Full recaps of the first-round action in the top half of the NAIA bracket after the jump. For team capsules, see the first round precap. Because the NAIA redoes things after every round, the previews for the second round will be in their own post following the recaps; trust me, it’s just easier that way.



1 Marian 31, 18 Grand View 0
at Saint Vincent Health Field, Indianapolis IN; attendance 3115

Playing without starting QB Greg Charles and starting RB Darryl Ford, Grand View had no chance; outgained 399-41, they couldn’t even get on the board.

Marian got on the board on their first drive with a 50-yard Mike Josifovski field goal set up by a Jerimy Finch interception of a Dorian Ballentine pass. Grand View went three-and-out following the field goal, and a short Marian drive resulted in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Adam Wiese to Oluwatosin Ikudabo. The teams traded punts through the rest of the quarter, with Marian holding the ball 3rd and 14 at the Viking 33 and a 10-0 lead.

That lead grew on the first play of the second quarter, when Wiese hit Ikudabo for another score. Later, with 2:17 to go in the half, Wiese found Nathan Jones for a seven-yard strike to put Marian up 24-0. A three-and-out gave Marian another shot, but Wiese was intercepted by Myles Easter at the goal line with 8 seconds to go.

Nothing much happened until late in the third, when Tevin Lake ran 19 yards for the final score of the game. The Knights almost scored again with under two minutes to go, but Brad Naffziger was stopped on 4th and goal at the 1. Ballentine was intercepted by Matt Leighty on the next play trying to go deep, and that was that.

Wiese was 11-17 for 137 yards and 3 scores, with one pick. Tevin Lake had 119 yards on 22 carries, with a score, and Nick Bradford added 102 yards on 9 rushes. Ikudabo only had two catches, both scores. The Vikings were held to 20 yards passing and 21 rushing on the day.

My pregame prediction: Marian 38, Grand View 7.


8 Azusa Pacific 49, 10 Ottawa 26
at Cougar Stadium, Azusa CA; attendance 1787

The Cougars rolled up almost 600 yards in offense and basically outran Ottawa to advance to the quarterfinals, helped by two costly turnovers on Ottawa’s first two possessions.

A 44-yard return of the opening kickoff set Azusa up nicely to start the game, and it only took four plays before John van den Raadt rolled in from the five on a keeper. Three plays into the ensuing drive, Bobby Adamson was picked off by Shea Struiksma at midfield; this time, it only took three plays. Terrel Watson ran in from the 6 to put the Cougars up by 14. A Tommy Lewis fumble was recovered by Jake Jones at the Ottawa 30 on the next drive, and after a pass interference call moved the ball to the 15, Watson scored again on the next play. Finally, something went Ottawa’s way; Clarence Anderson busted off an 86-yard kickoff return for a score, his third of the season. The PAT missed wide right, making it 21-6.

Late in the second quarter, Adamson hit Shane Gimzo for a 25-yard TD. Azusa responded, driving 70 yards for a score with van den Raadt hitting Jeremiah Andujo from the eight; the half ended with the Cougars up 28-13.

Ottawa took the second-half kickoff and drove for a quick score, Adamson hitting Anderson from 17, but then Azusa reeled off three touchdowns, with David Tripeletti touchdown runs of 47 and 4 followed by a 17-yard TD run by Watson. Adamson finally got into the end zone on a four yard keeper late in the fourth, but it was already over by then.

For Azusa, van den Raadt was 13-20 for 186 yards and a score; he also ran for 110 yards on 17 carries and another touchdown. Trifeletti, who hadn’t played in a month, came up huge with 157 yards on 12 carries and two TDs. Terrel Watson added 65 yards and three scores. Matt Davis led the Azusa receivers with five catches for 87 yards. For Ottawa, Adamson was 28-51 for 323 yards with two TDs and four interceptions. The Braves only gained 88 yards on the ground. Clarence Anderson gained 115 yards on 9 catches.

My pregame prediction: Azusa 42, Ottawa 24. Yeah, I’ll take that.


4 MidAmerica Nazarene 40, 14 Southern Nazarene 28
at Pioneer Stadium, Olathe KS; attendance unreported

Despite an injury to starting QB Sean Ransburg, the Pioneers made an early 13-point lead hold up.

After SNU took the opening kick and went three-and-out, James Tillman ran for 23 yards on MANU’s first play, then Ransburg scored on a keeper from 33 yards out on the next one. The PAT was no good. SNU went three-and-out again; Tillman fumbled at the SNU 43 two plays later. SNU drove into the red zone, and had 3rd and goal at the 3 before losing a yard then turning it over on downs after an incompletion. The Pioneers then drove 79 yards on 10 plays before Ransburg fumbled at the SNU 17. SNU took over; Brady Wardlaw was sacked, and then from the five yard line was picked off by Jared Moyston. Tillman ran in from 11 yards out on the next play to give the Pioneers a 13-0 lead.

