Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter had 205 yards on the season going into the game against the Northern Michigan Wildcats.

By the end of the night, he had 298 yards—against the Wildcats alone.

The Lakers blanked the Wildcats 50-24 Saturday, Sept. 17 under the lights at Lubbers Stadium thanks in large part to the rushing attack led by Carter that amassed 449 yards, the second most in a game in GVSU history.

For Carter, though, he just wanted to get the win.

“I just focus on going out there, playing, making sure we come out with the win,” Carter said. “That’s pretty much it. All this stats stuff really doesn’t mean anything.”

Carter broke the GVSU all-time single game rushing record previously held by Chris Robinson, who had 261 yards in a game against Findlay (10/25/14). Carter now has 503 yards and six touchdowns on the year with a 13.1 yard-per-carry average.

The Lakers also set the GVSU single game record for total offensive yardage with a whopping 761 yards on offense.

The Lakers struck first with a 63-yard touchdown rush by Carter about five minutes into the first quarter.

After a sack from the Lakers’ Sydney Omameh on third down ended the Wildcats’ drive, the Lakers marched down deep into Wildcat territory. Facing a third-and-goal, a quarterback Bart Williams pass sailed just over the head of receiver Urston Smith. Kicker Joel Schipper put the Lakers up 9-0 with a 22-yard field goal.

The Wildcats punted again on their next drive, and again the Lakers took advantage. A 39-yard pass from Williams to Smith set the Lakers up with another first and goal, and this time the Lakers struck paydirt—a nine-yard rushing touchdown by Carter two plays later to put the Lakers up 16-0.

The Lakers outgained the Wildcats 238-30 in total offensive yardage in the first quarter.

Four minutes into the second quarter, senior wide receiver Matt Williams made his presence known. He made an acrobatic, 37-yard touchdown grab. The wide receiver dragged a defender five yards until he finally reached the end zone to put the Lakers up 23-0.

“Double moves are kind of something I’m better at than most things,” Matt Williams said. “That was a double move there, and I just made a play on the ball. Bart (Williams) put it out there and I tell him, whenever we run double moves, put it up there and I’ll go get it.”

Matt Williams finished with six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, after only amassing three receptions for 59 yards in the first two games this season.

The Wildcats’ ensuing possession saw them move into GVSU territory, but stalled at the 30 yard line. Wildcats kicker Tyler Blackburn booted a 47-yard field goal for their first points of the game, and the first points the GVSU starting defense allowed all season.

The Lakers answered the Wildcats’ drive with a long drive of their own, capped off with a three-yard touchdown scamper by relief back Terrell Dorsey to put the Lakers up 30-3, a score they would take into the half.

In the second half, the Wildcats recovered an onside kick on the opening kickoff and at one point got the score to 37-17, and even forced the Lakers to commit their first turnover of the year in the form of a Terrell Dorsey fumble. However, their inability to stop the GVSU offense ultimately decided their fate.

Wildcats’ senior quarterback Shaye Brown finished with 225 yards and three touchdowns, and kept the game close enough to where the GVSU starters—for the first time this season—had to stay deep into the game.

“We had some adversity in the second half,” said GVSU coach Matt Mitchell. “There was some anxiety on the sideline. We weren’t playing maybe up to our potential on the defensive side of the ball. We turned the ball over and they scored, we gave up an onside kick.

“To come out with a 50-24 win and have those types of experiences happen to you, glass half full, I think that can help us moving forward.”

The Lakers also had 10 penalties for 124 yards, another area Mitchell said the team plans to address during film session.

Bart Williams finished 15-for-25 with 292 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Bean had five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in addition to Matt Williams’ performance.

The Lakers will start a two-game road trip in Ohio that includes Walsh this Saturday, Sept. 24 and then Ohio Dominican Oct. 1.