After losing in the Division II football championship game four straight times, Northwest Missouri State ended a decade-long title drought by defeating Grand Valley, 30-23 in the finale of the 2009 season at Brawley Stadium.
For the Lakers of Chuck Martin, a 21-0 first-half deficit proved
too difficult to overcome, despite three second-half touchdowns. Grand
Valley was attempting to win its fifth NCAA football championship
since 2002, but instead lost in the title game for only the second
time in six tries. The defeat left the Lakers with a record of 13-2
for 2009 in a season capped by record-setting performances, as well as
one in which Martin's team overcame a spate of injuries to reach the
championship game in Division II.
Saturday's game marked the final appearance in a Laker uniform
for All-America offensive tackle Nick McDonald, and Harlon Hill Award
finalist quarterback Brad Iciek. Other Lakers who played for the final
time include all-purpose star Blake Smolen, the first player in
Division II history to register over 2,000 career yards in both
rushing and pass receiving yardage, along with safety Jake McGuckin, a
four-year starter who was in the starting line-up in 2006 for Grand
Valley's title-winning victory over Northwest Missouri State.
"I've never been any prouder of a team than I am of this
one," said Chuck Martin after Saturday's loss. "We lost
Danny Richard, Justin Trumble and Enrique Shaw to injuries in this
game, and yet we fought back in the second half and still had a chance
to win the game in the fourth quarter (when the Lakers trailed 23-20
with twelve minutes left). Hats off to Northwest Missouri they were
the better team today."
