>> Welcome back to an all-new episode of the Grand Valley State Sports report here Wgu Idaho.

Steve Lloyd-Jones.

Here's what's coming up for you tonight.

TV issue football is locked into their first NCAA playoff game against northwest Missouri State to get you women.

Soccer wraps up their season after an impressive first year under head coach.

Katie whole team TV issue.

Women's basketball found 2 wins in Allendale and our country this week highlights GSU football and their strength and conditioning practices locking in Laker Nation as the Grand Valley State Sports report starts right now.

>> TV issue football and the by this weekend's number one seed and Super region.

Number 3, the Lakers watched his first 8 Pittsburg state in northwest Missouri.

State win their first-round games.

Head coach Matt Mitchell joins me now to give us the latest here on Super region.

Number 3.

Much welcome.

So you guys well learned by some time off.

It's not like you're sitting around all week.

Tell us what you've been doing, how you guys are prepping through this week with no game.

Yes, we practice a couple days and really practice and Grand Valley.

We didn't really try to look ahead at all.

I think that you can get game plans to be stale if you go too far to advance.

Rulers were tied.

Grande Valley, a lot of things we had to get ready.

And you know, also a lot of the guys have some time off a little bit on Friday and Saturday and then we did get a bonus practice and on Sunday and for northwest and so kind of the you know what in the balance making sure sharp, but also in our guys kind of rest up and get some guys Hopewell injury.

Yeah.

Northwest Missouri state winning that came over Witchita Baptist.

So almost the top 4 seeds held throughout the region but northwest the number 5 seed.

So this is going to be the team here as we'll we'll break it down in a moment.

I'm mentally emotionally how they feel like the guys are going into this week.

We're excited to the U.S. to practice.

I think they're really fired up.

You know, it's a new opponent for most of them.

We did plan back in 2018, the first round of playoffs.

But for the most part, this is new.

And but the guys are well aware of the history tradition.

Northwest Missouri State have won 6 national championships, made the playoffs for many years in a row.

So definitely respect.

Also think the score on Saturday, you know, was really show them how good northwest is.

I think that my double as Rosol conference and there that one of the 2 teams that got in from that and I would say to I think they also understand this is an improving football team had 2 losses those earlier in the year, but they want some really key games lays late the last regular season game would be an important state.

He may end up being 3 to get into the playoffs pretty much.

And so they've kind of been in that mode.

So northwest has been a kind of a win or go home type mode here for for a little bit.

You can definitely see the sense of urgency on tape and then went.

And I think our players understand, you know, get this time of year.

It's wanted to result in your head in the seniors and you're out of the tournament or you just advance and are 16 teams or just trying to find a way to be one of 8 northwest happens to be the challenge in front of us.

Yeah.

Or the northwest Missouri State.

47 17 to win over which he to Baptist.

So tell us about this team.

What what you care to share.

You know, Laker fans remember big, powerful defenses, pretty explosive offense as well.

Coached.

I'm sure it's a lot of the same thing.

It is very similar traits done a great job.

They're taking over as the head coach of this is 5th or 6 years built on defense.

You know, I think coming I don't know after Saturday, but they were the number one team in the nation guards to rush defense.

I'm very, very big physical front.

Lot of experience up there.

And so that's really what they do.

And they're paying their hat on is their defense.

They do a great job on special teams to regard to create the field position.

The quarterback is a very mobile quarterback is an active quarterback to kind of create some issues for you that will run him runs around the comments of making some plays.

But definitely a team that when you look at statistically is one of the top defenses in America.

So I think, you know, a lover stadium on Saturday.

We're number one, the nation in scoring defense.

And number one rushing, you're going to the top defenses in division 2, what they're going to go at each other.

So I'm not saying it's going to be a 10 to 7 football game or anything like that.

You never know.

But there certainly are challenges for both offense is when you take a look at what they have to go against tough time of year and we do, we get in the game plans.

Obviously they've had a couple issues here and there they had 2 losses.

They've had some narrow winds which were giving up some points to people.

What what do you guys see maybe as vulnerabilities for say?

Yeah, I mean, I think that we've had some injuries at the quarterback position, defensive and injuries on the offensive line.

And so I think those were really a reason that they've, you know, last maybe a couple those games to set some consistent performances, I think more to do with offense.

I think, as you know, a little bit more about injuries, more than a thing.

They really start to find their groove.

It offensive outscored.

47 points in a playoff game.

And so, you know, they're they're getting guys back.

