Dec. 11, 2002

Pictures From Grand Valley's First Day in Alabama

Grand Valley State (13-0) will play Valdosta State University in the 2002 NCAA Division II National Championship game Saturday at Braly Stadium (15,000). Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (ET). Grand Valley State is 13-0 and was ranked number one in the final regular season AFCA coaches poll with all 27 first place votes and 675 points. Grand Valley State concluded the regular season with its 26th straight regular season win. The Lakers have also won 24 straight GLIAC games and 22 consecutive home games. Valdosta State enters the contest with a perfect 14-0 record and ranked number two in the latest AFCA coaches poll. The Blazers have won 27 straight regular season games, including 23 straight league games.

Media Coverage: The Championship game will be live on ESPN at 4:00 pm EST. Mark Jones will do the play-by-play while Bob Davie will profide the color. The game will also be broadcast live on the radio by WMFN AM 640 beginning at 2:00 pm. On the radio dial, Dick Nelson will do the play-by-play, while former Laker Dan McLean handles the color. The Brian Kelly Radio Show can be heard on WMFN AM 640 every Friday night at 6 p.m., with a replay on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

The Series: This will be the first-ever meeting between Grand Valley State and Valdosta State.

The Coaches: Grand Valley State * Brian Kelly (Assumption, 1983) * 103-34-2/.746 (12th year); Valdosta State * Chris Hatcher (Valdosta State, 1994) * 36-3/.923

GVSU head coach Brian Kelly ranks third (.746) among all active Division II head coaches in winning percentage...Kelly notched the 103rd win of his career last Saturday vs. Northern Colorado. Under Kelly, GVSU is 57-11-1 at home, 45-21-1 on the road, 1-1 at Houseman Field and 0-1 at a neutral site.

GVSU Playoff History: This is Grand Valley State's seventh NCAA Division II playoff appearance. The Lakers are 6-6 all-time in the DII Playoffs and 1-1 in the NAIA.

NAIA Division I Playoff
1978 - at GVSU 24, at UW-LaCrosse 14;
Elon (NC) 14, at GVSU 7
NCAA DII Playoffs
1989 - Indiana (Pa.) 34, at GVSU 24
1990 - East Texas State 20, at GVSU 14
1991 - at East Texas State 36, GVSU 15
1994 - at Indiana (Pa.) 35, GVSU 27
1998 - at Slippery Rock 37, GVSU 14
2001 - at GVSU 42, Bloomsburg 14
2001 - at GVSU 33, Saginaw Valley 30
2001 - at GVSU 34, Catawba 16
2001 - North Dakota 17, GVSU 14
2002 - at GVSU 63, C.W. Post 13
2002 - at GVSU 62, Indiana (Pa.) 21
2002 - at GVSU 44, N. Colorado 7

Rankings: The Lakers received all 27 first place votes in the final regular season AFCA poll. GVSU was ranked number one for all 11 weeks. The Lakers are also ranked number one by D2Football.com, Don Hansen's Football Gazette and the Dopke rankings. Valdosta State enters the game ranked second in every poll.

* Valdosta State will be the sixth playoff team the Lakers have faced this season. The Lakers opened the 2002 season with UC Davis (W 24-17), followed by games with Saginaw Valley State (W 23-18), C.W. Post (W 62-13), IUP (W 62-21) and Northern Colorado (W 44-7). In addition, Valdosta State will be the sixth top 10 team the Lakers have faced and seventh top 20 team. UC Davis (4), Saginaw Valley State (3), Findlay (19), C.W. Post (10), IUP (6), Northern Colorado (7), Valdosta State (2) have been on the Lakers ledger this fall.

* Senior QB Curt Anes is the 10th top three Harlon Hill finisher to compete in the NCAA Division II title game. The last was QB Cazzie Kosciolek (New Haven/1997), who finished third in the voting and lost in the title game to Northern Colorado. The last player to win the Harlon Hill Award and claim a National Championship on the field was LB Ronald McKinnon of North Alabama.

