Kellen Reed reaches milestone as No. 8 GVSU football beats Charleston in season opener

Grand Valley State's No. 8 football team secured a 38-10 victory over Charleston in their season opener, marking a pivotal moment for the Laker football program. Following a 30-minute delay, GVSU executed a 73-yard drive in just four plays, culminating in a touchdown scored by senior Kellen Reed. The milestone play saw Reed catch a 45-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Andrew Schuster, propelling Reed's career receiving yards to over 1,000.

West Ottawa native Kloe Anderson made an impressive All-American contribution with the cheerleading squad, while GLIAC Media Day highlighted GVSU's need to regroup. Charleston's scoring came from a 24-yard field goal and a 4-yard touchdown run by Zachariah Williams, with QB Matt Frye connecting for a 59-yard touchdown pass to WR Caleb Barringer.

GVSU responded swiftly, with tight end Evan Furtney returning a kickoff 28 yards to the Golden Eagle 32-yard line. Schuster then connected with Reed for a 20-yard touchdown, pushing the Laker lead to 14-10 at halftime. In the second half, Schuster's short pass to Amonte Cook set up a 16-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 21-10.

GVSU's defense stepped up, recovering a fumble and forcing another turnover, which they capitalized on with a 34-yard Bacik field goal. The Lakers' defense held Charleston to 232 total yards, including just 46 rushing yards, while converting 9-of-16 on third and fourth downs. Schuster threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns, Reed added 133 yards and two scores on receptions, and Cook and Furtney each contributed with three catches.

LBs Elijah Baker and Keagan Sell recorded five stops each. GVSU's 1-0 start puts them on a strong footing, with a home opener against West Texas A&M scheduled for September 3 at 7 p.m. This victory marks GVSU's 36-19 record in season-opening games.