Player Profiles - of College Football Games

All-Time Postseason Summaries
2006 NCAA Division II Semifinal Playoff Game
Grand Valley State 49, Delta State 30
Allendale, Mich. • Dec. 10, 2006
Lubbers Stadium
Scoring 1 2 3 4 TP
Delta State 0 14 2 14 30
Grand Valley State 14 14 7 14 49
QTR Time Team-Play(PAT){Plays-Yards} DS GV
1 10:29 GV Terry Mitchell 30 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {3-89, 0:45} 0 7
1 0:35 GV Terry Mitchell 27 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {2-80, 0:35} 0 14
2 11:15 DS Eric Marshall 7 yd pass from Scott Eyster
(Sid Halliday kick) {2-8, 1:03} 7 14
2 1:40 DS Chad Schroeder 0 yd blocked punt return
(Sid Halliday kick) 14 14
2 10:16 GV Antione Trent 10 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {5-51, 1:11} 14 21
2 0:21 GV Antione Trent 4 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {5-48, 1:49} 14 28
3 11:36 GV Blake Smolen 13 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {7-67, 3:11} 14 35
3 1:47 DS TM safety 16 35
4 13:45 GV Eric Fowler 25 yd pass from Cullen Finnerty
(Todd Carter kick) {3-59, 1:36} 16 42
4 11:32 DS Eric Marshall 65 yd pass from Scott Eyster
(Sid Halliday kick) {4-85, 2:05} 23 42
4 8:55 GV Astin Martin 3 yd run (Todd Carter kick)
{5-56, 2:33} 23 49
4 2:58 DS Robert Davis 7 yd pass from Scott Eyster
(Sid Halliday kick) {13-80, 5:50} 30 49
TEAM STATISTICS DS GV
First Downs 17 22
Rushes/Yards 21/34 31/136
Passes (A-C-I) 48-31-1 30-16-1
Yards Passing 324 365
Total Offense 358 501
Punts/Average 7-37.7 5-21.6
Fumbles/Lost 2-0 2-1
Penalties 6-54 5-30
Time of Possession 35:04 24:56
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS:
RUSHING: GV-Martin 16-99, Finnerty 6-25; DS-Ken Cox 3-19.
PASSING: GV-Finnerty 1-30-1, 365; DS-Eyster 31-48-1, 324.
RECEIVING: GV-Fowler 7-218, Mitchell 4-97; DS-Davis 10-126, Marshall 5-
100.
A-4297
Allendale, Mich. - Sweet Home Alabama. Grand Valley State will be making its
fifth NCAA DII National Championship game appearance in the last six years
after claiming an impressive 49-30 victory over Delta State Sunday night at
Lubbers Stadium in Allendale. GVSU (14-0) will play Northwest Missouri State
(14-0) in the National Championship game Saturday (Dec. 16) in Florence,
Alabama. The game is a rematch of the 2005 final in which GVSU claimed a 21-
17 victory in the title game.
The Laker offense started quickly following a Delta State punt down to the
GVSU 11 yard line. RB Astin Martin carried the ball for 19 yards on the first play,
followed by a 40-yard completion from Cullen Finnerty to WR Eric Fowler.
Finnerty then found WR Terry Mitchell quarantined in the corner of the endzone
for a 30-yard TD reception. The drive covered 89 yards in three plays and took
just 45 ticks off the clock. Delta State drove 63 yards in nine plays late in the first
quarter, but failed to score when Sid Halliday's 35-yard field goal attempt sailed
wide left. The Lakers wasted little time while looking for another score. Finnerty
hit Fowler with a 53-yard pass and catch on the first play, then found Mitchell
again, this time all alone in the left corner of the endzone on the very next play for
a 27-yard TD reception. The drive took 35 seconds and covered 80 yards in two
plays.
Delta State regrouped and took advantage of a GVSU fumble for its first
points of the game. Finnerty was sacked and fumbled the ball on his own 8-yard
line. Delta State QB Scott Eyster hit WR Eric Marshall on the second play for a 7yard
TD reception. Delta State's special teams then took advantage of another
Laker miscue. The Statesmen blocked a Laker punt and Chad Schroeder recovered
2002 • 2003 • 2005 • 2006 National Champions
it the endzone for another Statesmen score to tie the game at 14-14.
Mark Catlin sparked the Lakers, returning the kickoff 44 yards to the 49.
Astin Martin toted the ball for 16 yards on the first play and Finnerty found Fowler
again, this one covering 21 yards. Preston Garris carried the ball for a 4-yard run
before Finnerty hit Antione Trent with a 10-yard TD pass.
The Laker defense made a key play on DSU's next possession as LB Kirk
Carruth picked off a Scott Eyster pass at Delta State 48. Following a Laker penalty
and 22-yard rush by Finnerty, GVSU faced a 4th-and-1 on the Delta State 39.
Chuck Martin rolled the dice and went for it on fourth down. Finnerty looked for
Fowler down the right sideline, but a DSU defender has hit off his pads into the
hands of Fowler for a 35-yard completion. Finnerty found Trent over the middle
and GVSU led 28-14 at the half.
Leading 28-14, the Laker offense made a statment with its opening drive of the
second half. Finnerty guided GVSU on a 7-play, 67-yard scoring drive that took
3:11 off the clock. Finnerty hit freshman receiver Blake Smolen with a short pass
that Smolen took the final 8 yards for a score and a 35-14 Laker lead.
GVSU's special teams had its second punt blocked, this one went out of the endzone
for a safety and Delta State trailed 35-16. However, the quick strike Laker
offense struck again, this drive covering 59-yards in three plays. Finnerty completed
passes of 29 yards to Mitchell and 22 yards to Fowler for a TD and a 42-16
GVSU lead.
Delta State's Scott Eyster hit WR Eric Marshall with a 65-yard TD pass on its
next possession, but Finnerty once again drove the Lakers to paydirt. RB Astin
Martin finished the 5-play, 56-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard TD run. Eyster finished
the Statesmen scoring when he capped off a 13-play, 80-yard drive with a 7yard
TD pass to Robert Davis.
Finnerty led the offense, completing 16-of-30 passes for 365 yards and six TDs.
The six TDs equelled his career-high he set in the regular season finale at Northern
Michigan. WR Eric Fowler hauled in seven receptions for a career-high 218 yards
and one TD, while Terry Mitchell caught four passes for 97 yards and two TDs.
Antion Trent cuaght three passes for 20 yards and two TDs, while Blacke Smolen
hauled in two passes for 30 yards and a TD. RB Astin Martin rushed for 99 yards
and a TD on 16 carries.
Dan Skuta led the Laker defense with 11 tackles and a TFL (-2). Buster Larkins,
Anthony Adams and Brandon Carr each chipped in six tackles. GVSU recorded
nine tackles for loss (-37) and four QB sacks (-24).
Scott Eyster completed 31-of-48 passes for 324 yards and three TDs. Eyster
passed for 155 yards in the first three quarters, and 169 yards in the fourth when the
outcome of the game had already been decided. WR Robert Davis caught 10 passes
for 126 yards, while Eric Marshall hauled in five passes for 100 yards. GVSU held
Delta State to just 34 rushing yards.
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