Player Profiles - of College Football Games

190
2006 NCAA Division II Second Round Playoff Game
Grand Valley State 35, South Dakota 17
Allendale, Mich. • Nov. 25, 2006
Lubbers Stadium
Scoring 1 2 3 4 TP
South Dakota 3 0 0 14 17
Grand Valley State 7 21 0 7 35
QTR Time Team-Play(PAT){Plays-Yards} SD GV
1 10:03 SD Frank Leibfarth 25 yd field goal
{9-72, 4:57} 3 0
1 7:39 GV Cullen Finnerty 5 yd run (Todd Carter kick)
{5-66, 2:17} 3 7
2 14:44 GV Mark Catlin 45 yd punt return
(Todd Carter kick) 3 14
2 9:12 GV Eric Fowler 22 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {5-80, 2:04} 3 21
2 6:42 GV Astin Martin 8 yd run (Todd Carter kick)
{6-46, 2:05} 3 28
4 11:41 SD Ryan Allison 18 yd pass from Noah Shepard
(Frank Leibfarth kick) {10-96, 2:28} 10 28
4 8:53 GV Eric Fowler 12 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {6-68, 2:35} 10 35
4 7:04 SD Noah Shepard 1 yd run (Frank Leibfarth kick)
{7-62, 1:39} 17 35
TEAM STATISTICS SD GV
First Downs 23 19
Rushes/Yards 43/186 31/134
Passes (A-C-I) 32-16-1 23-14-0
Yards Passing 214 228
Total Offense 400 362
Punts/Average 5/36.0 6/39.8
Fumbles/Lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties 5-45 8-55
Time of Possession 29:42 30:18
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS:
RUSHING: GV-Martin 20-96, Finnerty 7-27; SD-Logan 17-95, Shepard 20-61.
PASSING: GV-Finnerty 14-23-0, 228; SD-Shepard 16-32-1, 214.
RECEIVING: GV-Fowler 6-116, Trent 6-60; SD-Allison 7-76, Little 4-32.
A-4133
Allendale, Mich. - #1-ranked Grand Valley State turned in a stellar team effort Saturday afternoon
at Lubbers Stadium en route to a 35-17 NCAA Division II Second Round playoff victory over
South Dakota. GVSU improves to 12-0 on the year and will host North Dakota in the Northwest
Region Championship game. It will be third straight year the Lakers and Fighting Sioux have met
in the Northwest Regional title game. GVSU has now reached a regional title game six straight
years and enter the UND game with a 4-1 record in regional title games.
South Dakota opened the game with a 9-play, 72-yard scoring drive as Frank Leibfarth connected
on a 25-yard field goal. The Lakers quickly answered with a 5-play, 66-yard touchdown
drive that took just 2:17. Finnerty scored on a run around left end and Todd Carter added the PAT
for a lead the Lakers would not relinquish. Senior WR/RET Mark Catlin provided the next big
play as he fielded a Luke Mikkelson punt at the USD 45 and eluded several would be tackles
before scoring on a 45-yard punt return for a TD. It was GVSU's first punt return for a TD since
2003 when Scott Mackey returned a punt 71 yards for a TD at Findlay. Carter's PAT put GVSU
up 14-3. "Mark Catlin once again made a big play for us when he returned that punt for a touchdown,"
said GVSU head coach Chuck Martin. "You could feel the momentum really shift when
we were able to go up 14-3," added Martin.
The Laker defense forced a Coyote punt and Finnerty led the Lakers on another scoring drive.
RB Astin Martin toted the ball twice for 25 yards, Finnerty hit tight end John Mathews with a 43yard
completion, and then found Fowler in the end zone for a 22-yard TD reception. Carter added
his third PAT of the day for a 21-3 Laker lead.LB Kirk Carruth forced and recovered a fumble by
USD QB Noah Shepard at the Coyote 48 to put the GVSU offense back in action. Finnerty rushed
for 21 yards, before Astin Martin finished the drive with three carries for 31 yards. Astin Martin
scored untouched from eight yards out to give Grand Valley State a 28-3 halftime lead.
"I was extremely pleased with our entire team effort in the first half," said Martin. "We played
well in all facets in the game and really took the wind out of their sails," added Martin.
