Wayne State Weekly Game Notes

GRAND VALLEY GAME STORYLINES

Wayne State will play its final game of the Joique Bell era this Saturday at Grand Valley. The Warriors have lost three of their last four games and were outscored 128-58 in the defeats.

WSU is looking for its first win over the Lakers since Nov. 10, 1984, a span of 22 games.

NORTHWOOD RECAP

No. 33 Wayne State suffered a first half offensive onslaught by Northwood (38 points) and fell 38-24 last Saturday on Senior Day at Adams Field.

Joique Bell rushed for a game-high 314 yards on 33 carries with three touchdowns. This was Bell's 13th consecutive 100-yard game and the second-most rushing yards he has accumulated in a single game.  It was also the sixth-highest total in GLIAC history. In addition to surpassing the 2,000-yard rushing mark on the season, Bell also became the GLIAC's career leader in all-purpose yards after a 45-yard rush in the first quarter.

Mickey Mohner threw for 67 yards on 4-of-13. Troy Burrell snagged three catches for a game-high 63 yards.

The WSU defense was anchored by Nick Thomas who had a game-best 18 tackles. Matt Shango added 12 tackles, while Jimmy Kinaia had a fumble recovery.

As a team, Northwood outgained Wayne State 470 to 454 in total offense and was 11-of-17 on third-down conversions. The Timberwolves opened the game by scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions.

Wayne State answered the Timberwolves nine-play, 83-yard touchdown drive on the game's opening series with a 48-yard touchdown run by Bell on third and two to even the score at 7-7.

Northwood scored another touchdown before Bell found the end zone again. An extra point by Anthony Morasso gave WSU its only lead of the game at 14-13.

WSU surrendered four more scores in the first half including a 27-yard touchdown pass on the final play which gave NU a 38-14 lead at intermission.

On WSU's first play from scrimmage in the second half, Bell took a handoff and darted 69 yards to the Northwood six. Morasso finished the drive by connecting from 23 yards out.

The Warrior defense also showed life and stuffed the Northwood offense for two consecutive series; the first coming after a sack by sophomore linebacker Raleigh Ross and the second on a goal line stand forcing a turnover on downs.

Starting at its own one-yard line, the WSU offense proceeded to march the ball methodically down the field for nine plays and 99 yards until it was capped off with Bell's third score of the day.

IN THE POLLS

Wayne State was selected fourth in the 2009 GLIAC pre-season coaches' poll, while Grand Valley was tabbed for first.

ON THE HEADSET

Wayne State's Paul Winters has a 27-36 mark in his sixth year with the Warriors.  WSU is 14-7 in its last 21 games.  The Warriors are 11-18 in road games under Winters including a 4-2 mark in the last six contests.

Grand Valley's Chuck Martin has compiled a 70-6 record in his sixth year with the Lakers.

ALL-TIME SERIES

WSU trails 5-27-0 in the all-time series which began in 1975.  The Warriors are 2-14 in road games vs. GVSU, including the 2007 contest in Comstock Park.
 
SCOUTING GRAND VALLEY

The Lakers have won three straight since the loss (27-24) at Hillsdale.

James Berezik has rushed for a team-best 1,036 yards.  Brad Iciek has completed 145-of-228 passes for 2,088 yards and 24 touchdowns.  Blake Smolen has a team-high 38 receptions for 673 yards and eight touchdowns.

Justin Victor (23-41) and Jacob McGuckin (33-31) each have 64 tackles.
 
STRICTLY BY THE NUMBERS

Bell has rushed for 6,654 yards in 43 games.  His rushing total ranks sixth in NCAA Division II history and eighth in NCAA history (all divisions, including I-A/FBS, I-AA/FCS, II and III).

He has scored 94 touchdowns (88 rushing, 6 receiving) for 564 points, which ranks fifth in Division II history and sixth in all divisions.  Bell's points per game average of 13.1 is fourth in D-II history and 10th in all divisions.

His 7,905 all-purpose yards rank seventh in Division II history and 14th in all divisions.

Bell has 6,541 yards of total offense in GLIAC games which places him ninth in GLIAC history.

The Warriors are 6-4 this year after an 8-3 record in 2008.  The 14-7 mark in the last 21 games is the best since 1975-77 (19-5).

THIS AND THAT

All Wayne State football games can be heard on WDTK Radio (1400 AM).  Fans can also listen to all WSU football and men's basketball games online at wdtkam.com.

ON THIS DATE (NOVEMBER 7)

Wayne State has a 6-4 mark including a 4-3 record in road games. 

In the last two games on Nov. 7, WSU lost at Grand Valley (16-14) in 1992 but posted a 24-23 triumph at Westminster in 1998.

In the contest in New Wilmington, Pa., Jimmy Hill caught three touchdown passes including two in the fourth quarter.