lakers in rushing, gaining 66 yards on seven carries in the game. Robinson was the target of most carries, totalling 65 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

Jordan Kaufman led the defense with 16 tackles, the most by a Laker since Charles Hill had 17 stops against Ferris State in 2012. Kaufman also had a half-tackle for loss and a pass break-up. Matt Mosley had a huge game from his defensive line spot, rolling up 14 tackles and a quarterback hurry. Deonte' Hurst had 13 tackles, a 0.5 tackle for loss, two pass break-ups and a quarterback hurry. Luther Ware and Dunning each had 11 tackles, with Ware having a tackle for loss and Dunning notching a sack and two tackles for loss. Reggie Williams and Michael Hatcher each had two pass break-ups on the game.

More information regarding the Lakers' potential playoff run will be available on gvsulakers.com as it becomes available on Sunday following the 5 p.m. selection show.