Grand Valley State just tried to run clock the second half. South Dakota scored on a 10-play,
96-yard drive early in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers came right back with a 6-play, 68-yard
scoring drive of their own. Finnerty completed passes of 23,21 and the final 12 yards for a TD to
Fowler to give the Lakers a 35-10 lead. South Dakota added a late TD against the GVSU reserves
for the final margin.
"We came out clicking offensively," said Finnerty. "The offensive line did a great job of pass
and run blocking, and our entire receiving unit and Astin Martin did a great job of making plays,"
added Finnerty.
Finnerty completed 14-of-23 passes for 228 yards and two TDs, while rushing for 27 and
another TD. Astin Martin rushed for 96 yards and TD. WR Eric Fowler caught six passes for 116
yards and two TDs to lead the receivers. Fowler broke the 100-yard receiving mark for the sixth
time this season and ran his season total to 56 catches for 1,206 yards and 18 TDs. Antione Trent
hauled in six receptions for 60 yards.
The Laker defense held the high powered Coyote offense to just 119 yards in the opening half.
Redshirt freshman Jacob McGuckin tallied a career-high 15 tackles, while Buster Larkins added
nine tackles and a interception. RF P.J. Beuke chipped in eight tackles and two QB sacks (-22).
Brandon Carr tallied seven tackles and three pass deflections. GVSU recorded eight tackles for
loss and five QB sacks in the game.
2007 Laker Football Media Guide
All-Time Postseason Summaries
2006 NCAA Division II Quarterfinal Playoff Game
Grand Valley State 30, North Dakota 20
Allendale, Mich. • Dec. 2, 2006
Lubbers Stadium
Scoring 1 2 3 4 TP
North Dakota 0 7 7 6 20
Grand Valley State 27 0 0 3 30
QTR Time Team-Play(PAT){Plays-Yards} ND GV
1 12:08 GV Terry Mitchell 20 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {3-53, 0:44} 0 7
1 7:24 GV Eric Fowler 10 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {6-43, 1:42} 0 14
1 5:11 GV Anthony Adams 28 yd fumble return
(Todd Carter kick) 0 21
1 1:40 GV Eric Fowler 4 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Kick failed) {6-34, 1:44} 0 27
2 10:16 ND Brady Trenbeath 46 yd pass from Reed Manke
(B. Hellevang kick) {4-72, 2:14} 7 27
3 0:07 ND Brandon Brady 1 yd run
(B. Hellevang kick) {8-41, 2:32} 14 27
4 11:18 GV Todd Carter 28 yd field goal
{7-69, 3:45} 14 30
4 5:03 ND Weston Dressler 17 yd pass from Reed Manke
(Rush failed) {7-22, 2:37} 20 30
TEAM STATISTICS ND GV
First Downs 19 18
Rushes/Yards 27/68 33/159
Passes (A-C-I) 51-29-2 29-15-1
Yards Passing 328 248
Total Offense 396 407
Punts/Average 7/29.4 5/33.2
Fumbles/Lost 2-2 5-4
Penalties 5-36 7-55
Time of Possession 29:27 30:33
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS:
RUSHING: GV-Finnerty 16-85, Martin 11-76; ND-Chappell 15-70.
PASSING: GV-Finnerty 15-29-1, 248; ND-Manke 29-51-2, 328.
RECEIVING: GV-Fowler 12-174, Mitchell 3-74; ND-Dressler 10-122,
Trenbeath 10-119.
A-5184
Allendale, Mich. - #1-ranked Grand Valley State used a quick strike offense to build a 27-0 first quarter advantage
and went on to claim a 30-20 victory over North Dakota Saturday afternoon at Lubbers Stadium. GVSU (13-0) will
play Delta (Miss.) State Sunday, Dec. 10 at a time and site to be determined.
The play of the game between Grand Valley State and North Dakota might have come just after the coin toss.
Grand Valley State won the toss and elected to defer to the second half, while the Fighting Sioux decided to go against
the wind in the first quarter. That decision proved costly. GVSU forced a three-and-out took over possession on their
own 47. Following an incompletion on first down, senior QB Cullen Finnerty hit Eric Fowler over the middle for a
33-yard completion, then found Terry Mitcell in the corner of the end zone on the very next play for a 20-yard completion
and a TD. The TD drive covered 53 yards and took 44 seconds. Todd Carter added the PAT for a 7-0 Laker
lead. North Dakota was again forced to punt after three plays netted four yards and the punt was downed at the UND
43. Finnerty hit Fowler with passes the covered 22 and 22-yards, then completed the drive with a 10-yard TD pass to
Fowler. Carter added the PAT and GVSU led 14-0. That drived took 1:44 off the clock and covered 43 yards.
