Grand View Claims Second Straight National Title With 22-16 Win Over Keiser
The Grand View University Vikings (Des Moines) won their second straight NAIA (FCS) National Championship on Saturday with a 22-16 victory over the Keiser University Seahawks (West Palm Beach). The Vikings finished their season an undefeated 14-0 for the second straight year. The loss dropped Keiser to 12-1. Grand View defeated the Seahawks in last year’s championship game 35-7.
A Slow First Half
Both teams struggled early before Keiser finally took the lead on a 27-yard field goal by Dorian Hall, who had his previous attempt from 36 yards blocked. Grand View answered on the ensuing 10-play drive on a 45-yard Cory Wood field goal early in the second quarter. Wood added a 41-yard field goal with three minutes left in the half to make it 6-3.
The Vikings finally broke the touchdown drought just before halftime. On a third and three at their own 20-yard line, Grand View running back Dalten Van Pelt broke loose for an 80-yard touchdown run, giving the Vikings a 13-3 halftime lead.
Keiser Mounts a Comeback
The Seahawks got their second half off to a good start, returning the kickoff to their 44-yard line. From there, quarterback Shea Spencer led the team down the field on a 9-play 56-yard drive. Spencer capped it off with a seven-yard touchdown strike to Maurico Porcha on a fourth-and-two play to narrow the GVU lead to three points.
After forcing a Grand View punt, Spencer went to work again. On the first play of the drive, he hit Porcha for a big 46-yard gain. Unfortunately, the drive stalled at the Vikings’ 19-yard line, and Keiser had to settle for a Hall 36-yard field goal to knot the game up at 13 apiece.
An Exciting Finish
The game would stay tied until the 10-minute mark in the fourth quarter. Vikings quarterback Jackson Waring, a two-time NAIA Player of the Year, connected with Corey Phillips on a 40-yard touchdown pass to pull Grand View back in front. Unfortunately, Wood missed the extra point, leaving the score at 19-13.
Wood made up for his miss at the 2:05 mark, connecting on his third field goal of the day, this time from 32 yards out. Keiser did not give up, though. Hall hit a 37-yard field goal with one second left on the clock, and then converted on an onside kick. Since the Seahawks just fell on the ball, the last second did not run off the clock, giving them one more play. Spencer launched the ball downfield, but Viking defensive back Triston Williams knocked down the pass to seal the victory.
By the Numbers
GVU’s Waring did not have his best game, completing just 9-of-21 passes for 144 yards and one touchdown. Van Pelt led the ground attack with 144 yards and one touchdown on 19 rushes. Bryant Williams led Viking receivers with 51 yards on two catches, including a 41-yarder. Kellen Moore led the defense with eight total tackles, and Casey Trudo added five tackles and the team’s only sack.
Spencer had a big game for the Seahawks, completing 28-of-50 passes for 290 yards and one touchdown. He also added a 25-yard run. GVU held running back Jaden Miller to just 21 yards on nine carries. Porcha and Dallas Desouza both had nine catches for Keiser. Porcha finished with 114 yards and one touchdown, and Desouza tallied 102 yards. Eli Bertrand and Malik Razz had seven tackles apiece to lead the Seahawks’ defense, and Kedrick Burley added six tackles and 1.5 sacks.
