October 16, 2004
Football
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

#23 CARDS DOWN #1 GRAND VALLEY STATE, 31-20, AS MARK RADLINSKI THROWS FOR THREE TD'S AND RUNS FOR ANOTHER

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State's football squad kept their playoff hopes alive and also defeated the Grand Valley State Lakers for the second straight year in the regular-season with a 31-20 win over #1 GVSU from Wickes Memorial Stadium. The Cards (5-2, 5-2 GLIAC) avenged last week's loss to Mercyhurst by once again establishing themselves offensively in the first half.
    The Cardinals opened the scoring on their second possession as they drove 10 plays in 61 yards capped off by a 19-yard TD reception by Devin Robinson (Cambridge, Mass.) from Mark Radlinski (Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central) making it 6-0 after a missed extra point. The defense turned up the heat on GVSU on their next drive as quarterback Cullen Finnerty was intercepted on the Lakers' second play by Delando Bradford (Franklin, Mich./Groves) who returned it 17 yards to the GV 26-yard line.
    Two plays later, Radlinski found Stan Spencer (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) on a 22-yard TD catch and Mike Crawford (Lake Orion, Mich.) caught the two-point conversion for a 14-0 lead with 4:55 to go in the opening quarter. On the next play for GVSU, Finnerty was again intercepted by Bradford who returned this one 16 yards to the GV 31-yard line. Radlinski was then intercepted back by Marvis Bryant at the GV four-yard line on third-and-13. Bryant returned it 45 yards to the GV 49-yard line at the end of the quarter.
    The Cards defense held on a fourth-and-four at the SV 34-yard line as Brandon Langston was tackled by senior Neil Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich./West Iron County) for a loss of one yard. The Lakers got on the board with 10:14 to play in the half on a 31-yard field goal by Scott Greene cutting the lead to 14-3. The Cardinals extended their lead to 21-3 with 2:26 to go in the half as Radlinski found Robinson for his second TD from eight yards out on third-and-goal. The Lakers struck back quickly in 25 seconds after an unsportsmanlike penalty on the kickoff gave GVSU great field position at the SV 40-yard line. The scoring play was a Langston 19-yard TD catch between two defenders and the Lakers trailed 21-10. Saginaw Valley was pushed back on their next drive and punted it back to Grand Valley with 21 seconds left in the half. Finnerty got a 12-yard run and a 28-yard pass to Mark Catlin setting up a 31-yard field goal by Greene as time expired for a 21-13 halftime score.
    SVSU took their second drive of the second half and marched nine plays for 69 yards in 3:55 to take a 28-13 lead. Radlinski completed five passes in the drive and ran it in from five yards out for the 15-point cushion. Once again, GVSU had a quick answer going two plays and 66 yards in 23 seconds as Demonte Collins hauled in a 21-yard TD grab making it 28-20 with 4:32 to go in the third quarter.
    The fourth quarter was a grind-it-out affair by SVSU as Logan Barnhart (Haslett, Mich.) carried the ball 14 times in the quarter. Barnhart finished with a career-high 28 carries and gained 100 yards for his second straight 100-yard game. The teams exchanged fumbles to start the fourth quarter and the Cardinals looked to add to their lead but Radlinski misfired on fourth-and-two at the GV 32-yard line with 3:42 left. GVSU then went four and out as Finnerty threw wide on fourth-and-three at their own 39-yard line with 2:47 to go.
    The Cards got a big first down on a 20-yard run by Barnhart to the GV 20-yard line and then proceeded to kick a 37-yard field goal off the foot of Bobby Belmonte (East Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central) to make it 31-20 with 37 seconds left to ice the win. SVSU gained 395 yards of total offense as GVSU accumulated 373 yards. The Cardinal defense forced four turnovers as GV ran for 143 yards. Finnerty was 13-of-26 for 230 yards and also rushed for a team-high 79 yards. Radlinski was 25-of-38 for 289 yards and three TD's. The Lakers recorded 18 tackles for loss as a team led by Keyonta Marshall's six tackles for loss of 17 yards. Junior John DiGiorgio (Shelby Twp., Mich./Eisenhower) led SVSU with 13 tackles, including a sack for seven yards and a forced fumble. Senior Corey Gonzales (Auburn Hills, Mich./Avondale) tallied eight stops and a pass breakup for SVSU.

Contact: Ryan Thompson (989) 964-4053

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