LAKERS HONOR DIA DE LOS MUERTOS WITH ALTARPIECE
GRAND VALLEY
ST U D E N T- R U N P U B L I C A T I O N S // P R I N T . O N L I N E . M O B I L E // L A N T H O R N . C O M A L L E N D A L E & G R A N D R A P I DS , M I C H I G A N
VOL . 5 1
SEE A5
NO. 2 2
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7
‘A lot of heart, a lot of grit’ IN THE ZONE: Grand Valley State celebrates its victory over Saginaw Valley State Saturday, Nov. 5. The 62-56 win against the Cardinals gave the Laker football team their first outright GLIAC championship since 2010. COURTESY | DOUG WITTE
BY BEAU TROUTMAN SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
T
ied 56-56 in double overtime, Battle of the Valleys 2016 came down to one final play. Grand Valley State defensive tackle Mark Rosenquist stuffed Saginaw Valley State running back Tommy Scott Jr. on third-and-one, and the Cardinals originally sent out their field goal unit on fourth down to try and take a three point lead. But the Cardinals forgot to send out a holder for the field goal, and they called a timeout—during which, they decided to try and make the first down conversion, needing just one yard to keep their offense on the field. Cardinal quarterback Ryan Conklin snapped the ball, gave it to Scott Jr. up the middle, who was met by Rosenquist again. No gain on the play, turnover on downs. Six plays later, GVSU running back Martayveus Carter was in the end zone on a two-yard touchdown run. That sealed a 62-56 double overACADEMIC CENTER
time win for the Lakers in the 2016 Battle of the Valleys in Saginaw, Michigan Saturday, Nov. 5. It was the Lakers’ first overtime win since a 9-6 win over University of California-Davis Sept. 6, 2003. The win also gave GVSU its first outright GLIAC championship since 2010, as every other team in the conference has at least two losses with only one week left in the regular season. “A lot of heart, a lot of grit, a lot of team chemistry, a lot of togetherness,” said GVSU coach Matt Mitchell. “I’m really proud of our senior class. They’ve been leading this thing the entire way. They’re doing great academically, great people, that championship is a credit to their commitment to our program.” The win and conference championship almost guarantees that GVSU stays the top seed in Super Region Four heading into the postseason. The Lakers play Wayne State next Saturday, Nov. 12 in the final regular season game. Should they win, the Lakers—the only undefeated team left in the region—will stay atop the
region and receive a first-round bye in the NCAA playoffs. Postseason implications aside, the only thing the Lakers were worried about after their win over SVSU was celebrating the wildest game in recent memory. “As a senior class, we really talked about this, we wanted to just show out in our last Battle of the Valleys,” said senior nickelback Marquez Gollman, who finished with seven tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown. “We came together as one team, and come out with the victory.” Not only were the Lakers fighting for the senior class, but receiver Urston Smith returned to the field for the first time since his mother passed away last week. Smith missed practice and the Findlay game Saturday, Oct. 29. He said he knows his mother was watching him against the Cardinals. “I was really excited to get back on the field,” Smith said. “My mom was looking over us. That’s what she wanted me to do—go out and play my hardest and do my thing. I did it all for her and my teammates, and
Community members relay concerns, suggestions for Michigan’s education system
up field, ending the drive with a fiveyard touchdown by Carter. The drive left the Cardinals only 1:39 on the clock to try and tie the game. The Cardinals broke off a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a 10-yard Conklin touchdown pass to receiver Marq Johnson, tying the game with just six seconds remaining. “We give up the score, and that’s deflating,” Mitchell said. “I’ll tell you, I don’t know if I’ve ever been around a game that had that many ebbs and flows in it.” Enter overtime, and the Lakers had the ball first after the Cardinals won the coin toss and deferred. The Lakers scored in four plays off two rushes by Carter and then two runs by Dorsey, a 15-yard run that set up a one-yard score at the goal line. Needing a touchdown to keep the game going, Conklin delivered again, tossing a 24-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone SEE BOV | A11
GV to add 84,000 square feet of space with $46.5 million project
BY SANDA VAZGEC ASSISTANTNEWS@LANTHORN.COM
SEE SNYDER | A2
they know that. They got my back, and I got their back as well.” Smith led the Lakers with six receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Before the overtime period, the score was deadlocked at 42-42 with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The GVSU offense took the field and went on a 17-play, 73-yard drive without completing a single pass—the Lakers didn’t even attempt to throw on the drive. Bart Williams had a rocky day behind center, finishing 13-of-20 for 314 yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions and three sacks. The decision to not pass the ball on the drive was made not only because the offense had struggled to do so all game, but senior receiver Matt Williams and junior receiver Brandon Bean both left the game with injuries. So, the Lakers pounded running backs Carter and senior Terrell Dorsey on a drive that took 8:37 off the clock. There wasn’t a single rush of over eight yards during the possession, as the Lakers methodically worked their way
Trustees approve new health sciences building
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
Education commission stops in Grand Rapids
From preschool to college, there are many aspects of the U.S. education system being called into question, especially in the current political atmosphere in the country. Michigan residents, parents and community members gathered in the Gerald R. Ford Academic Center Thursday, Nov. 3 to discuss their concerns and suggestions about the current state of the education system. The discussion was part of the 21st Century Michigan Education Commission Listening Tour, where West Michigan served as the first stop. Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas serves as the commission chair. Haas and other commission members joined the community in small groups to discuss
GV wins BOV in double overtime, clinches the GLIAC championship
EXPANSION: A rendering of the new health sciences building approved by the GVSU Board of Trustees Friday, Nov. 4. COURTESY | GVSU FACILITIES PLANNING BY AUDRA GAMBLE EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM
The Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees approved plans for a new health sciences building in Grand Rapids at its latest meeting Friday, Nov. 4. The building, which will be located on Lafayette Avenue and Hastings Street, will be ready for move-in May of 2018. The $46.5 million project includes a $9 million parking structure and a five-story, $37.5 million building.
According to the report provided to the Board of Trustees, the health sciences building “will be funded by a combination of donor contributions, university-issued bonds and campus development funds.” The budget for the building includes $3.1 million for professional services and fees, $27.4 million for construction services and site utilities, $4.45 million for furniture, equipment and telecommunications and $2.55 million for unexpected contingency expenses. At the moment, GVSU is leasing
around 11,000 square feet in the surrounding area to accommodate its lack of offices for faculty and staff. “We have had a long-term plan to increase our investment in the health professions and nursing as part of the mission of Grand Rapids and the recognition of the high demand for these programs among our students,” said Gayle Davis, GVSU provost and vice president for academic and student affairs. “We have overflowed our current Center for Health Sciences, and having been in this situation for a number of years, this is in an effort to take care of the spaces we have had to lease. “We will be able to bring those people back into the main campus buildings there at that location and save quite a lot of money on leasing about 11,000 square feet that we have had to acquire in the past to take care of our needs.” The 84,000 square feet building will include four classrooms, 15
teaching laboratories, one computer lab, two departmental suites and 90 faculty offices. The new addition to GVSU’s campus will also include indoor and outdoor student study spaces, storage rooms and student organization meeting space. The instructional space and offices will be used by programs in the College of Health Professions and the Kirkhof College of Nursing. Rockford Construction Co. has been selected as the construction manager and Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber, Inc. will be the project architect and engineer. Construction is expected to begin this December, with a groundbreaking ceremony later this month. Designs for the building are nearly done, and nearby residents have been consulted about the project. “The building has been modified
www.lanthorn.com
SEE BUILDING | A2