All-GLIAC Performers

Grand Valley State placed 18 players on the 2002 All-GLIAC teams, including 11 players that earned All-GLIAC First-Team plaudits on both offense and defense. Seven Lakers earned first-team honors on offense, while four earned first-team honors on defense. In addition, the Lakers nearly swept the GLIAC position Player of the Year Awards. Senior QB Curt Anes was named the GLIAC Player of the Year for the second straight year, while David Kircus was named Co-Offensive Back of the Year for the second straight season. Senior offensive tackle Dale Westrick was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year and sophomore defensive tackle Keyonta Marshall was named the Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year. Junior defensive back Scott Mackey was selected as the Defensive Back of the Year.

The following are the Laker Players that earned All-GLIAC plaudits:
Offense First-Team
QB Curt Anes, RB Reggie Spearmon, WR David Kircus, TE Phil Condon, WR Terrance Banks, OT Dale Westrick, OC Tom Hosford
Defense First-Team
DT Keyonta Marshall, DE Dan Vaughn, LB Orlando Williams, DB Scott Mackey
Defense Second-Team: DT Shad Risk, SS Lucius Hawkins.
Honorable Mention
OG Scott Martin, DE Dan Hosford, LB Melvin Estes, CB Sidney Lewis, DB Darren Smith.

* QB Curt Anes one of three finalists for the 2002 Harlon Hill Award, continues to move atop several career, single-season and game GVSU and NCAA statistical categories..Anes has played in just 43-of-52 quarters this season...2002 Playoffs: . - Northern Colorado - Completed 20-of-28 passes for 243 yards and four TDs vs. Northern Coloado. Rushed four times for 22 yards...Indiana (Pa.) - Completed 17-of-22 passes for 191 yards and one TD. Rushed for 12 yards on two carries. Played one drive in third quarter and did not throw a pass in second half...C.W. Post - Completed 23-of-31 passes for 337 yards and six TDs. Rushed for 41 yards on five carries. Played one drive in fourth quarter. Playoff totals - Completed 60-of-81 passes (74.1 percent) for 771 yards and 11 TDs...In his last six games, Anes has completed 118-160 (74.0 percent) for 1,563 yards and 21 TDs...Season - First-team All-GLIAC and GLIAC Player of the Year for the second straight year...Curt has completed 255-378 passes (67.4 percent) for 3,331 yards and 44 TDs this season...Leads the nation in pass efficiency rating (177.25) and TD passes (44)...He has thrown just five interceptions this season, including none in his las five games (146 attempts)...Anes' 44 TD passes this season rank as the fifth-best single-season total, while his 2001 total of 48 was the third-best single-season total...Anes was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season and second straight week after completing 17-of-20 passes for 252 yards and five TDs in two quarters and one drive vs. Findlay. Anes was named GLIAC Player of the Week for the second time after completing 23-of-35 passes for 314 yards and three TDs vs. Indianapolis. He also rushed for then a season-high 40 yards and tallied 354 yards of total offense...Anes completed 18-of-24 passes for 226 yards and two TDs in just over two quarters of action Mercyhurst...Curt completed a season-high 24 passes in 33 attempts for 248 yards and two TDs vs. Northwood...Completed 20-33 passes for 245 yards and two TDs at then third-ranked Saginaw Valley State...Anes completed 14-25 passes for 196 yards and three TDs vs. Northern Michigan...Curt completed 19-32 passes for 278 yards and four TDs at Michigan Tech...Completed 20-31 passes for 243 yards and five TDs vs. Hillsdale...Completed 21-33 passes for 336 yards and five TDs vs. Wayne State...Named GLIAC Player of the Week following Wayne State game...Completed 19-31 passes for 224 yards and two TDs vs. UC-Davis...The GLIAC's all-time career leader in TD passes thrown with 91 and total offense with 9,746 yards...Anes is the all-time leader in GLIAC passing yards (8,600)...Career - Curt has thrown for 225 yards or more in 21 of his last 23 games, including 11 of 13 this season...Anes has thrown three or more TD passes in 17-of-his-last-23 games, including four or more in 13 of 23 games...Curt has thrown just nine interceptions in his last 831 attempts (31 games) and has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 12-1 in his last 23 games...Curt has thrown 92 TD passes in his last 23 games (4.0 per game)...In his career, Anes has completed 718-of-1,149 attempts (62.5 percent) for 10,220 yards and 111 TDs...Curt is the NCAA DII all-time leader in career touchdowns responsible for with 127 (111 passing; 16 rushing)...Curt ranks 2nd all-time in NCAA DII total offense (11,538), 2nd in all-time TD passes (111), 3rd in completions (718), 5th in all-time passing efficiency (164.3), 6th in all-time passing yards (10,220), and 17th in total offense per game (270.0).

