FLORENCE, Ala. — Grand Valley State won its second straight NCAA Division II title Saturday, with Mike Hoad intercepting a fourth-down pass with 27 seconds left to seal the Lakers' 10-7 victory over North Dakota.
Grand Valley State (14-1) dominated most of the game. But led by John Bowenkamp's passing, North Dakota cut it to 10-3 in the final period and fell just short in the final minute.
Bowenkamp completed eight passes in a drive that started on North Dakota's 25 with 3:54 to play. On fourth-and-10 from the 17, Hoad intercepted Bowenkamp's pass on the 6.
Bowenkamp finished 28-of-41 for 281 yards and the interception. He set a championship game record for completions.
It was the second time in three years that North Dakota (12-2) and Grand Valley State have played for the national championship. In 2001, North Dakota won 17-14, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 29 seconds left.
Much of the second half was played in cold, steady rain.
Leading 3-0, Grand Valley State appeared to take control of the defensive contest early in the second half, scoring on a 1-yard run by Michael Tennessee. North Dakota had moved to the Lakers 6 after the second-half kickoff, but Lucious Hawkins returned Bowenkamp's fumble 59 yards to set up the only touchdown of the game.
North Dakota's only points came on Jeff Glas' 35-yard field goal with 9:47 to play.
Defenses monopolized the first half with the only score coming on the game's first drive. Grand Valley State took the opening kick and drove 79 yards on 17 plays to the 1, before settling for David Hendrix's 19-yard field goal.
The drive was sparked by quarterback Cullen Finnerty, who was 6-of-8 for 47 yards and ran for 21 yards, mostly on option plays out of the shotgun formation. Finnerty was 19-of-29 overall for 149 yards and was the game's leading rusher with 86 yards on 19 carries.
Neither team had much luck moving the ball the remainder of the first half, particularly the Fighting Sioux, who were held to 2 yards rushing and 60 total yards in the half.
The game was the second lowest scoring contest in the history of the championship.
SOUTHERN U. 20, ALABAMA ST. 9: At Birmingham, Ala., Quincy Richard threw two touchdowns and Southern took advantage of four Alabama State turnovers in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.
Richard was 17-of-28 for 157 yards and one interception for the Jaguars (12-1), who won their first SWAC title since 1999 despite being outgained 376-249.