Both have helped lead top-ranked Grand Valley State to its fourth NCAA Division II football title game in five years. The 12-0 Lakers will face No. 21 Northwest Missouri State (11-3) on Saturday in Florence, Ala. The game, which begins at 4 p.m., will be televised on ESPN.

Junior Michael McFadden (Saginaw Heritage), the Great Lakes Conference defensive lineman of the year and an All-America honoree, leads Grand Valley's defense, which has allowed the fewest passing touchdowns in the nation (five) and ranks fifth in total defense (254.6 yards per game).

McFadden, 6-1, 255 pounds, made three of Grand Valley's 10 sacks against the nation's No. 2 pass offense in a 55-20 dismantling of East Stroudsburg (Pa.) in last Saturday's semifinal.

But Grand Valley has someone just as dominant on the other side of the ball. Senior Josh Bourke (Orchard Lake St. Mary's) was the conference offensive lineman of the year after sitting out last season with a knee injury.

"He's been the senior leader on probably the strongest group on our team," coach Chuck Martin said. "He's our left tackle, protecting the blind spot."

"Every other play is something memorable," said Martin, a former defensive coordinator. "If he doesn't get the sack, you ask him what happened."

"He's definitely the best defensive end I've had to block in my life," Bourke said. "Going against that D-line in practice is like going against the best D-line in the nation."

Although he was selected in the first round of the last year's Canadian Football League draft, Bourke, who grew up in Tecumseh, Ontario, never considered leaving school early.

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