WEST PALM BEACH — The Keiser University Seahawks are headed back to the NAIA championship game.
Just barely.
Keiser running back Andrew Burnette dives for a 2-yard touchdown against College of Idaho in the fourth quarter Saturday in an NAIA semifinal game in West Palm Beach. Chet Peterman / Special to The Post
Cornerback Louis Lubin broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone with 26.4 seconds to play Saturday, allowing the Seahawks to escape with a 28-21 semifinal victory over the College of Idaho and setting up a rematch in the NAIA final.
Third-seeded Keiser (11-2) will face top-seeded Northwestern College of Iowa (14-0) on Dec. 18 in Durham, N.C. The Raiders beat the Seahawks 35-25 in last year’s championship game.
“Super proud of these guys,” Keiser coach Doug Socha said. “It was a back-and-forth game. … We contained a really dangerous quarterback.”
The Seahawks appeared to have the game in hand when they took a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. But the 11th-seeded Yotes (10-3), who upset second-seeded Grand View of Iowa in the quarterfinals, cut the deficit to one score and then mounted a potential game-tying drive that died at the Seahawks’ 4-yard line.
Keiser wide receiver Refeno Vangates pulls away from two College of Idaho defenders after a second-half reception Saturday in West Palm Beach. Chet Peterman / Special to The Post
“I was planning for overtime — obviously you have to because you’re in that situation,” Socha said. “It was an incredible performance by our defense and I’m super happy we didn’t have to go to overtime.”
Running backs Jaden Meizinger and Andrew Burnette combined for 170 yards and three touchdowns for the Seahawks, and Nico Cavanillas kicked two field goals. Meizinger, who carried 20 times for 86 yards and two scores, was the offensive player of the game.
But it was the defense…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/naia-college-football-keiser-edges-222831515.html
Author : Palm Beach Daily News
Publish date : 2023-12-09 22:28:31
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