You can tell there's guys coming back being healthy.

But they're they're leaning on.

So, yeah, I mean, in terms of the things I think both both coaching staffs do a great job game-planning.

And so that's what I think is going to be really interesting.

I mean, they're going to try to take away what we do.

Well, we are to on both sides of the ball and special teams.

And so it's kind of chess match com to see how things go.

I think there you could tell her coaching staff does a really good job and game planning and you try to project okay, what are we not good at that?

They're going to try to expose what I take away our strength.

But, you know, there's a fine balance you want to get on to get away with what's got you here.

It's got 11 ago in the nation to do so.

It could be highly competitive.

It will be an adjustment football game.

I think both teams know within the 1st quarter quarter and a half kind of how we're tacking people defending people and you go to work on that.

And again, still comes down to, you know, the biggest thing for guys on offense like there's not going to be guys wide open running lanes are going to just clean, were ripping through it.

Yeah, we're going to make contested plays in the ball's in the air and we're going to run through some tackles and this is the type of game.

We're going to play 4 quarters and we've done that in the past with fair stateside.

Our valley going to have to understand maybe things aren't great early on.

You stick with some stuff and don't abandon that.

I think we've shown that we can look how lean on some stuff and things will eventually come work our way.

But we can't panic early if it there's a bit more trade ponson a back and forth game at the state.

Very consistent with what we believe we can get done.

You know, it's a really good point.

I think this is where part of the benefit of the schedule really starts to show.

You've seen 3 men fronts, 5 wideouts you mobile quarterbacks, great pocket passes.

You've seen all kinds of different things and that's got to be here in the coming into a game like this 100%.

I would say, you know, they run a front.

There's the and yang.

Their defensive front is very similar to what we run.

What first runs, what's it all runs?

You know, there's a so that in vogue right now in our region.

So I think the good part about that is you have familiarity with that front because, you know, against a lot, you know, the flip side is, you know, that they know same thing to like what the stuff is that we're probably going up running against a particular front.

But now that definite those experiences, I I do think or it's an advantage for offense.

We face a lot of quarterbacks.

This presents a challenge, but it's also challenge.

We've seen a little bit of a mobile quarterback that they will use the quarterback run game and a guy can run around a little bit.

And so, you know, we have to I'm really concerned about, you know, the play after the play with this quarterback.

But you know something not their media is going to scramble around.

It meant a lot of places in scam run scramble to throw completed a lot of pick up a lot of 3rd downs against Ouachita and it was really the quarterback that, you know, throwing the ball around.

We've got to be really a guard for get off the field on 3rd down to just can't it's going to win games.

You just can't continue to let him for 3rd downs and create the field position from that.

So building on that final moments we have.

What?

What's key in this game?

What do you got?

Half what mean when you look at the games in our region last last week?

I mean, still it's a broken record, but was turnovers United Apple's threw 5 picks.

Downpour went up to Paris and was doing a decent job and then, you know, threw a pick-six and turn the ball over and same thing.

You know, the first score for northwest Missouri state was a defensive score up over a fumble on the scoop and score.

You can't do those things against good teams like that.

We've been really get out of.

But they're going to present the biggest challenge because I got big athletes.

A hit.

You hard.

2 ball security in our protection is going to be under more duress.

More pressure than ever has been.

And we just, you know, we can turn the ball and we've got to try to find a way to force some turnovers, give our offense short fields, you know, going 90 yards.

Every single drive against this defense is going to be problematic.

We've got to try to get special teams and defense whether it's because of turnovers.

A great special teams play.

We have got to try to create offense a bit shorter field.

Alright, going to be fun.

Big challenge.

Northwest Missouri State look much.

Thank you.

We'll be right back as the Grand Valley State Sports report continues here in WGN News.

>> The GB issue, women soccer season.

This come to a close following a defeat to fare state in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship.

But even in defeat, the Lakers have a lot to be proud of their first season under the leadership of head coach Katie whole team.

>> Joins us now to talk all about.

Katie, Welcome.

Thanks.

Have you back.

Never easy.

These kind of games now and weather conditions and the like were not easy.

So kind of set the scene for us a little bit.

Again.

You're not making excuses.

You're just that's how it all football.

And yeah.

>> It was with the wind chill about 13 degrees below 0 for warm-up and game time.

Freezing cold.

I if you've experienced it, you know, but it was it was bone chilling right on the lake.

The fields right on the lake field with kind of covered in ice.

So it just we're going to have some challenges.

But to our team was up up for the task ahead.

