GVSU making 9th straight playoff trip

Mon, Nov 9, 2009    to del.icio.us

ALLENDALE — Grand Valley State received the No. 2 seed in Super Region 3 in the NCAA Division 2 football playoffs.

The Lakers are making their ninth-straight apperance in the Division 2 playoffs, the only school to appear in each of the last nine playoffs.

GVSU receives a first-round bye and will host the winner of the No. 3 Minnesota State vs. No. 6 Hillsdale contest on Nov. 21 at Lubbers Stadium.

Defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth, which features Spring Lake graduate Robbie Aurich at linebacker, received the No. 1 seed in the region and will face the winner of No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 5 Saginaw Valley State. Duluth upset GVSU in the quarterfinals of the playoffs a year ago.

For playoff ticket information, contact the GVSU ticket office at (616) 331-3200.

GVSU 59, WAYNE STATE 28

Grand Valley State opened up a 31-7 lead over visiting Wayne State on Saturday at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale, and rolled to a convincing 59-28 victory.

GVSU concludes its regular season with a 10-1 record.

The win wrapped up the Lakers' fifth-straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship with a 9-1 mark.

The Lakers erupted for 17-straight points in the first quarter, coming on a 19-yard interception return by Ricky Shorkey, a 25-yard field goal from Justin Trumble, and a 2-yard run from James Berezik.

Senior quarterback Brad Iciek connected on a pair of second-quarter touchdown passes, hitting Blake Smolen and Justin Sherrod.

Iciek also got it done with his scrambling ability, scoring a 13-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter, extending the Lakers' lead to 38-7.

Sherrod, a sophomore from Wyoming Park, scored three rushing touchdowns in tne fourth quarter, capping a stellar performance which saw him rush for 184 yards.

Iciek, a Grandville graduate, completed 20-of-28 passes for 271 yards.

Joique Bell led Wayne State with 74 yards rushing, 76 yards receiving and two touchdown catches.