Jan 19, 2025, 6:00 PM UTC
Dream Bowl
2024 South Dakota Mines vs Michigan Tech

3 GLIAC Football Takeaways From Week 1: Fries On Fire, Lakers On The Run

3 GLIAC Football Takeaways From Week 1: Fries On Fire, Lakers On The Run

Grand Valley State looked dominant, Michigan Tech's Fries turned up the fire and more takeaways from GLIAC football Week 1.

Sep 9, 2024 by Kyle Kensing
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Whether by ground or by air, historic offensive performances headlined Week 1 in GLIAC football. 

GLIAC teams combined to go 5-2 against non-conference competition, including the preseason pick to win the league, Ferris State. The Bulldogs bounced back from a Week 0 defeat in their top-five showdown with Pittsburg State, pounding Lake Erie on Saturday, 56-3. 

Despite the initial setback, a takeaway from Week 1 is that Ferris State should be just fine. Check out three more takeaways from the full opening weekend in GLIAC football action. 

"Ground" Valley State? 

Ian Shoemaker came to Grand Valley State in the offseason sporting an impressive resume coordinating offenses built on the pass. But in the Laker's first outing with Shoemaker calling the offense, Grand Valley State rushed for a staggering 546 yards. 

With as effectively as the Lakers ran the ball — and as multifaceted as their approach was — this offense may be worthy of a nickname: Ground Valley State. 

Three GVSU ball-carriers eclipsed the century mark: Khalil Eichelberger with 119 yards; Kenneth Jones with 116; and Derrick Woods with 108. All three scored touchdowns — Eichelberger and Woods both reached pay dirt twice — while Paschal Jolman and David Holloman ran for a score each. 

The win got Grand Valley State back into the swing after a long offseason to dwell on a tough, defensive grind of a loss to Harding in the 2023 NCAA Div. II Playoffs. The Lakers were the only opponent to give the Bisons a fight on Harding's way to the national championship. 

"It's been nine months and two days since we walked off the field [after losing] 6-7. And I don't know that there's been a day that's gone by that these guys didn't think about it." - Scott Wooster, GVSU Head Coach

GVSU rushed for only 62 yards against the stout Harding defense, so the 2024 opener marked a needed and dramatic departure from the last time the Lakers saw action. 

Alex Fries Cooks 

Two games into its 2024 season, Michigan Tech has seen five total overtimes. The Huskies recovered from a Week 0 heartbreaker against Top 25-ranked Bemidji State by outlasting South Dakota Mines in a four-overtime, 52-50 marathon. 

Starring for Tech vs. South Dakota Mines was quarterback Alex Fries, whose 471 yards set a Michigan Tech passing record. 

Fries punctuated his outstanding performance with five touchdowns thrown to four pass-catchers. Chief among the quartet, Ethan Champney, hauled in 227 yards and a pair of scores.

The first — a 59-yarder in the fourth quarter — was part of the Huskies' raucous rally from a 21-point deficit to force overtime.

In each of its first two games, Michigan Tech has far exceeded its 2023 per-game average of 208 yards. That ranked the Huskies just above the threshold dividing the upper and lower halves of Div. II. 

But in Week 0, Michigan Tech got 261 yards from Fries. It's clear that Huskies coach Dan Mettlach, a great Michigan Tech quarterback in his playing days, has confidence in Fries to toss the rock all over the yard.

This element of the offense makes Tech a team to watch throughout the GLIAC season.


Davenport's Dynamic Dual-Threat Dude 

Davenport kicked off its treacherous 2024 schedule with a successful visit to Thomas More, 24-17. Running back Myren Harris was productive as anticipated with 111 yards, but the Panther's backfield stalwart had an explosive complement to keep Thomas More off-balance. 

Wide receiver Kendall Williams added 38 yards on five carries along with a touchdown, one of two for him on the day. The other came on a reception of 56 yards, a tone-setter for Davenport less than four minutes into the contest. 

The score also set the tone for Williams as a Panther: Week 1 marked his DU debut, and both of his touchdowns came on his first catch and his first rush.

Paired with Harris, who led the GLIAC in rushing yards per game a season ago, as well as teaming with Demetrius Garrett in the passing game, Williams should give the Panthers offense plenty of options going forward. 

