Tigerville – North Greenville rallied late on Thursday night but the defending national champions (NAIA) Keiser escaped Younts Stadium with a 23 – 20 win in the 2024 season opener in front of 2,024 fans.
The Trailblazers and Seahawks battled to a 14 – 10 halftime score, Keiser holding the slight edge over NGU.
Naahziekial Mays and
Reeves Dacus accounted for NGU's 10 – points. Mayes scored on an 11 – yard rush, his first career scored, while Dacus connected from 31 = yards for his first career field goal.
North Greenville's defensive forced a pair of Keiser punts in the second quarter while a turnover and a punt by NGU marked a scoreless second quarter.
Neither team was able to find the endzone in the third quarter with each tacking on a field goal. The Trailblazers threatened late in the quarter to take their first lead of the game but a promising drive ended with a fumble on the Keiser 25 – yard line. The fumble resulted in three points for the Seahawks, making it 17 – 13 in favor of the visitors heading to the fourth.
NGU's defense forced another Keiser field goal early in the fourth period resulting in a 20 – 13 lead for the Seahawks. The Trailblazers responded with their second touchdown drive of the night. It was a 17 – play march from 75 – yards out that was capped off by a
Dylan Ramirez rushing touchdown to even the tally at 20 after the Davus extra point. The game tying drive took up eight minutes of the final quarter.
NGU's defense answered the bell once again, forcing a Keiser punt on its last drive of the night in regulation. The change in possession gave NGU the ball at its own 13 yard line with just over two minutes left.
The final drive for North Greenville stalled at the Keiser 34. The Trailblazers attempted a game winning field goal from 52 – yards but the kick sailed wide sending the game to overtime where the Seahawks would earn the win with a 21 – yard field goal after NGU missed its field goal attempt to open the extra period.
North Greenville outgained Keiser 410 to 312 in total yardage and was 12 – 16 on third downs. Defensively the Trailblazers held Keiser to just four third downs on 12 total attempts. NGU rushed for 166 – total yards while throwing for 244 – yards. Keiser rushed for 169 total yards and threw for 143 through the air.
Dylan Ramirez ran for 74 – yards and a touchdown and threw for 244 – yards to lead NGU in both categories. Mays added a touchdown on the ground. Amari Coacs led all receivers with 106 – yards on 13 – catches.
Sam Washam had 78 – yards on 7 catches.
De'Iveon Donald led both teams with 11 – tackles.
Dakoda Willard finished with nine tackles.
Jerrick Foster led NGU with a pair of pass breakups.
Next Up
North Greenville heads to Charleston to take on The Citadel at 12 PM.