The Laker defense then got on the board on the Fighting Sioux's next possesion. UND QB Reed Manke fumbled
when getting sacked by junior LB Anthony Adams, Adams then picked up the fumble and raced 28 yards for a TD to
give GVSU a 21-0 lead.
"Anthony did a great job of forcing the fumble, and then showed his athletic ability by scooping it up and scoring,"
said Martin. "That was a huge play because we were able to score again while going with the wind."
North Dakota was still unable to put anything together offensively and was forced to punt from its own 14. Brent
Halfmann netted 20 yards on the punt and GVSU was in great position again on the North Dakota 34. Finnerty hit
Fowler with a 18-yard completion, before Blake Smolen recorded the Lakers' first rushing attempt in the first quarter
on a 2-yard rush. Finnerty followed with a 10-yard rush to the UND four and then hit Fowler again in the corner
of the end zone for the Lakers's fourth score in the first quarter. Fowler's TD catch was an incredible one-handed
reception with his right hand. Fowler tallied six receptions for 108 yards and two TDs in the first quarter.
Fowler added, "Cullen just put the ball where the defender couldn't make a play, but I could. We have been
together for five years and we have a pretty good idea what each other is thinking during the game."
North Dakota got on the board early in the second quarter when Manke hit Brady Trenbeath on a short crossing
route over the middle that Trenbeath then took 46 yards for a TD. North Dakota had one other scoring opportunity in
the first half, but RB Ryan Chappell fumbled after being hit by DL Derrick Jones on the Laker five and Matt Beaty
fell on the ball at the GVSU five.
Grand Valley State was moving into the wind in the third quarter and the Lakers opened with a 6-play, 47-yard
drive that took 3:22 off the clock. Punter Justin Trumble then dropped a punt at the Fighting Sioux eight. UND, moving
with the wind was forced to punt after four plays and the Lakers went on another time consuming drive that took
5:26 off the clock.
Finnerty lost a fumble on the North Dakota 21 and then on the Lakers' next possession, RB Blake Smolen lost a
fumble on the GVSU 41. UND drove 41 yards in eight plays before Brandon Brady scored from 1-yard out with 7.8
seconds left in the third quarter. "Our defense did a great job in the third quarter and if our offense hadn't turned the
ball over twice North Dakota would not have scored in that third quarter," said Martin.
GVSU had the wind in the fourth quarter and the Lakers went back to work. Finnerty completed passes of 11
yards to Fowler, 50 yards to Mitchell and then 11 yards to Fowler again to move GVSU to the UND eight. Fowler
was then tackled in the end zone on a pass attempt that gave the Lakers a first-and-goal. However, the UND defense
held tough and forced Todd Carter to kick a 28-yard field goal to give the Lakers a 30-14 lead. UND scored a late
TD on a 17-yard pass from Manke to Weston Dressler.
our execution until midway through the third quarter, but then we got sloppy," said Martin. "However, I am extremely
happy to be on of four teams still playing next week," added Martin.
Finnerty led the offense, completing 15-of-29 passes for 248 yards and three TDs, while rushing for 85 yards on
16 carries. Cullen accounted for 333 yards of total offense. RB Astin Martin rushed 11 times for 76 yards, while WR
Eric Fowler hauled in a career-best 12 catches for 174 yards and two TDs. Fowler became the GVSU all-time, single-season
leader for receiving yards with 1,380. Fowler broke former Laker great David Kircus' total of 1,341 yards
in 2002. Fowler's 20 receiving TDs is third on the single-season list, behind Kircus' 35 in 2002 and 28 in 2001. Terry
Mitchell caught three passes for a season-high 74 yards and a TD.
Defensively, LB Dan Skuta collected a team-high nine tackles and picked off a pass. Safety Jacob McGuckin tallied
eight tackles and Bill Brechin a season-high seven stops with a pass deflection. DL Derrick Jones tallied six tackles,
two tackles for loss (-15) and two QB sacks (-15), while Anthony Adams chipped in with six tackles, a TFL, a
QB sack, a forced fumble and a fumble return for a TD. CB Brandon Carr picked off his team-leading fifth pass of
the year and the Lakers tallied five pass deflections in the game.