* WR David Kircus All-American candidate David Kircus has broke the 100-yard receiving mark in four of his last seven games...In his last seven games, Kircus has caught 39 passes for 692 yards and 19 TDs...2002 Playoffs: Caught seven passes for 90 yards and four TDs vs. Northern Colorado. Four TD receptions tied the NCAA DII Playoff single-game record...Hauled in four passes for 23 yards and one TD vs. Indiana (Pa.)...Caught seven passes for 161 yards and four TDs vs. C.W. Post. His four TD receptions tied the NCAA DII single-game playoff record...Playoff Totals - 18 receptions for 274 yards and nine TDs in three games...Season - Kircus has 66 catches for 1,071 yards and 32 TDs in 2002...Kircus' 32 TD catches this season is the single-season college football all-division record, breaking the record of 28 he set last season...David is the first receiver in GVSU football history to move past the 1,000-yard mark in a single-season......David's 194 points scored this season ranks as the third-best single-season total...32 TDs scored is the third-highest total and needs three to become the all-time leader...David caught a season-high eight passes for 168 yards and three TDs vs. Indianapolis...He then hauled in five passes for 106 yards and four scores vs. Findlay...Career - His 168 points last year ranks 9th-best single-season total...The all-time leading scorer in GLIAC (348), Kircus ranks 4th in all-time points scored in Division II (446), 18 points behind Walter Payton (464)...David is the all-time leader in NCAA Division II touchdown receptions with 73 and the all-time leader in GLIAC action with 59...Kircus ranks 7th in all-time DII receiving yards (3,872) and 26th in DII career receptions with 211...Kircus, who has caught 60 touchdown passes in his last 23 games (2.5 pg), is averaging a TD catch every 2.0 receptions this season and every 3.0 for his career...Kircus holds the all-division college football record for consecutive games with a TD catch (23). Dave has two or more TD catches in 20-of-his-last-23 regular season games..In addition, Kircus has caught a pass in 46 straight games...David is the all-time leading scorer in the GLIAC (348) and third in all-time receiving yards (3,333)...David ranks second in career all-purpose yards (4,638) at GVSU.

* TE Phil Condon Phil Condon is fifth on the squad in receptions (22), but third in yards (394)...Condon missed nearly four games with an injury...Condon has 79 catches for 1,174 yards in his career...Condon was the 21st player in Laker football history to go over the 1,000-yard plateau...Condon caught a career-high seven passes for a career-high 154 yards at Wayne State.

* WR Terrence Banks is the GVSU single-season record holder for receptions with 89, the 26th-best single-season total DII history...Banks leads the team in catches (89) and yards (1,104), while ranking second in TD catches (6)...Banks is just the second player, David Kircus being the other, to go over the 1,000-yard single-season mark...Banks has eight games with seven or more catches and five 100-yard receiving games in 2002...2002 Playoffs: Northern Colorado - Tied the GVSU single-game record with 11 catches for 116 yards, both were career highs...Indiana (Pa.) - Hauled in seven passes for 96 yards vs. Indiana (Pa.)...C.W. Post - Caught seven passes for 68 yards...Playoff totals - 25 catches for 280 yards in three games...Season - Terrance recorded a then single-game, career-highs in receptions (10), yards (107) yards and TDs (2) vs. Hillsdale...Caught eight passes for 105 yards and a TD vs. Findlay...Notched nine catches for 106 yards at third-ranked SVSU...Banks hauled in five passes for a 102 yards and one TD at Wayne State...Terrance ranks 7th in career receptions with 116 for 1,539 yards and 12 TDs.

