WEST PALM BEACH – They wasted no time in this one.
No. 2 overall seed Keiser utilized a balanced offense and cohesive defense to blow out No. 15 overall seed Southeastern in a 44-16 home playoff win on Saturday (Nov. 29).
With the victory, Keiser (11-0) advanced from the NAIA second round this week to the NAIA national quarterfinal round next week and ended Southeastern’s season in the process.
This game felt like it was effectively over in the second quarter.
Here is how Keiser got it done for its second-year head coach Myles Russ, who was out due to a medical emergency.
Quarterback Shea Spencer put on a master class at his position, as he went on to complete 27 of his 33 passes (81.8 percent completion rate) for 307 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Three of Spencer’s touchdown passes came in the first half, two of which went to wide receiver Elisha “Smiley” Edwards (7 catches, 91 yards; 19-yard touchdown catch with 6:26 left in the first quarter; 16-yard touchdown catch with 13 seconds left in the second quarter).
The other first-half touchdown pass by Spencer was likely the game’s best play, a perfectly thrown 6-yard touchdown pass with 14:18 left in the second to tight end Ben Hayes, who made a one-handed grab en route to the end zone.
Meanwhile, Keiser’s secondary caught two interceptions in the first half. One of them came from defensive back Chandler Perceval, who grabbed it with 1:42 left in the second quarter.
There was a stretch in which Keiser did allow nine points to Southeastern, which cut the lead to 20-9 with 6:45 left in the second quarter. This was made possible by a blocked extra point and subsequent 98-yard PAT return by Ian Jolly and a 2-yard touchdown run by Curtis Kimmons (15 carries, 111 rushing yards).
Keiser went into halftime with a 27-9 lead over Southeastern (9-3 final record).
The second half resulted in more action from the offense and a special teams score by the home team.
Keiser (480 total offensive yards and 27 first downs) got a very good rushing performance from running back Jaden Miller, who finished the game with 14 carries for 114 yards and two touchdowns. His second rushing score came at the 1:40 mark of the third quarter, a 12-yarder to the house that extended the lead to 41-9.
The last score from Keiser was a 31-yard field goal by kicker Dorian Hall (1-for-1 in field goals; 5-for-6 in extra points) with 5:55 left in the fourth quarter.
The final score came from Southeastern, which got his second touchdown from quarterback Zachary Pleuss on a 1-yarder with 1:00 left.
Southeastern had 259 total yards and 14 first downs in its final game of the season.
After the final buzzer sounded, Spencer was selected as the Offensive Player of the Game and linebacker Josh Pastrana (3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 quarterback hurry) was selected as the Defensive Player of the Game.
We got commentary from both Spencer and Pastrana in a postgame press conference. You can hear their words right below.
We also heard from Keiser defensive coordinator Peter Davila, who stepped up for Russ to be this game’s interim head coach.
Finally, Edwards chimed in with commentary on this game and more.
NOTE: Keiser’s next game will be at home again on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. in the NAIA quarterfinals against No. 6 overall seed Marian (Ind.) (11-1).
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