Benedictine Ravens fly past Indiana Wesleyan, reach NAIA football national semifinals

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Ravens of Benedictine College are one football victory away from playing for an NAIA national championship.

The ninth-seeded Heart of America Athletic Conference squad from Atchison, Kansas on Saturday beat No. 3 seed Indiana Wesleyan 20-9 in the NAIA tournament quarterfinals at Marion, Ind.

The Ravens (11-2) raced to a 14-0 lead as junior running back Dalton Witherspoon and junior quarterback Jackson Dooley each rushed for short touchdowns. Senior placekicker Harry Balke drilled a 20-yard field goal in the second quarter and it was 17-0 at halftime.

Host Indiana Wesleyan (11-2) finally put points on the scoreboard in the final quarter via a goal-line plunge from freshman running back Ryan Whitwell. The PAT failed but the Wildcats tacked on a field goal with 6 minutes, 37 seconds remaining.

Of note for the Ravens defensively, Benedictine picked off Indiana Wesleyan QB Kyle Antoine three times. But neither QB had much success through the air in this one: Dooley finished 18 of 33 for 193 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Yards were also hard to come by on the ground against the hosts’ defense. Witherspoon totaled 45 on 16 carries; junior Xavier Ugorji gained 47 on 11 carries.

But the Ravens’ defense was better. Jackson Hoskins, a senior cornerback from Blue Valley West, was one of Benedictine’s standouts Saturday, pulling down a pick and also forcing a fumble.

Balke’s 44-yard field goal with 2:40 to go accounted for the final points and the Ravens’ celebration could begin — at least until practice resumes. Benedictine will play again next Saturday, Dec. 14, in the NAIA championship semifinals.

Semifinal games will be played on the campus of the better seed. Here are Saturday’s other NAIA quarterfinal scores:

• No. 2 Grand View (Iowa) 17, No. 11 Northwestern (Iowa) 0

• No. 1 Keiser (Florida) 38, No. 10 Georgetown (Kentucky) 22

• No. 6 Morningside (Iowa) 31, No. 4 Montana Western 24

Benedictine has won national titles in basketball — twice at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City — but this season’s Ravens are seeking the football program’s first NAIA crown.

Benedictine has played in the NAIA football postseason a total of 16 times, finishing runner-up to Morningside (Iowa) in the 2018 championship contest after going so far as the semifinal round in 1992 and 2001.