* Grand Valley State has had two one-hundred yard receivers in the same game twice this season. David Kircus (103) and Terrance Banks (105) both broke the mark vs. Findlay...Phil Condon (154) and Terrance Banks (102) accomplished the feat earlier this season at Wayne State.

* Grand Valley State has had two one hundred yard rushers in the same game three times this season. Brent Lesniak (125) and Reggie Spearmon (112) last accomplished the feat versus IUP..Reggie Spearmon (152) and Brent Lesniak (137) accomplished the feat at Michigan Tech, while Spearmon (136) and Brandon Langston (108) reached the mark at Mercyhurst. Three running backs have notched at least 100 rushing yards 13 times this season.

* RB Reggie Spearmon leads GVSU in rushing with 1,471 yards and 20 TDs on 277 carries...Spearmon's 1,471 yards is the top single-season total in GVSU history...2002 Playoffs - Northern Colorado - Rushed 32 times for 143 yards and two TDs...Indiana (Pa.) - Caught five passes for 84 yards and two TDs...Rushed 25 times for 112 yards and a GVSU single-game record 4 TDs...C.W. Post - Toted the ball 25 timses for 71 yards and one TD against the NCAA DII's top rush defense...Totals - Rushed 82 times for 326 yards and seven TDs in three games...Eight receptions for 96 yards and two TDs...Season - Reggie ranks third on the squad in receptions with 31 for 300 yards and three TDs...Reggie's 138 points scored is the third-best single-season total in GVSU annals...Spearmon ranks first in GVSU football history with 3,818 rushing yards in all games played...Reggie is third in all-time all-purpose yards (3,947)...Reggie has caught 48 passes for 478 yards and six TDs in his career...Reggie has notched eight 100-yard rushing games the season and had a string of four straight snapped vs. C.W. Post (25-71)...Spearmon has rushed for over 100 yards in six of his last seven games...Reggie rushed for 112 yards and four TDs (all in the first half) vs. IUP. His four rushing TDs is a GVSU single-game record...Spearmon tallied 156 yards and one TD on 20 carries in the regular season finale vs. Findlay...Reggie rushed for 120 yards and three TDs on 25 carries vs. Indianapolis...Spearmon toted the ball 17 times for 136 yards and a career-high three TDs at Mercyhurst...Tallied 163 yards on 30 carries vs. Northwood...Reggie played just three downs at SVSU due to a toe injury...Spearmon rushed for 80 yards and two TDs on 15 carries in just over two quarters vs. Northern Michigan. Spearmon also had a 12-yard TD reception...Reggie had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games earlier this season. He tallied a 28-carry, 152-yard, two TD performance at Michigan Tech... Spearmon rushed for 165 yards and one TD on 27 carries vs. Hillsdale...Ranks second in all-time rushing TDs with 37.

* RB Brent Lesniak ranks second on the team in rushing yards with 668 yards and nine TDs on 114 carries...Lesniak is fourth on the team in receptions for 23 for 240 yards...Brent rushed for 125 yards on 16 carries last Saturday vs. IUP...Rushed for 123 yards on a career-high 26 carries at third-ranked SVSU...Brent notched a season-high 137 yards on 10 carries at Michigan Tech...Lesniak has nine TD runs that have covered 50 yards or more in his career...Brent ranks first in all-time, all-purpose yards (4,694) and third in all-time rushing (2,891) at Grand Valley State.