Division 2 Football Top 25 Results

  • No. 1 Harding, 59 - Southern Nazarene, 0 
  • No. 2 Central Missouri, 63 - Northeastern State, 21
  • No. 3 Pittsburg State, 42 - Missouri Southern, 17
  • No. 4 Grand Valley State, 58 - Central State, 0
  • No. 5 Valdosta State, 27 - Newberry, 14
  • No. 6 Colorado Mines, 41 - West Texas A&M, 13
  • No. 7 Central Washington, 7 - San Diego, 26
  • No. 8 Minnesota State, 31 - Bemidji State, 29
  • No. 9 Ferris State, 56 - Lake Erie, 3
  • No. 10 Kutztown, 24 - Assumption, 6
  • No. 11 Slippery Rock, 22 - University of New Haven, 6
  • No. 12 Delta State, 55 - Missouri S&T, 18
  • No. 13 Lenoir-Rhyne, 32 - Bowie State, 19
  • No. 14 West Florida, 38 - McKendree, 6
  • No. 15 UT Permian Basin, 23 - Colorado State Pueblo, 40
  • No. 16 Indianapolis, 42 - Hilssdale, 16
  • No. 17 Ouachita Baptist, 42 - Southwestern Oklahoma State, 3
  • No. 18 Virginia Union, 21 - Hampton, 33
  • No. 19 Western Colorado, 38 - Midwestern State, 33
  • No. 20 Bemidji State, 29 - Minnesota State, 31
  • No. 21 Augustana, 35 - UMary, 13
  • No. 22 Henderson State, 41 - East Central, 17
  • No. 23 Minnesota Duluth, Bye Week
  • No. 24 Fort Hayes, 30 - Missouri Western, 16
  • No. 25, Charleston, 23 - California University of Pennsylvania, 19

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SAC (Division II)

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GLIAC (Division II)

  • Davenport
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  • Grand Valley State
  • Lake Superior State
  • MTU
  • Northern Michigan
  • Saginaw Valley State
  • Wayne State
  • Purdue Northwest
  • Wisconsin-Parkside

NEWMAC (Division III)

  • Babson College
  • Clark University
  • U.S Coast Guard Academy
  • Emerson College
  • MIT
  • Mount Holyoke College
  • Salve Regina
  • Smith College
  • Springfield College
  • Wellesley College
  • Wheaton College
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • Norwich University - Football Only
  • SUNY Maritime College - Football Only
  • U.S Merchant Marine Academy - Football Only

Gulf South (Division II)

  • Alabama Huntsville
  • Auburn Montgomery
  • Christian Brothers
  • Delta State
  • Lee
  • Mississippi College
  • Montevallo
  • Trevecca Nazarene
  • Union
  • Valdosta State
  • West Alabama
  • West Florida
  • Erskine College - Football Only
  • North Greenville – Football Only
  • Flagler – Women’s Lacrosse Only
  • Lander – Women’s Lacrosse Only
  • Spring Hill – Men’s & Women’s Soccer Only

Landmark (Division III)

  • Catholic University of America
  • Drew University
  • Elizabethtown College
  • Goucher College
  • Juniata College
  • Lycoming College
  • Moravian University
  • University of Scranton
  • Susquehanna University
  • Wilkes University
  • Keystone - Football Only

CCAA (Division II)

  • Cal State Poly - Humboldt
  • Cal State Poly - Pomona
  • Cal State - Chico
  • Cal State - Dominguez Hills
  • Cal State - East Bay
  • Cal State - Los Angeles
  • Cal State - Monterey Bay
  • Cal State - San Bernadino
  • Cal State - San Marcos
  • Cal State - Stanislaus
  • San Francisco State
  • Sonoma State

SCIAC (Division III)

  • Caltech
  • California Lutheran University
  • Chapman University
  • Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
  • University of LA Verne
  • Occidental College
  • Ponoma-Pitzer
  • University of Redlands
  • Whittier College

SCAC (Division III)

  • Centenary College - Football Only
  • Colorado College
  • Concordia University
  • McMurry University - Football Only
  • University of the Ozarks
  • Schreiner University
  • University of Dallas
  • University of Saint Thomas

NE10 (Division II)

  • Adelphi University
  • American International College
  • Assumption University
  • Bentley University
  • Franklin Pierce University
  • University of New Haven
  • Pace University
  • Saint Anselm College
  • Saint Michael’s College
  • Southern Connecticut State University
  • Southern New Hampshire University

Lone Star Conference (Division II)

  • Angelo State University
  • Cameron University
  • Dallas Baptist University
  • Eastern New Mexico University
  • Lubbock Christian University
  • Midwestern State University
  • Oklahoma Christian University
  • Saint Edward’s University
  • Saint Mary’s University
  • Sul Ross State University
  • Texas A&M International University
  • Texas A&M University-Kingsville
  • Texas Woman’s University
  • University of Texas Permian Basin
  • University of Texas at Tyler
  • West Texas A&M University
  • Western New Mexico University
  • Central Washington University - Football Only
  • Western Oregon University - Football Only

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