BRADENTON, Fla. – As had been the case throughout the inaugural NAIA Women’s Flag Football Invitational, Saturday’s national final hinged on a single throw in the game’s final seconds.
And Saturday in Bradenton, that throw found the hands of a Warner (Fla.) Royal, delivering Warner an undefeated season and a Red Banner.
Warner’s Jessica Finley intercepted Keiser quarterback Ava Wallace with 11 seconds left, sealing Warner’s 13-6 over the Seahawks of Keiser (Fla.) and cementing Warner’s place as the NAIA’s first-ever Flag Football Invitational champions in front of a lively crowd at IMG Academy in Bradenton.
Warner only led for 1:42 of Saturday’s final, as it was Keiser that got on the scoreboard first. After forcing a punt on the Royals’ first drive, Keiser moved 63 yards in nine plays, only once facing a third down. The drive was capped off by a four-yard touchdown pass from Wallace to Ashlea Klam, giving the Seahawks a 6-0 lead with 4:12 to play in the opening frame.
From there, the Seahawks were marred by missed opportunities. In each of the team’s three second-quarter drives, Keiser got down to the Warner 2-yard line, only for the chance to evaporate. The first chance was snuffed out on a third-down interception by Andrea Castillo, and the second ending in a turnover on downs. The third came in the closing moments of the half, when Keiser got down to the two only to see the half end on a sack from Warner’s Maggie Lauber, keeping the score 6-0 at halftime.
After stopping Keiser on fourth down to start the second half, Warner finally put a drive together to tie the score. Over the course of eight plays, the Royals moved through Keiser territory, twice converting on fourth down thanks to Seahawk penalties. The drive ended on a four-yard touchdown pass from O’Mariah Gordon to Lauber, although an unsuccessful conversion kept the game tied at six.
The teams traded drives in the fourth quarter, with Keiser eventually getting the ball back with 4:48 to play. On third down, Wallace was intercepted by Finley – the first of her two interceptions – setting up Warner with first and 12 on the Keiser 32 with 2:37 remaining. Four plays later, Warner had their first lead of the game, when Kathryn Hutchinson found Ana Vincensini from seven yards out.
Keiser’s last hope got into Warner territory, but Wallace’s heave with less than 20 seconds to play was picked by Finley, sparking a Warner celebration and the program’s first red banner.
Keiser outgained Warner 239-151. Warner, though, did not turn the ball over and forced three Keiser interceptions. Keiser’s Dakota Moberg was the game’s leading receiver, logging 10 catches for 84 yards. On the defensive end, Hannah Jayes led all players with ten flag pulls for Keiser, while Warner was led by eight flag pulls each from Vincensini and Lauren Clark.
After the contest, Warner’s O’Mariah Gordon was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player. 14 athletes were named to the All-Tournament Team.
2026 NAIA Women’s Flag Football National Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Alyssa Linkous, Ottawa (Kan.)
- Ashlea Klamm, Keiser (Fla.)
- Ava Wallace, Keiser (Fla.)
- Avalon Lux-Offerman, Warner (Fla.)
- Chihiro Iwata, Kansas Wesleyan
- Dakota Moberg, Keiser (Fla.)
- Haley Witherspoon, Saint Francis (Ind.)
- Janaisa Wilson, Keiser (Fla.)
- Jessica Finley, Warner (Fla.)
- Jianna Reyes, Saint Francis (Ind.)
- Katherine Hutchinson, Warner (Fla.)
- Lauren Clark, Warner (Fla.)
- Olga Sotillo, Ottawa (Kan.)
- O’Mariah Gordon, Warner (Fla.) – Tournament MVP
