No. 3 Keiser Downs No. 11 College of Idaho, 28-21

The Seahawks also improve to 9-4 all-time in the NAIA Football Championship Series.

(jasondannelly) Published
Sunday, December 10, 2023 – 04:54 AM

The No. 3-ranked Keiser football team returns to the NAIA National Championship Game for the second straight year, following a 28-21 win over the No. 11 College of Idaho Yotes in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinals on Saturday.

The Seahawks used four defensive stands in the redzone to earn the team’s 11th victory of the season (most in school history). Holding the Yotes to 76 yards on the ground, the Seahawks earned the team’s 10th straight win of the season.

Jaden Meizinger was named the Semifinals Outstanding Offensive Player of the Game, rushing for 86 yards on 20 carries with two rushing touchdowns. Defensive back Darrell Livingston was named the Semifinals Outstanding Defensive Player of the Game, recording a team-high 10 tackles, including two key stops in the redzone.

First Quarter
Keiser 3, College of Idaho 0

• After the Seahawks punted on their opening possession, the Keiser defense was able to stop the Yotes on third down, but a muffed punt gave the ball back to the Yotes on the Keiser eight yard line with 10:34 left in the first.
• The KU defense stood tall however, forcing a turnover on downs after driving the College of Idaho back -18 yards.
• It would be the first of four redzone stops for the Seahawks on the day.
• After a Keiser punt, the Yotes drove into Keiser territory but a fumble recovered by Maddox Aprile halted the scoring threat with 4:58 on the clock.
• From there, the Seahawks got their first scoring drive of the day that ended in a 35-yard Nico Cavanillas field goal.
• The score capped off a seven-play, 29-yard drive that ate up 4:09.

Second Quarter
Keiser 20, College of Idaho 14

• The Yotes would begin the second quarter moving the ball, and got all the way down to the Keiser three yard line.
• Once again, the Keiser defense stood tall in the redzone, stuffing the Yotes on 4th and 1 as Darrell Livingston and Jaelin Willis stopped wide receiver Jon Schofield on the three-yard line with 12:46 left in the half.
• After the Seahawks were forced to punt, the Yotes drove to the redzone and got their first touchdown of the game on a seven yard passing score as Andy Peters connected with John Kreps (10:11).
• Down by three, the Seahawks responded with two big throws from Bryce Veasley to Maurico Porcha (20 yards) and Refeno Vangates (43 yards) that gave Keiser a first-and-goal from the Yotes’ five-yard line.
• KU converted the scoring opportunity two plays later with a five-yard rushing touchdown by Jaden Meizinger (7:34).
• On the ensuing possession, COI went on a scoring march, driving 75 yards in seven plays, capping the drive with a nine yard passing touchdown from Peters to Kreps (3:14).
• Down once again, the Seahawks were unfazed, and went on a three-play, 50-yard scoring march that set up Meizinger’s second touchdown of the day, this one from a yard out, giving Keiser a 17-14 lead.
• The Seahawks closed out the half with the ball as Cavanillas connected on a 32-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the half.

Third Quarter
Keiser 20, College of Idaho 14

• The Yotes began the second half with the ball, and methodically moved 74 yards down the field, all the way to the Keiser one yard line.
• At that point, the Seahawks made yet another critical fourth-down stop when Livingston and Hunter Hargrave stopped Schofield on the KU one-yard line, marking the team’s third redzone stop of the game.

Fourth Quarter
Keiser 28, College of Idaho 21

• At the start of the fourth, Keiser started fast with a 33-yard bomb from Veasley to Vangates that set Keiser up with a first down in Yotes territory.
• Andrew Burnette later ripped off a 23-yard run to give Keiser a first-and-goal at the COI five-yard line.
• Two plays later, Burnette launched himself over the offensive line to punch in a two-yard rushing score (11:38).
• Veasley and Burnette would link up on a passing play to convert the two point conversion, giving Keiser a 28-14 lead.
• The Yotes countered with an 11-play drive that ended with a one-yard passing score on a trick play from Schofield to Hruby (7:20 left in the game).
• COI got the ball back with 2:11 left to play, down by seven.
• The Yotes drove down to the KU three-yard line (second-and-goal).
• A tackle for loss by Willis made it third-and-goal from the KU four-yard line.
• After an incomplete pass made it fourth down, Louis Lubin III broke up a pass attempt in the endzone to seal the victory for the Seahawks.

Game Notes

• With the win, Keiser improves to 11-2 on the year.
• The 11 wins in a single season are the most in program history.
• The Seahawks remain perfect versus NAIA teams this season (11-0).
• The Seahawks also improve to 9-4 all-time in the NAIA Football Championship Series.
• The Seahawks are now 2-1 all-time in the NAIA Semifinals.
• With the victory, Keiser improves to 1-0 all-time versus the Yotes.
• With the win, the Seahawks return to the NAIA National Championship Game for the second straight year.
• The win moves the Seahawks to 54-15 all-time.
• The win also improves Keiser to 28-4 all-time in games at the Keiser Multi-Purpose Field.
• Keiser is now 18-7 all-time versus ranked teams.
• Keiser now improves to 3-1 all-time during the month of December.
• The Seahawks held the Yotes to just 76 yards rushing, marking the ninth time Keiser has held an opponent under 100 yards rushing this season.

Up Next

The Seahawks will face the Northwestern (Iowa) Raiders on Monday, December 18, in the NAIA National Championship Game. Kickoff from Durham County Memorial Stadium (Durham, N.C.) is set for Noon (ET).

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