The teams traded punts, and early in the second quarter SNU scored on a 39 yard pass from Wardlaw to Jarod Martin. Ransburg was injured on the ensuing possession, requiring Tyler Herl to enter the game; the Pioneer offense went three-and-out on their next three possessions working out the kinks. Later in the quarter SNU had the ball at their own 28 when Wardlaw was intercepted by Kyle Cobb, who returned the pick for a score. SNU then turned the ball over on downs at midfield, but the Pioneers could not capitalize as Cody Morrow missed a 25 yard field goal wide left with 10 seconds left in the half, leaving the score at 20-7 MidAmerica.

Herl scored on a 46-yard run on the third play of the second half. Later in the third, Wardlaw hit David Balenseifen from five yards out to bring SNU back within 13, and on their first full drive of the fourth connected with Martin on a 64-yard score to make it 27-21. The teams traded scores then, Herl tossing a 6-yard pass to Juan Redmon for a score, followed by a 10-yard hookup between Wardlaw and Terrence Smith; with 3:02 to go, the Pioneers led 34-28.

MANU drove quickly, Herl scoring from the one on a keeper, and when Dantre Anderson picked off Wardlaw at the Pioneer 18 with 1:47 to go, the Pioneers had survived.

Wardlaw was 24-47 for 295 yards with 4 TDs and 4 INTs, and 111 yards on 24 carries. Derick Perkins added 81 yards on 15 tries. Jarod Martin hauled in 6 catches for 151 yards and two scores. For the Pioneers, Ransburg was 3-3 for 47 yards along with 7 carries for 63 and a touchdown before having to leave the game, but Herl was effective in relief, going 7-15 for 122 and a score along with 93 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns rushing. James Tillman racked up 138 yards on 18 carries, with a TD.

My pregame prediction: MidAmerica Nazarene 40, Southern Nazarene 17. I got half of it exactly right, don’t judge. Seriously, a game effort by the Storm offense to exceed expectations there.


5 Saint Xavier 51, 13 Bethel (TN) 13
at Deaton Field, Chicago IL; attendance 3000

Saint Xavier jumped out to a 21-0 lead early and piled up 670 yards of offense while limiting Bethel to only 45 yards of rushing in a brutal rout.

The Cougars scored on a 4-yard Wes Gastel run on the opening drive, then surprised pretty much everyone with an onside kick, on the second play afterward, Jimmy Coy hit Shane Zachary from 52. Bethel went three-and-out, and another short drive ended with Nick Pesek running in from the 10, and with the first quarter not even halfway over Saint Xavier was up 21-0. Bethel responded on their next possession, Cordariou Mann scoring on a five-yard run, although the PAT was unsuccessful.

SXU’s next three possessions all ended in misadventure as Coy threw two interceptions and Pesek lost a fumble on his own 11, but only the latter did any damage; Mann ran in again from 3 yards out to close the gap to eight. Bethel would not score again, however, and before the half Coy would hit Zachary from 9 for a score, and Gastel would run in from 3, giving the Cougars a 35-13 halftime lead.

Tom Lynch would add a 55-yard field goal on the Cougars’ first possession of the second half, and late in the quarter Coy would again find Zackery, this time on a 63-yard score. A five-yard toss to Gastel midway through the fourth would close the books on the blowout.

Coy was 24-37 for 402 yards with 4 TDs and 2 INTs. Pesek racked up 231 yards on the ground on 25 carries, with a score, and added another 62 yards on three catches. Gastel had 7 yards on 4 carries with two scores, plus 64 yards on 5 catches and another score in the air. Zackery piled up 203 receiving yards on nine catches along with his three touchdowns. For Bethel, Wil Masoud was 15-28 for 172 yards with no scores and an interception. Mann had 70 yards on 22 carries and both Bethel scores.

My pregame prediction: Saint Xavier 47, Bethel 21. “It’s not even going to be close. Bethel will pass for about what they’re used to getting, but they’re going to get stoned on the ground. Meanwhile, Bethel isn’t built to defend the pass (or, really, the run), and Coy is going to unload.” Let’s see. No, it wasn’t close; yes, Bethel passed for what they’re about used to getting (indeed, Masoud was only 2.3 yards short of Bethel’s season average); yes, they got stoned on the ground; no, they didn’t defend the pass (or, really, the run); and yes, Coy unloaded.

See kids, this is so easy even a slob like me can do it.