Box Score DES MOINES, IOWA – The second-seeded Grand View University Vikings hosted 16-seed Friends University on Saturday afternoon at Mediacom Stadium for the Second Round of the NAIA FCS playoffs. After a tightly contested first half, Grand View turned up the heat in the second half, showcasing an explosive passing game and crucial defensive stops. With key plays on both sides of the ball, the Vikings secured a hard-fought victory, 21-17, advancing to the next round of the playoffs.
The Grand View Vikings faced a tough challenge in the NAIA FCS Second Round, rallying from a halftime deficit to defeat Friends University, 21-17. The Falcons dominated early with their methodical triple-option offense, controlling possession with long, sustained drives that kept the Vikings' offense on the sidelines. Turnovers and missed opportunities stalled Grand View's early drives, but the defense came up big with crucial stops, keeping the game close and within reach at halftime.
Down 17-14 midway through the third quarter, the Vikings finally found their rhythm. A pivotal 7-play, 68-yard drive ended with quarterback
Jackson Waring connecting early with
Zane Johnson for a shallow end zone touchdown early in the third quarter, swinging momentum back to Grand View. Waring, who had both a strong arm and legs all game, also connected with
Jordan Kumm for a critical 40-yard pass that set up the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter by
Jackson Waring with the a 2-yard goal line push to advance the Vikings lead to 21-17 with the the remainder of the fourth quarter in sight.
From there, the Vikings' defense took over, shutting down Friends' late attempts to reclaim the lead.
John Argo,
Cade Sheedy, and
Skylar James were all over the field, forcing crucial punts and limiting the Falcons to just two yards on their final drive. Running back
Tim Nimely came through with key runs to help manage the clock and keep the Falcons at bay.
Even with a missed field goal late in the game adding some drama, Grand View held firm to secure a 21-17 win. The victory kept their undefeated season alive and showed the Vikings' resilience, earning them a spot in the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals under Head Coach
Joe Woodley.
The Vikings finished the game with 333 total yards, including 263 yards passing. Waring completed 17 of 27 passes for two touchdowns, with the highlight being the critical 40-yard completion to Kumm. The ground game struggled, with just 70 yards on 28 carries, and Waring's 2-yard rushing touchdown was the lone bright spot. Despite the challenges, it was the Vikings' passing attack that proved key in the second half, propelling them to victory.
GAME NOTES
- John Argo led the defense with 16 tackles, including a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss, earning him recent Defensive Player of the Year honors.
- Grand View's passing game was pivotal, totaling 263 yards and two touchdowns.
- Although the ground game struggled, the Vikings still managed 70 rushing yards, with Waring accounting for the only rushing touchdown.
- Key receiving targets, Jordan Kumm and Tate Stine-Smith, combined for 138 yards and a touchdown.
- The defense stepped up in the second half, holding Friends to just 115 rushing yards and making key stops.
- Kody Kruschwitz had a solid performance, averaging 33.7 yards on three punts.
- Cade Sheedy posted 12 tackles, with a sack for an 11-yard loss.
- Skylar James was active with 9 tackles, including one for a loss.
- Daviere Jones contributed 7 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and an interception.
- Jackson Filer made his presence known with 6 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Casey Trudo and Dane Johnson each made critical tackles, with Trudo adding 4 assists.
- Daviere Jones added 7 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and an interception.
- Jackson Filer made an impact with 6 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Casey Trudo and Dane Johnson each contributed crucial tackles, with Trudo adding 4 assists.
SECOND ROUND TWEETS
2024 NAIA CHAMPION OF CHARACTER
Kody Kruschwitz
2024 NAIA FCS - SECOND-ROUND DPOTG
John Argo
2024 NAIA FCS - SECOND-ROUND OFFENSIVE POTG
Jackson Waring
UP NEXT
Grand View will host Northwestern for the first time since the 2020/2021 pre-COVID season. The only previous meeting between the Vikings and Northwestern took place in 2020, when the FCS playoffs featured a 16-team field before the introduction of play-in games.
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