* RB Brandon Langston ranks third on the squad in rushing with 469 yards on 66 carries...Langston is averaging a team-best 7.1 yards per carry...Langston toted the ball 11 times for 108 yards and one TD vs. Mercyhurst...Rushed for 149 yards and one TD on 12 carries versus Northern Michigan...Langston has TD runs that have covered 72 and 32 yards...Six receptions for 60 yards.

*Senior running backs Reggie Spearmon and Brent Lesniak concluded their careers ranked among the top 10 in all-time rushing yards. Spearmon ranks fifth with 2,988 yards in GLIAC games, while Lesniak ranks 10th all-time with 2,494 yards.

* The Grand Valley State offensive line might be the most underrated position on the squad to the casual observe, however, every player knows what is done in the trenches. The Lakers went 6 1/2 games (26 quarters) without yielding a sack. The group which includes Dale Westrick, Louis Dauser, Tom Hosford, Scott Martin and Josh Bourke, has yielded six total sacks on all-american Curt Anes, four of which came in one game (UC Davis). Anes has been sacked just twice in the other 12 games.

* Grand Valley State is the only team in the country to be averaging 275 yards passing and 215 yards rushing per game.

* The Grand Valley State defense has notched 106 tackles for loss (-488) and 53 QB sacks (-340) in 13 games this season. The Lakers recorded a season-high 10 QB sacks vs. third-ranked Saginaw Valley State and notched 10 vs. Northern Colorado in last week's semifinal game.

* Grand Valley State ranks 34th in the country in rushing defense, yielding 115.9 yards per game...The Lakers have limited five opponents to 100 rushing yards or less, including Northern Colorado's five yards on 25 carries last week. Wayne State rushed for 16 yards on 24 carries and Saginaw Valley State was held to -22 yards on 35 carries...Seven of 13 Laker opponents have failed to reach 200 yards passing, including C.W. Post's 21 yards passing.

* Balance - Grand Valley State has 151 rushing first downs and 164 passing first downs.

* Sophomore defensive tackle Keyonta Marshall ranks fourth on the team in tackles (67), but first in tackles for loss (17-75) and QB sacks (10-58).

* Grand Valley State has picked off 14 more passes than the opposition in 2002...The Lakers have 45 INTs in the last 27 games, while throwing just eight.

* Sophomore Lucius Hawkins is tied for the team lead in interceptions (3) and ranks sixth in tackles with 48. Lucius leads the squad return yards (65).

* Sophomore defensive back Joe Ballard is Joey on the spot as he is tied for the team lead in interceptions (3) and fumble recoveries. Ballard, who has returned a fumble and an interception for TDs this season, ranks fifth on the team in tackles with 48.

* 21 different Lakers have recorded a tackle for loss, including seven with eight or more... 14 different Lakers have notched a QB sack, including four with eight or more...Orlando Williams (8), Dan Vaughn (8), and Shad Risk (8) are tied for second on the squad in sacks.

* DT Shad Risk ranks fourth at GVSU in all-time QB sacks with 23...DE Dan Vaughn, a two-time First-Team All-GLIAC choice, has eight tackles for loss (-56) and eight QB sacks (-54) this season...LB Orlando Williams leads the team in tackles, while ranking second in both tackles for loss (13-52) and QB sacks (8-32).

* Junior FS Scott Mackey, who ranks second on the team in tackles (84), recorded the longest fumble return for a TD in GVSU football history vs. Findlay (95 yds). Mackey now has the longest punt return for a TD (Mercyhurst, 87 yards) and the longest fumble return for a TD in GV history. Mackey has three interceptions this season and 11 in his career.

* Impact transfers - LB Melvin Estes, CB Sidney Lewis and DE Todd DeVree have made an immediate impact in their first and only season with the Lakers. Estes ranks fifth on the squad in tackles with 52, while recording four tackles for loss and recovering three fumbles. Lewis has 34 tackles, one interceptions and five pass deflections, while DeVree has 25 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and five QB sacks.

* The Lakers have a 155-21 advantage in the first quarter, a 213-79 advantage in the second and a 151-59 margin in the third quarter...The Lakers have scored in every quarter since the fourth quarter of the UC Davis game...GVSU has outscored its opponents 623-207 this season.