Great and energy going into the game and played really, really well.

>> Yeah, you know, you guys, as is the case with a lot of teams to overwhelm them and it doesn't always go your way in terms of into than that.

But you certainly had opportunities which was good.

>> Yeah, and I think I've said it before the sports a little bit cruel in that regard.

And we just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net and that the field was really narrow, which really did give fair us a bit of an advantage defensively with the way we play.

So it was tough.

But, you know, in the end it went down to a PK shootout.

Unfair says already been went through one this season.

So they have a little bit of confidence going into it.

And it was new for us this season.

That little bit of a challenge.

>> Yeah, you get into that the set up and tell us about that because it is with the overtime rules.

Now you finally get to a PK a deciding to think of that stuff.

>> Yeah, I think the one of the hardest parts about this game in particular was because it was so cold.

We only played a total of 13 players in the game.

And you know, you're you're trying to make a decision of you've got your best PK takers.

I have confidence and all that.

But there might they might not be the warmest on the team.

They may have been set sitting on the sideline for the game.

So I think that was the biggest challenge for us with us.

You know, we've got our our players who are very confident, however, there freezing cold.

So we have a lot of tough decisions to make in that.

And you know that I don't think that there was a right decision or wrong decision.

I just think that that's kind of how the cookie crumbled this year.

I hope we get another go at it next year.

>> Yeah, it was a scoreless tie that ended with the of the public Hixon.

Both goalies early had their moments than they need to make it.

>> Throughout the whole game, the fair school keeper, as we say, stood on her head a few times.

And and really she did a great job, keeping the ball the back of the net.

And so that Kendall and I don't know how they did it because the goal, I don't know if anyone knows about goalkeeper gloves, but when you wear them in freezing cold weather, it makes your hands 10 times colder and they were they both did a really good job of holding onto the ball and making big saves.

And they were mobile throughout the game, which is shocking because of how cold it was.

But Kendall did a really great job in the game.

>> So that brings the season to a close 16, 2, 5, overall, a great first season.

Not just saying that really was like amazing to help us because I know COVID has factored into this.

Who who is not the surly able to return to see?

Yeah, I have a lot that are able to return.

But >> you know, a lot of players are ready to grow up and, you know, start a master's program or ever somewhere else are 2 center backs.

Kate and Brooke, there moving on kits, starting a master of a pet Brooks getting into the real world.

Lex Morello is on our way into a pretty incredible a master's program as well.

That really the demands and saying Chantel Carranza is she'll be in our 6 year of special education, major social be student teaching the whole year.

So she won't be back.

We've got our 2 transfers, Kennedy Metzger and Riley O'Brien.

So they're done.

They're their eligibility is exhausted and Cali rich, who is a goalkeeper of ours that has just exhaust their eligibility.

So we lose a lot.

A lot of great experience, but we have a lot coming back.

Kennedy beard and will be back.

Taylor read Kenzie Jones.

They're all going to be back in 10.

I'm excited for that.

But we'll still be a pretty young team next year.

>> Yeah, well, it's you know, a lot that you've learned a lot that you accomplished.

And that's the part that I know it stings right now.

But yeah, it's a question a lot.

When the conference you win the conference tournament, your coach of the year, you have players who are offensive player defensive players of the year.

Just a really good all around for season.

And we appreciate you taking time each week to talk to us that, of course I love being here and I love that.

I want to talk about our team because they're a special group of people.

Katie, thank you.

And good luck as you start your number 2 here before you Cook.

Thank you.

It will be back with more after this.

What hopes are high for GB issue women's basketball this year?

The Lakers are 4 and O coming off home wins over Tiffany in Findlay.

And it's time to welcome in head coach Mike Williams for the first time this year.

>> But good to see.

It's great to be back a Sunday morning to drive down here and the chance to cook up with you again the other while.

So, yeah.

>> No great to be talking with you as well.

And obviously you guys are doing well for know, the start touch on a little bit.

I mean, high hopes is there's a lot based off last year and what you're building in the program.

And that's good.

>> Yeah, I think it you know, we talked about a little bit.

You know, the preseason rankings really don't mean a lot as you move for the season.

But obviously it's a respect that the program's gain to the years that we men are the players last year.

The players returning the Romney made last year.

It all factors in.

So it's it's a it's a cool thing.

But, you know, once it was going to get that 1, 6, but Haitians are there, then you move on and it's day by day game a game.

And I do believe our players are focusing on that right now.

I think that's are approaching.

