GVSU - NWMST Game Highlights

GVSU Postgame Press Conference

#1-Ranked Grand Valley State (12-0) claimed a tough 13-8 NCAA Division II Super Region 3 playoff victory over #8 Northwest Missouri State (10-3) Saturday (Nov. 26) at Lubbers Stadium. The Lakers advance to the NCAA Super Region 3 final versus Ferris State December 3rd at Lubbers Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and tickets can be purchased on line at gvsulakers.com. GVSU has now won 12 or more games in a season 11 times since 2001 and 12th-year head coach Matt Mitchell has guided the Lakers to 12 wins four times in his career. 

Saturday's NCAA DII contest was a slugfest for four quarters between the two winningest programs in Division II football since 2000. The Lakers struck first with a 9-play, 89-yard touchdown drive that took 4:01 off the clock. Senior RB Jack Provencher started the drive with a seven-yard run, followed by a 42-yard run by junior QB Cade Peterson on third down and three. Peterson then connected with sophomore WR Jahdae Walker on a 29-yard completion to the Bearcat 15-yard line to convert another third down. Peterson scrambled for 11 yards and junior RB Tariq Reid hit paydirt with a 4-yard TD run. Sophomore PK Kollin Kralapp added the PAT for a 7-0 GVSU lead. The Lakers drove inside the Northwest Missouri State 30 yard line three times in the second-quarter and the opening drive of the second half, but missed a field goal and was stopped on downs twice. The Lakers forced a pair of turnovers in the first half as sophomore CB Nyzier Fourqurean picked off the first of his three passes on the day and sophomore safety Damonte McCurdy recovered a fumble inside the GVSU 10-yard line. Northwest Missouri State embarked on a 15-play, 82-yard drive that resulted in a 34-yard field goal. 

The Bearcats added a safety when Peterson had the ball knocked out of his hands and it rolled through the back of the endzone to cut the lead down to two (7-5). Following the free kick, NW Missouri State completed a pass to the GVSU 19-yard line, Fourqurean picked off a pass in the endzone to thwart the scoring opportunity. The Lakers turned the Fourqurean pick into a nice drive that at one time was inside the Bearcat 20 yard line. However, a penalty forced a punt that was blocked and Northwest Missouri State took over at the 50-yard line with 9:50 left in the game. The Laker defense held strong as NW Missouri State ran eight plays inside the Laker 14-yard, but was held to a 25-yard field goal.

Trailing for the first time in the game, GVSU took over on its 28-yard line with 3:49 left. Reid rushed for six yards and Peterson added three rushing yards to forced a third down. Peterson, who rushed for 78 yards in the game, rolled right on a QB sweep, but pulled up and hit Walker, who was wide open, with a 52-yard completion to the Bearcat 11-yard line. Peterson scrambled for four yards and Reid raced around the left end for a touchdown untouched. The Lakers sacked Bearcat quarterback twice for 11 yards and Fourqurean then picked off his third pass of the afternoon to seal the win. Fourqurean's three picks set a GVSU playoff record and tied the overall single-game record with six other players, most recently by GVSU Hall of Famer Scott Mackey in 2001. 

The Laker defense limited Northwest Missouri State to 53 rushing yards and 302 yards of total offense, while recording seven tackles for loss (-31), five QB sacks (-23) and forcing four turnovers, . The Lakers forced seven three-and-outs and seven drives that produced 12 yards or less. Abe Swanson tallied 12 tackles, 1.5 QB sacks (-6) and 1.5 tackles for loss (-6), while McCurdy added seven stops and a fumble recovery. Sophomore DT Jack Gilchrist chipped in six tackles and a QB hurry and Stephen Roncelli tallied five stops a tackle for loss (-2) and a QB sack (-2). 

GVSU rushed for 200 yards against a defense that entered the game leading the nation in rush defense (52.8 ypg). Reid toted the ball 15 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns, while Peterson added 78 rushing yards on 13 carries. Peterson completed 9-of-23 passes for 173 yards and Cal Endicott complete a key 21-yard pass. Walker led the receiving unit with three catches for 87 yards, followed by Darrell Johnson's two catches for 42 yards and tight end Jayk Slager's two receptions for 40 yards. 

The victory over Northwest Missouri State snapped a four-game playoff skid versus the Bearcats and moved the Lakers into a regional final for the 13th time since 2001.