NAIA Football Championship Series First & Second Round Recap
The Heart of America Athletic Conference turned in an impressive showing through the first two rounds of the 2025 NAIA Football Championship Series, highlighted by William Penn’s historic postseason victory, a dominant Grand View performance in the Second Round, and a resilient comeback from Benedictine. Two Heart programs—#1 Grand View and #5 Benedictine advance to this weekend’s Quarterfinals.
FIRST ROUND RECAP (Nov. 22)
#13 William Penn 38, #20 Texas Wesleyan 9
William Penn earned the program's first postseason win with a 38–9 victory over Texas Wesleyan.
The Statesmen controlled the game defensively, recording four interceptions, a pick-six, and holding the Rams to 190 total yards.
Offensively, running back Destynd Loring powered the Statesmen with 192 rushing yards and four touchdowns, becoming the program's all-time leading rusher (3,939 yards). William Penn advanced to the Second Round for the first time in school history.
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SECOND ROUND RECAP (Nov. 29)
#1 Grand View 62, #16 Saint Francis 20
Top-seeded Grand View remained undefeated with a dominant showing in snowy conditions, rolling to a 62–20 win over Saint Francis.
Quarterback Jackson Waring threw for 247 yards and five touchdowns, while Bryant Williams added 119 rushing yards, including a 59-yard score. The Vikings forced multiple key turnovers and totaled 449 yards of offense despite blizzard conditions. Grand View improved to 11-0 and advanced to the Quarterfinals for the 10th time in 12 seasons.
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#5 Benedictine 21, #12 Campbellsville 17
Benedictine erased a 17–7 halftime deficit to defeat Campbellsville and move on to the Quarterfinals. A blocked punt recovered for a touchdown by Ben Gilliland shifted momentum in the third quarter, and Dalton Witherspoon's 17-yard rushing score with 6:41 remaining gave the Ravens their first lead since the opening period.
Defensively, Isaac Lopez sealed the victory with a late interception, completing a strong performance that included seven tackles and a sack. Benedictine held Campbellsville scoreless in the second half to secure the win.
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#4 Friends 53, #13 William Penn 36
William Penn's historic season came to an end with a Second-Round loss to undefeated Friends.
The Statesmen produced 378 yards of offense and continued their record-setting year—finishing with program records for wins (11), points in a season (515), and touchdowns (70).
Loring closed his career with 175 rushing yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Sterling Ramsey II threw for 205 yards and four scores, setting the program's single-season completion percentage record (56.7%). Receiver Amir Everett added 72 yards and two touchdowns, securing William Penn's single-season receiving yardage record (1,095).
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UP NEXT — QUARTERFINALS (Dec. 6)
Two Heart teams remain in contention for a spot in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinals:
#1 Grand View vs. #7 Lindsey Wilson — Noon CT
#4 Friends vs. #5 Benedictine — 1 p.m. CT
Stream all Quarterfinal games live on the Urban Edge Network. The 2025 NAIA Football Championship Series will conclude on Saturday, Dec. 20 with the Championship game held at Crowley ISD Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.