DES MOINES, Iowa – A match-up between two high-powered offenses turned into a defensive slug-fest, as Grand View University kept the College of Idaho out of the end zone in a 14-6 victory in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Football Championship Series at Williams Stadium.
The Vikings (13-0) took advantage of a pair of short field opportunities in the second quarter to score the lone touchdowns of the day – while the defense turned C of I away on two red zone chances – including stopping the Coyotes on a 4th-and-1 chance on the GVU 13-yard-line with three minutes left in the game.
C of I (11-1) took a 3-0 lead on their first possession, as a 15-yard run from
Darius-James Peterson set up a 41-yard
Kyle Mitchell field goal – one of two long-distance kicks by the senior.
GVU answered early in the second quarter – as a short C of I punt gave the Vikings possession at the Coyote 39-yard-line. Ben Ferkin found Jacob Lietz on a 34-yard reception and followed with an 5-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Turner for a score.
A Brenden Flowers interception on the Yotes next offensive possession gave GVU a short field – marching 44-yards on eight plays. A personal foul call on C of I extended the drive, with Jerry Lowe blasting into the end zone from 1-yard out for the score.
The defenses did the rest – as C of I limited GVU to just 76 total yards in the second half – but the Vikings did more. Flowers intercepted Peterson on a Vikings 5-yard-line to end a late second quarter drive, while back-to-back sacks in the third quarter pushed C of I out of the red zone, with the Yotes forced to settle for a 45-yard Mitchell field goal.
C of I had a 66-yard third quarter touchdown run by Peterson erased by a blind-side block – the longest play of the day for either team – while Ben Slavins stopped
Nick Calzaretta on 4th-and-1 chance in the final minutes to stop the visitors final chance.
Peterson went 12-of-21 for 141 yards through the air and added 76 rushing yards, but was sacked three times and threw two interceptions.
Justin Hellyer rushed for 60 yards and Calzaretta added 43 more – with the 179 yards the most GVU has allowed in a game this season.
Ferkin, making his first start since Week 3, went 6-for-16 for 89 yards, with Jensen Gates leading the Vikings with 69 rushing yards.
The loss ends C of I's school record 17-game win streak – ended an 8-game road win streak and an 8-game win streak against Top-25 teams. It marked the conclusion of the careers of 24 Coyote senior student-athletes.
NOTES: C of I was held out of the end zone for the first time since a 1975 loss at Pacific Lutheran…Mitchell finished the season with a school-record 15 field goals and 100 total points...Peterson established a new single-season record with 2,423 passing yards and finished his career with 3,413 rushing yards, 6,906 passing yards and 10,319 yards of total offense – all school records…Calzaretta finished the season with 1,232 rushing yards – No. 2 all-time behind the 1,262 from Ted Martin in 1953.
