Keiser University Athletics

Score: Southeastern Fire 41, No. 15 Keiser Seahawks 35
Records: Keiser (6-3, 4-2 SUN), Southeastern (7-2, 4-2 SUN)
Location: Victory Field – Lakeland, Fla.
Time of Game: 3:00
Weather: 82 degrees, Partly Cloudy, Wind: 6 mph

Keiser football erased a 27-point halftime deficit and had the ball with a chance to tie in the closing minutes, but Southeastern ran out the clock for a 41-35 win Saturday afternoon at Victory Field.
 
The Seahawks (6-3, 4-2 Sun Conference) trailed 27-7 at the break, then outscored the Fire (7-2, 4-2 Sun) 28-14 in the second half behind four touchdown passes from JT Tabora and a monster day from Dallas Desouza.
 
Southeastern controlled the first half. Zach Pleuss threw touchdown passes of two yards to David Wacenske and three yards to Julian Arthurs, and Connor McCazzio broke free for an 83-yard touchdown run. Jermaine Tyler Jr. then returned an interception 42 yards for a score to make it 27-0 with 10:13 left in the second quarter.
 
Keiser answered with an 11-play, 56-yard drive that Tabora capped with a two-yard touchdown pass to Julian Garcia. The Seahawks added a defensive stop late in the half, but a fourth-down attempt at the Southeastern six-yard line fell incomplete with 23 seconds left.
 
Kymani Edwin's interception to open the third quarter set up Keiser's second touchdown, a four-yard run by Raphael Ekechi. Desouza's 42-yard run on the drive set it up. McCazzio answered with a 34-yard touchdown run, but Desouza hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 34-21.
 
McCazzio's four-yard score made it 41-21 early in the fourth, and Desouza pulled Keiser back into the game with touchdown catches of 21 and 24 yards. The second came with 2:05 remaining and made it 41-35. Southeastern then used the final 1:57 to run out the clock, despite Keiser using all three of its timeouts.
 
Desouza finished with nine catches for 94 yards and three touchdowns, plus 78 rushing yards on three carries, for 172 all-purpose yards. Tabora completed 25 of 41 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns. Xavier Tucker had three catches for 68 yards, including a 44-yarder, and Garcia caught four passes for 27 yards and a score. Israel Marion had 130 kickoff return yards, including a 49-yarder, and added 31 yards on two punt returns.
 
Joshua McDowell led the defense with 13 tackles, including three tackles for loss. Jesse Wilkins III added 10 tackles, and Eunique Valentine had seven tackles and a tackle for loss, plus a fumble recovery on a Jayden Bernard forced fumble. Edwin also had an interception.
 
McCazzio rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries for Southeastern. Pleuss threw for 205 yards and two scores, and Tre McClellan had eight catches for 108 yards. The Fire held a 459-372 edge in total yards and a 33:37 to 26:23 advantage in time of possession.
 
The Seahawks will host the Warner Royals in the regular-season finale on Saturday, Nov. 14. Game time is set for 6:00 PM.

 

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