I really don't think that this goal number one thing is is affecting that.

I really do.

>> Yeah, that was last year.

What you did miss, you're you're focusing on that.

Mike, how much of the hunger the focus can come from the coaches and how much has to come from the players?

>> Well, I think we're in that crossroads.

I think we've got a lot of veterans.

They kind of take it and run when you've got a lot of new players, which we do this year.

I think it's got to be a lot from the coaches.

And so I think we're kind of that middle ground where, you know, I but we talked about little begins family.

I thought I was on him that the coaches I was on that 1st half a little bit in the 2nd half.

We kind of backed off and let it go.

But I but I do think they are working at really working taking ownership.

We've got some great senior leaders are starting to be more vocal.

I think they're the body in what we're doing.

But we do still have a lot of newbies.

And, you know, I did.

They don't understand that yet.

So we have to as coaches we have to, you know, keep harping on that preaching on that and it will come.

They'll get there.

>> Very solid week.

The defeated to Tiffany at home, 78 to 50 the final score.

And we expect Slee lead you with 17, 3 boards as well.

The call came in at 13, spread out the scoring of its kind of comment for you guys have played well.

>> You know it it might be that message year where we're trying to play more players.

And again, we don't know that might the bench might shorten here as we move forward.

But right now we've been fortunate in the in the 4 games he played to to go into our pension in play players shorter minutes that, you know, it's like a gun against family on Saturday.

I think Emily in L a lot of lot of minutes and that 1st half and then when we separate it was maybe the 2nd half.

So I think it's going to be a game by game week by week how that pans out.

But right now are we're happy that we have a good deal, players that can play and are ready to play if they're if they're called on.

>> Yeah, we certainly do.

We dressed you're mentioning her.

She had 11 in that second game of the week against Findlay 13 in the first one against if I'm in the wind that you had over Finley, Mike, this was this is a clinic.

83 45 you when this came right from the start of play and Sharp, 13 different players given the scoring, you never trailed in this game?

>> Well, I you know, and we saw a family was really good team.

We did.

We watch him play Davenport the night before they went there and won handily won, May 20 coming up a couple wins week before.

And I think it just in that 1st quarter was really a battle.

And then we come out of there.

It was it was 1913, something like that know, 4 or 5 point spread.

And then we just kind of separated.

And I think it whether it's our pressure that got to them, whether it's the playing back to back, they just assume that the same pop of him for that and that second 3rd, 4003th quarter being on the road traveling a lot of things come into play.

I thought we did a good job this year in the preseason, you know, scrimmaging we had we did a a back to back in the single day.

We did back to back with white water, no player 2 weeks before to get ready.

We play back to back down in Missouri and St. Louis.

So I think our kids are ready to play the back-to-back and that might had something new as well.

But we did we play well.

That was a good team.

And, you know, it was really happy with our players responded Friday.

Don't think was on point is we need to be and I thought we were on Saturday.

So that was good to see 83 45 in the final?

>> Over Finley, Grande Valley, number one of the country for and with the record.

So this week, one game, you know, we go through holiday time exams coming up here, Northwood at home.

That will be Saturday at 5 o'clock.

>> Yeah.

We had to get a chance to watch.

Yeah.

It is a big football game on the noon and then there's a big football game at home and our place one right playoff game and then we get a chance to 0.5 2 men play after us.

What's going to be a crazy wild?

They Saturday after Thanksgiving.

But, you know, looking at Northwood, they're kind of they won a conference.

So the first year out of our conference, it's a nonconference game.

We're thankful that they keep playing.

So it's a great rivalry.

And every year we have great games, you know, their team that really next to push the ball score points, you know, change defenses, Anya, they liked shoot the 3 that put pressure on the rim.

So it's it's it's a little bit like, you know, Maryville Finley in Tipton Summit to be playing.

But, yeah, it's it's going to be good to play that team that we've been playing here last couple years.

>> You know, try to have the back to backs this past week this week, just the one game.

But again, your players have a lot to kind of manage focus on here on the court and off the court.

But the really good start to your thus far, obviously foreign and that you guys as coaches, you do a fabulous job.

I know you're looking at things that you want to improve and get better as you go.

And I think in the coming weeks.

But we'll get into that a little bit more.

But wow, what a what a nice start here.

Making the great to have you back.

A good look coming up Saturday.

>> All right, Steve, thank you.

Have a great Thanksgiving if we don't see a so it's good.

>> We'll be right back here in the Grand Valley State Sports report as we continue here wgu.