* GVSU is converting 50.0 percent of its third downs (80-160) this season. In comparison, Laker opponents are converting 26 percent (50-192) on third down. GVSU is also 16-27 on fourth down.

* GVSU rushed for a season low 39 yards in the season opener vs. UC Davis. Since that game GVSU is averaging 234.1 yards rushing per game. In addition, since rushing for just two TDs in the first three games, the Lakers have crossed the goal line 29 times in the last 10 games.

* Booming Attendance Grand Valley State set a GLIAC record for regular-season attendance with 50,838. GVSU set the GLIAC games only record this season with 38,477. GVSU is averaging 8,473 in all games and 7,695 in GLIAC games.

* Grand Valley State is 81-0 when scoring 40 points or more and 146-6 when scoring 30 points or more.

* Grand Valley State won its school record 26th straight regular season game vs. Findlay (63-19). The Lakers have also won 24 consecutive GLIAC games. The streak, which began on Oct. 14, 2000 with a 56-21 win over Indianapolis, is the third longest in college football behind Miami (Fla.) and Division III Mount Union...GVSU has a 20-game home winning streak at Lubbers Stadium.

Did You Know? Grand Valley State has scored 1,330 points in its last 27 games (49.25 ppg)...The Lakers have scored 50 or more points 15 times in the last 27 games, including 60+ points nine times...Grand Valley State has scored 186 TDs in the last 27 games (6.88 TDs pg).Climbing The Season/Career Charts

Climbing The Season/Career Charts

Total Offense
Career Yards
1. Todd Cunningham, Presbyterian (98-01) 11,578
2. Curt Anes, Grand Valley State (99-02) 11,538
2. Vernon Buck, Wingate (91-94) 11,227

Passing
Career Passing Efficiency
1. Dusty Bonner, Valdosta State (00-01) 190.8
2. J.T. O'Sullivan, UC Davis (98-01) 169.3
3. Wilkie Perez, Glenville State (97-98) 167.0
4. Corte McGuffey, N. Colorado (96-99) 165.6
5. Curt Anes, Grand Valley State (99-02) 164.4
6. Chris Petersen, UC Davis (85-86) 164.0

Career Passing Yards
1. Justin Coleman, Neb. Kearney (97-00) 11,213
2. Todd Cunningham, Presbyterian (98-01) 10,937
3. Chris Hatcher, Valdosta State (91-94) 10,878
4. Bob McLaughlin, Lock Haven (92-95) 10,640
5. Earl Haryey, N.C. Central (85-88) 10,621
6. Curt Anes, Grand Valley State (99-02 10,220

Career Touchdown Passes
1. Chris Hatcher, Valdosta State (91-94) 116
2. Curt Anes, Grand Valley State (99-02) 111
3. Todd Cunningham, Presbyterian (98-01) 111

Season Touchdown Passes
1. Dusty Bonner, Valdosta St. (2000) 54
2. Chris Hatcher, Valdosta St. (1994) 50
3. Curt Anes, Grand Valley St. (2001) 48
4. Wilkie Perez, Glenville St. (1997) 45
5. Bob Toledo, San Fran. St. (1997) 45
6. Curt Anes, Grand Valley St. (2002) 44

Scoring
Career Points
1. Brian Shay, Emporia State (1995-98) 544
2. Kavin Gailliard, American Int. (1996-99) 476
3. Walter Payton, Jackson St. (1971-74) 464
4. David Kircus, Grand Valley St. (1999-02) 446

Season Points
1. Kavin Gailliard, American Int. (1999) 206
2. Ian Smart, C.W. Post (2001) 198
3. Brian Shay, Emporia State (1997) 198
4. David Kircus, Grand Valley St. (2002) 194

Career TD Receptions (All Divisions)
1. Scott Pingel, Westminster (1996-99) 75
2. David Kircus, Grand Valley St. (1999-02) 73