DURHAM, N.C. - Second seeded Grand View (Iowa) claimed the 69th Annual NAIA Football National Championship with a 35-7 victory over No. 1 Keiser (Fla.) Saturday afternoon at Durham County Memorial Stadium, dominating the game from start to finish and claiming the program’s second national title 11 years to the date of its first.
This battle of undefeated teams began with a methodical drive from the Vikings, highlighted by a big fourth down pickup when Jackson Waring found Lance Clayburg in the flats who muscled his way for a gain of 19 to get into the red zone. Two plays later, Waring battled through multiple defenders to get inches from the goal line before a clutch punch out from KU defensive back CJ Gilmore knocked the ball free and Hunter Hargrave recovered on the one yard line.
In the shadows of their own goal line, Shea Spencer dropped a 31 yard dime to Refeno Vangates to get some breathing room, but Grand View battened down the hatches to force the punt.
The Vikings went back to work offensively on an eight-play, 63-yard drive capped off with a 14-yard dart from Waring to Aisea Toki on a post route into the back of the end zone to take a 7-0 lead 4:40 to play in the first. It was Toki’s seventh touchdown reception of the season and the 22nd touchdown pass for the NAIA Player of the Year.
Keiser's Andrew Burnette broke off a 28-yard run to break into Grand View territory and eventually set up a fourth down decision from AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year Myles Russ who called Burnette’s number again. The third team All-American running back picked it up easily with a seven yard carry up the gut. However, the Vikings stood tall again at the start of the second quarter as the Iowa-based side found their goal line stand and forced a turnover on downs on the five-yard-line.
Waring showed the dual-threat nature again, breaking off a 53-yard carry to hit 100 yards on the ground on just seven carries for the Grand View signal caller. On second and 19, Waring dropped it into the bucket of Toki again with a 22-yard seam route for their second six-point connection of the day to end a 95-yard drive and take a two-score lead just under 20 minutes into the game.
The Vikings forced a three-and-out on the Seahawks, but the Keiser defense answered the call, capitalizing on a couple of false starts to stall the drive out around midfield ahead of a brilliant punt from Kody Kruschwitz that was downed at the six.
Spencer escaped the deep danger again with a sideline fade for 30 yards to Elisha Edwards, but once again the Vikings forced a turnover-on-downs as Aaron Brown and Dane Johnson led the charge stopping the fourth-down quarterback sneak to take possession on the positive side of the field for the first time of the day at the two minute timeout.
Waring led a clinical drive with the short field and time winding down in the opening half before finding Triston Williams on the post route for a 19 yard touchdown strike. Justyn Hamm cashed in the extra point for the third time in as many tries with 1:05 to go. Waring closed the first half with 111 passing and 148 rushing yards, becoming the first player since Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Patrick Crayton (2003) to eclipse the century mark in both categories in the national title game.
With one minute left in the half and getting the ball back to start the second half, Keiser took advantage of the essential double possession as Spencer threw a beautiful pass with a stunning grab by Maurico Porcha to gain 35 before linking up with the third year wideout on a 26 yard strike across the middle for his eighth receiving touchdown of the season to start climbing the mountain with a 21-7 score line at half.
The adjustments made by Grand View Head Coach Joe Woodley, who was the defensive coordinator last time the Vikings stood tall over the NAIA, were extremely effective and its evidence bloomed early. The Seahawks turned to Burnette to start the second half and the running back opened it with a bang with a 20-yard rush, but the drive stalled out before the defense responded with holding the Vikings to just 30 yards on eight plays. A 55 yard punt from Kody Kruschwitz was downed at the two to again put Keiser in poor field position.
Following another KU three-and-out, Grand View started its second drive in Seahawk territory and called four straight run plays before Waring scrambled and linked up with Corey Phillips in the corner of the end zone for his fourth passing touchdown of the afternoon and Phillips’ fourth receiving score of the year, on a 20 yard completion.
Keiser gutsily went for it on fourth-and-one from their own 19 yard line and went to Burnette again with a 13 yard carry to pick up a fresh set of downs before Spencer scampered for 11 yards himself to get into GVU territory. Spencer scrambled to convert another fourth down just across midfield. Three plays later, the Seahawks were faced with another fourth down and a massive pass break up from Prince Brown forced the third turnover on downs of the day for Keiser. It was Brown’s ninth pass breakup of the season.
The Seahawk defense answered the call with a three-and-out of their own to get the ball back into their offense’s hands but a couple of deep heaves narrowly misconnected, setting the Seahawks up with their sixth fourth down conversion attempt of the day. A check down pass to Jaden Meizinger moved the chains. On second-and-four from the 18, Kellen Moore stayed disciplined in the play action and picked off Spencer in the end zone before returning it 20 yards.
With time and the score on their side, Grand View relied again on the run game and let Dalten Van Pelt feast, giving the running back seven carries in which he picked up 54 yards capped off with an 11 yard rush to the pylon to put a bow on the national title. The run put him over 100 yards rushing, marking the first time in NAIA history that a team has had two centurion rushers in the championship game.
Spencer put together a nice drive to try to get a consolation touchdown, but the Grand View defense stood tall once more to hold Keiser scoreless in a half for the first time since Oct. 7, 2023.
Following the game, Waring was named the Offensive Player and Jackson Filer the Defensive Player of the Game. Waring ended the game with 203 yards rushing, 132 yards passing and four touchdowns. Filer concluded with eight tackles with four solos and a hurry on a defense that held Keiser to just one third down conversion on 13 attempts and allowed zero points on three Seahawk trips to the red zone.
For Grand View, Van Pelt ended the game with 107 yards rushing and a score. John Argo had nine tackles with six solos and a pass breakup.
On Keiser's side, Shea Spencer had 277 yards on 22 completions and a touchdown. Porscha led all pass catchers with 102 yards receiving and Brunette finished with 85 yards on the ground. Evan Jackson led all defenders in the game with 13 tackles with 12 solo; Tristan Vann added eight tackles with seven solos.
The game snapped a 23-game win streak for last season’s champion Keiser. The result also avenged a 2022 semifinal matchup for Vikings in which Keiser went to Iowa and picked up the road win 38-21.
Grand View is now 52-3 dating back to the beginning of the 2021 season. Grand View adds the 2024 Red Banner to the 2013 title in which the Vikings defeated Cumberlands (Ky.) 35-23.
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