Keiser defeats Northwestern Iowa to win first national football championship
Keiser University started playing football in 2018. On Monday, in their sixth season, the Seahawks were crowned national champions.
Running back Jaden Meizinger rushed for a career-high 261 yards to help lead Keiser to a 31-21 victory over Northwestern (Iowa) in the NAIA national championship game in Durham, N.C.
When the school hired former Oxbridge Academy football coach Doug Socha as its first head football coach, it was clear the expectations were to compete at the highest level. A year ago, Keiser fell to Northwestern in the championship game, 35-25. Monday, the third-seeded Seahawks (12-2) were not to be denied, handing the top-seeded Red Raiders (14-1) their first loss of the season. Keiser's two losses were to Division II programs early in the season as it started 1-2 before reeling off 11 straight wins.
"These kids have done such a great job," Socha said. "We've been in this situation before. They don't flinch. Our players just stayed calm and found a way."
Keiser jumped out to a 17-0 lead and was up 24-7 heading into the fourth quarter. But the Seahawks had to hold off a Red Raiders' rally, in part via Louis Lubin III's 77-yard kickoff return at the 7:06 mark of the final quarter. Lubin also intercepted Jalyn Gramstad in the end zone with 5:02 left, giving the Seahawks the chance to run out the clock.
"We worked so hard and we got what we desired," said Meizinger, who scored on a 75-yard run on the Seahawks' first play from scrimmage and was named the offensive player of the game. "We're resilient. We're a bunch of underdogs who get it done."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Keiser Seahawks defeat Northwestern Red Raiders for NAIA football title