>> It is early days at Grand Valley more than a decade ago.

That Mitchell's most important duty was overseeing the duty roster for Chuck Martin.

Mitchell's background was filled with accomplishments and certifications in the area of strength and conditioning.

And he's the first to admit many of the ideas he grew up with in football have gone by the wayside as his program focuses now on achieving and preserving maximum health and fitness.

>> And, you know, I think probably back in the day you're consider lazy.

If you took a nap and schedules that we have for student athletes will really not conducive for sleep because we're trying to, quote, unquote, toughen them up.

I think everything we're trying to do is try to find an opportunity for guys get 8 hours of sleep.

And if they do have out to take a half are naps, not a bad thing.

While Mitchell spends countless hours with his assistant coaches.

>> He cursed time out each day for his strength coaches and training staff.

Jim Winkler is a longtime mainstay at Grand Valley as the head football trainer and like Mitchell has seen big changes behind the scenes that have reduced injuries.

Most notable a Grande Valley is a practice routine were blocking and tackling is something that is now done with great care and moderation.

>> On our walk over here, we're talking about our coaching staff being relatively proactive over the last few years.

I think one is it's taking up a lot of full-contact activities.

We get through the middle of preseason camp and and we're not going live a whole lot colder than on Saturday.

He's trying to save guys.

>> In a season filled with great wins in stories, one of the best has been senior running back Jack preventer.

He's been a great complement to to recreate in the backfield in his final go-round, prevent replace just crossed and conditioning.

Coach Matt Potter, a former Laker player which helped Jack recapture this.

Pinot asked as a freshman when he scored 12 touchdowns.

What's been his secret?

>> A lot of loss of a strain with a lot of explosive movements.

Lot of biometrics.

We do a lot more running these past 2 years.

We really reduced our soft tissue injuries.

>> You know, with with induction Watsa running.

So that's first.

>> We're doing it intelligently and progressing at and our guys know benefit from it when it comes after that.

>> Not surprisingly, the efforts of Jim Winkler and that floater have been closely tied together.

And while science and modern techniques are part of it, both believe that diligence and attention to detail for staff and players is something that has to be followed at all times.

>> Our training staff on the hydration stuff.

We really, really push that.

I mean, honestly, it's about the kids buying.

And and we have a really, really good culture here and that our guys look up to the upper classmen.

And we have a lot of good leadership on the teams and the really bought into the standard for trying to put the issue that we see is a lot of the energy drinks.

>> And I think a little bit is probably OK, but I think a lot of this college students of a little bit OK, that a lot probably a whole lot better.

I think that's a constant battle for us is just we're trying to look at some of the things that these guys put in their bodies and the limit.

Some of the things that they do choose to just great.

Straight addition, programs really have 2 things they're trying to achieve.

One is injury prevention, the O's performance enhancement.

If you lean much to watch towards performance enhancement, you put your outfits risk of injury.

But the program's too soft and saw that injury prevention not career-best on Saturday.

So I think we're trying to get job kind of walking a fine line.

>> This year marked the first time Grand Valley was able to play a full 11 game regular season since 2019 and the regular season result of spoken for themselves.

As for Matt Mitchell, he credits his staff and players for doing their part to help the Lakers feel their best possible team each week of the year.

This is saying in football goes the best ability is availability for the Grand Valley State Sports report.

I'm Tom clear.

>> Well, that's all the time that we have this week here in the Grand Valley State Sports report GSU football will play their first game of the NCAA playoffs against northwest Missouri state in Allendale on Saturday.

November 26th game time is set for 01:00PM from lover Stadium TV issue.

Men's basketball head down to St. Louis, Missouri for a pair of games this week take on and so on Tuesday, November 22nd at 04:15PM, that will take on Maryville in the 02:00PM matchup on Wednesday.

November 23rd to round out the week.

The Lakers will return to Allendale and host Michigan Dearborn on Saturday.

November 26th at 07:00PM TV issue.

Women's basketball will host north what the TV Issue, Fieldhouse Arena.

Also coming up this Saturday, tipoff is scheduled for 05:00PM in that game for upcoming games as well as live broadcast of every Laker athletic program.

Visit GB issue Lakers dot com for more of the show have out over to our YouTube channel at YouTube Dot com.

>> Slash Wgu.

35 make sure you hit the subscribe button to get the updated videos and highlights all year long.

But the entire crew here wgu I'm Steve Lloyd-Jones have a great week.

Everybody as always, a corrupt