WEST PALM BEACH – Deficits do not matter to the Keiser college football program.
In the second round of the NAIA playoffs, the nation’s No. 3 team found themselves down 21-7 to No. 15 St. Thomas for much of the first quarter and a small part of the second quarter.
At this point, some were thinking this could be a changing of the guard. But true to form, once the Seahawks (9-2) got going, they reminded everyone who runs the NAIA in South Florida.
And when we say run, we mean it – both literally and figuratively.
Keiser’s identity is the run game. Opponents know it, but cannot do anything to stop it – and that includes St. Thomas (9-4 final record).
At the 12:47 mark of the second quarter, Seahawks freshman kicker Nico Cavanillas connected on a 25-yard field to cut the Bobcats lead to 21-10.
And when Keiser’s defense quickly ended by way of an interception – it was caught by defensive back Louis Lubin III – it took just three plays and 14 yards for quarterback Bryce Veasley to reach the end zone.
The 6-foot-4, 221-pound graduate signal caller got his 2-yard touchdown run to help Keiser cut the St. Thomas lead to 21-17 with 10:41 left in the second quarter.
The Keiser deficit would go on to officially end at the the 5:52 mark of the second quarter, when Veasley connected with junior tight end D’Andre Golden for a 56-yard touchdown pass. After the score, Cavanillas connected on one of his six extra point attempts to give Keiser a 24-21 lead.
From that point on, Keiser would score the rest of this game’s points.
The exclamation moments came after Keiser went into halftime with a 24-21 lead. Here’s how it happened:
•14:02 left in the third quarter – Keiser senior running Jaden Meizinger (27 carries, 245 yards, two touchdowns; 260 total yards) scored on a blistering 51-yard run. An extra point by Cavanillas extended Keiser’s lead to 31-21 over St. Thomas.
•2:31 left in the third quarter – It took only one play for Keiser junior running back Andrew Burnette (16 carries, 136 yards, one touchdown) to hit paydirt and go off to the races for a 70-yard touchdown run. Cavanillas connected on another extra point to extend Keiser’s lead to 38-21.
•12:27 left in the fourth quarter – It took an eight-play, 75-yard drive for Veasley to get off an 8-yard touchdown pass to Golden. The final score of this game at 45-21 was made possible by a sixth extra point from Cavanillas.
St. Thomas and Keiser each had one possession left to close the game out.
Hear the post-game reactions from Keiser head coach Doug Socha, sophomore linebacker Tivon Sutton (team-high nine tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery), and Meizinger.
NEXT UP FOR KEISER: NAIA Quarterfinal Round at home – Saturday, Dec. 2 at 1 p.m.
PHOTO AND VIDEO CREDITS: Jack Bartlett
