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Wayne State University Athletics

John Rayba 2024 vs. Findlay
(C) Douglas Johnson, all rights reserved.
John Rayba (#21) had two touchdown receptions at GVSU.
28
Wayne State WSU 0-9 , 0-5
51
Winner Grand Valley St. GVSU 8-1 , 4-1
Wayne State WSU
0-9 , 0-5
28
Final
51
Grand Valley St. GVSU
8-1 , 4-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WSU Wayne State 0 0 14 14 28
GVSU Grand Valley St. 17 20 7 7 51

Game Recap: Football | | Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Concludes Road Slate With Setback At #7-Grand Valley State

Warriors fall 51-28 in Allendale.

ALLENDALE, Mich. -- The Wayne State University football team (0-9 overall, 0-5 GLIAC) dropped a 51-28 decision at seventh-ranked Grand Valley State (8-1 overall, 4-1 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon.  It was the highest scoring game in the series since 2009 when the Lakers posted a 58-29 home field victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Wayne State went three-and-out on the game's opening series, before GVSU drove 44 yards in 12 plays with Mathew Bacik converting a 36-yard field goal attempt.

The Warriors crossed midfield but the drive stalled forcing a punt.  It only took Grand Valley State three plays to go 80 yards following the touchback as Kyle Nott caught a short pass from Vincenzo Meschi and out-raced the WSU defense for a 76-yard touchdown play.

Wayne State punted on its next possession.  The Lakers drove 47 yards in three plays with Syone Usma-Harper scoring on a 10-yard rush in the final minute of the stanza for a 17-0 advantage.

Second Quarter
On WSU's first drive of the period, the fourth down punt was blocked and GVSU's Damonte McCurdy returned it 15 yards for a touchdown.

Following another Warrior punt, the Lakers went 55 yards in five plays to make it 31-0.  Meschi tossed a three-yard scoring strike to Harrison Unger on first-and-goal.

Wayne State drove into Laker territory on the next drive, but a Rob Brazziel (Chicago, Ill. / Taft H.S. in Cincinnati [College of DuPage]) pass was intercepted.  Bacik connected on a 34-yard field goal just past the mid-point of the quarter, then he completed the first half scoring with a 26-yard attempt in the final 35 seconds.

Third Quarter
Grand Valley State's Kellen Reed had a 57-yard kickoff return to start the second half leading to a 43-yard touchdown drive that concluded on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Alex Thole to Cody Tierney putting the hosts ahead 44-0.

After recording 68 yards of total offense in the first half, WSU had 22 yards in the first four plays after intermission.  On the fifth play, running back D'Marco Singleton (Marysville, Mich.) bounced outside and scored on a 61-yard jaunt for his second rushing touchdown of the season.

The next four drives (two for each team) ended in punts, before Warrior Kejuan Houston (Belleville, Mich.) stepped in front of a Thole pass and returned it 22 yards to the GVSU eight-yard line.  On third-and-goal, Brazziel completed a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Rayba (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Stoney Creek).  It was Rayba's third touchdown reception of the season which tied him for the team lead.

Fourth Quarter
Following a Laker punt early in the fourth period, the Warriors went 55 yards in five plays to pull within 44-21.  Running back XaVior Tyus (Portage, Mich. / Portage Northern) scored his second career rushing touchdown with a six-yard scamper.

Grand Valley State answered with its own 55-yard drive in nine plays.  Derrick Woods, Jr. scored on a seven-yard carry around the right end.

After each team punted, Wayne State put together a 12-play, 54-yard scoring drive.  Rayba hauled in a four-yard pass on fourth down.  Place-kicker Griffin Milovanski (Saugatuck, Mich.) extended his consecutive PAT streak to 61, and he increased his career point total to 201.

TEAM STATS
The teams combined for 756 yards of total offense (GVSU - 453, WSU - 303).  Grand Valley rushed for 234 yards, while the Warriors racked up 144 yards on the ground.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Singleton rushed for a game-high 60 yards, with freshman M'Khi Guy (Muskegon, Mich.) rushing for 56 yards on three carries.  Brazziel passed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-36.  Rayba caught a career-best eight passes for 43 yards and two scores, while Myles McKatherine (Chicago, Ill. / St. Rita of Cascia [College of DuPage]) had a team-high 56 receiving yards.  In his first start of the season, Draven Wilson (Macomb, Mich. / Chippewa Valley [Mercyhurst]) had a team-best nine tackles (3-6).

LEADING THE LAKERS
Thirteen (13) different GVSU players had rushing attempts with Woods rushing for a team-high 56 yards and one score.  Meschi was 8-of-14 for 200 yards and two touchdowns to lead three Laker signal callers.  Nott had a game-best 76 receiving yards as no GVSU player had more than one reception.  Luke McLean tallied a game-high 10 tackles (7-3), including 1.5 for loss and a forced fumble.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will play its final two games of the 2024 season at home beginning with the November 9th contest against GLIAC newcomer Roosevelt University.  Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Tom Adams Field.
 
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