Grand Valley stuns Ferris State in Div. II playoffs

Bart Williams threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns as Grand Valley State upset Ferris State, 38-34, in an NCAA Division II second-round playoff game today at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids.

Matt Williams caught two touchdown passes, including a 66-yarder and a 1-yard toss at 8:30 of the fourth quarter to provide the winning margin for the Lakers (11-2).

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Bulldogs (11-1) entered the game undefeated and the No.2 speed in Super Region 4. They had beaten GVSU, 61-24, in the regular season and took out Texas A&M Commerce, 48-30, in a first-round playoff game Nov. 21.

The No.6 seed Lakers defeated Ashland, 45-28, in their first-round matchup.

Ferris State quarterback Jason Vander Laan was 24-for-40 passing for 281 yards and five touchdowns today but was intercepted twice. Antonio Agurs made six catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns for the Bulldogs.

Ferris State had no rushing TDs, but Vander Laan carried 21 times for 126 yards and Jahaan Brown gained 49 yards on nine runs.

The game was closely contested throughout, with GVSU taking a 24-20 lead into halftime. The only field goal of the game was a 45-yard kick by the Lakers’ Joel Schipper in the second quarter.

Grand Valley State regained the lead at 10:48 of the third on a 23-yard pass from Vander Laan to Agurs. The Lakers went ahead, 31-27, at 2:08 when Marty Carter scored on an 11-yard run. It was the only rushing touchdown of the game.

Ferris State struck back when Vander Laan hit Jamel Lockett with a 10-yard TD pass at 11:54 of the fourth to make it 34-31.

But the Lakers rallied on the subsequent possession, scoring what would prove to be the winning touchdown when Bart Williams hit Matt Williams with a 1-yard pass. The toss capped a 78-yard, eight-play drive that took 3:18 off the clock.

Ferris State moved 43 yards in 12 plays on its final drive. The drive ended when Jake Lampman caught a fourth-down pass out of bounds.

Kirk Spencer was GVSU’s leading rusher, finishing with 77 yards on eight carries. Bart Williams ran six times and netted minus-22 yards.

The Lakers advance to face defending national champion Colorado State-Pueblo on Saturday. The No.4 seed Thunderwolves beat top-seeded Midwestern State, 26-17.