Score: No. 1 Keiser Seahawks 23, North Greenville Trailblazers 20
Records: Keiser (1-0, 0-0 SUN), North Greenville (0-1, 0-0 GSC)
Location: Younts Stadium (4,500) - Tigerville, S.C. 
Time of Game: 3:08
Weather: Clear, Sunny, 77 degrees

The No. 1-ranked Keiser Seahawks opened the 2024 season with a 23-20 overtime win at North Greenville on Thursday night. Kicker Nico Cavanillas kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime to give the Seahawks their first win over an NCAA Division II team.
 
It also marked the first win for head coach Myles Russ, who took over the program this past January.
 
The Seahawks finished the night producing 169 yards on the ground, including 84 by Jaden Meizinger, who scored a rushing touchdown. The senior running back also caught a TD pass from Shea Spencer, who finished the night with 137 yards on 17-of-25 passes. Spencer completed at least one past to 10 different receivers in the game.
 
Defensively, the Seahawks were led by Kensly Johnson, who had 10 total tackles to go along with two pass breakups. Keiser registered 5.0 tackles for loss, including 2.0 sacks.

Cavanillas hit field goals of 32, 31, and 21 yards.

 

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Keiser 7, North Greenville 7

• The Seahawks scored their first points of the 2024 season with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Shea Spencer to Jaden Meizinger
• The made extra point by Nico Cavanillas gave Keiser a 7-0 lead with 9:15 on the game clock
• NGU tied the game with an 11-yard TD run
• The made extra point tied the game with 13 seconds left in the first

Keiser 14, North Greenville 10

• Meizinger scored the 47th rushing touchdown of his career, producing a one-yard score with 10:20 left in the half
• Cavanillas hit his second extra point of the half to give Keiser the 14-7 lead
• The Seahawks defense held the Trailblazers to just three points in the quarter as Reeves Dacus hit a 31-yard field goal as time expired

Keiser 17, North Greenville 13

• The Trailblazers opened the half with a nine-play, 56-yard drive that ate up 3:11, resulting in a 34-yard field goal (14-13 with 11:43 on the game clock)
• Keiser responded with the team's first field goal of the season
• Cavanillas hit a 32-yarder to extend the Seahawk lead to 17-13 (6:29)
• A big fumble recovery by Hunter Hargrave stopped a Trailblazer drive, giving the ball back to the Seahawks with 3:44 left in the third

Keiser 20, North Greenville 20

• The Seahawks took advantage of the Trailblazer turnover, resulting in a 31-yard field goal by Cavanillas, pushing the Seahawk lead to 20-13 (13:32)
• North Greenville used a 17-play, 75-yard drive that took 8:03 off the game clock to tie the game following a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Dylan Ramirez
• The Trailblazers attempted a 51-yard field goal as time expired however the kick was no good, sending the game to overtime

Keiser 23, North Greenville 20

• After winning the coin toss to start overtime, the Seahawks chose to start on defense
• The Trailblazers failed to get a first down and were forced to attempt a field goal after a Kensly Johnson pass breakup forced fourth down
• NGU's Dacus missed a 31-yard attempt giving the Seahawks a chance to win the game.
• Starting on the 25, KU drove down to the North Greenville four-yard line
• Cavanillas hit his third field goal of the game, drilling a 21-yarder for the victory.

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• Tonight's game marked the debut of Myles Russ as Keiser's head football coach
• Tonight's captains – Jude Guerrier, Hunter Hargrave, Jaden Meizinger, Tivon Sutton
• The coin toss was won by North Greenville and the Trailblazers deferred till the second half.
• Tonight's game marked the first contest for the Seahawks in the State of South Carolina
• Weather at kickoff – Clear, Sunny, 77 degrees
• The win marked the first for Head Coach Myles Russ
• It marked just the second time in program history Keiser has played in an overtime game
• The Seahawks are now 2-0 all-time in overtime contests
• The first overtime game took place in the program's first game (August 23, 2018) as Keiser defeated Pikeville, 24-17 (OT)
• The win marked the first for the program over an NCAA Division II team (1-4)
• Thursday marked the first meeting all-time between the two teams
• With the win, Keiser is now 6-1 all-time in season openers
• With the victory, Keiser is now 23-12 all-time in non-conference games
• With the win, Keiser is now 12-7 all-time in the month of September
• A Shea Spencer to Jaden Meizinger nine-yard pass for a touchdown was the Seahawks first score of the 2024 season
• Meizinger posted his first rushing touchdown with a 1-yard scamper with 10:20 left in the first half
• Nico Cavanillas tied his career-best total with three made field goals on Thursday
• Kensly Johnson recorded a career-high 10 total tackles to go along with two pass breakups
• Hunter Hargrave notched nine tackles and recovered a key fumble while led to a Keiser field goal

 

The Seahawks will travel Newberry, South Carolina, on Saturday, September 14, to take on the Newberry Wolves. Game time from Setzler Field is set for 7:00 PM.
 

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