Webber Football Completes Historic Upset

DeLand, FL (August 29, 2025) – The Webber International Football Team opened up the 2025 Campaign with a highly anticipated matchup against the NCAA Division 1 FCS Stetson Hatters. The Warriors went down early, but a 17 point 2nd quarter, highlighted by a scoop and score from Senior Linebacker Caden Morrell put the Warriors ahead where they stayed for the rest of the game, winning their first ever game against an NCAA Division 1 opponent, taking down the Hatters 31-21, and, according to research, the 12th time an NAIA team has beaten an FCS team.

First Quarter (Offense): After an early Stetson strike, Webber's offense settled in and flipped field position late in the period. Quarterback Trent Grotjan ripped a 19-yard keeper into Hatters territory and, two snaps later, hit Dantay Diorio for 15 yards down to the Stetson 21 as the quarter expired, capping a methodical response that set up points to open the second.

First Quarter (Defense): The Warriors bent but did not break after Stetson's quick start. The signature moment came on an 11-play, 64-yard Hatter march that reached the WIU 4—where Caden Marshknifed through on 4th-and-2 for a tackle for loss, producing a turnover on downs and a huge stand that kept it 7–0.

Second Quarter (Offense): Webber opened the frame by cashing in that goal-line stop with a 12-play, 75-yard drive. Rourke Davis drilled a 38-yard field goal (14:05) to get WIU on the board. Just before halftime, Grotjan engineered another answer—finding Cory Conklin for 13 to the STET 21 and riding Reginald Johnson's 11-yard burst to the 10—before zipping a 3-yard TD to Diorio with :07 leftfor a 17–7 lead.

Second Quarter (Defense): The defense tilted the game with pressure. Jeremy Willoughby buried the Stetson quarterback for a 9-yard sack early in the period, David Thompson Jr. erased a deep shot with a breakup, and the play of the half came at 8:28 when a sack jarred the ball loose and Caden Morrell scooped it and rumbled 34 yards for a touchdown, giving Webber its first lead, 10–7.

Third Quarter (Offense): After Stetson pulled within 17–14, Webber answered immediately off a takeaway. One snap after the defense set up a short field, Johnny Lewis Jr. darted 14 yards for a touchdown (2:13) to push the margin back to ten. Earlier in the quarter, Grotjan moved the chains with completions to Makai Elder and Conklin (18 yards to the STET 48).

Third Quarter (Defense): The Warriors' front seven delivered the game's turning point. With 2:23 left, Anthony Fuller punched the ball free on a run and Devin Collado pounced on it at the STET 14. That takeaway set up Lewis Jr.'s one-play score and restored control heading into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter (Offense): Nursing a one-score game after Stetson cut it to 24–21, Webber's offense stacked first downs behind Grotjan's keepers and the ground game to chew clock. Even when a late fumble hit the turf, Grotjan hustled to recover it, helping WIU protect field position the rest of the way.

Fourth Quarter (Defense): With momentum wobbling, Fuller shut the door—jumping a quick route and racing 21 yards for a pick-six at 10:10 to make it 31–21. From there, the Warriors slammed the brakes: Stetson's last two chances were missed field goals (51 yards at 8:20 and 34 yards at :40), and Webber's defense closed out a statement road win