Babson Park, FL – The Webber International Football team welcomed Alumni back to the Warrior Turf Field for the Warriors Homecoming football against crosstown rivals Warner University for another vintage Lake Caloosa Clash. The SUN Conference matchup between the Warriors and Royals saw Webber jump out ahead in the second quarter, and a last second interception by Landon Earl sealed the win for the Warriors, 34-27.
Webber's coverage unit pinned Warner early and then flipped the field with a blocked punt by Rogers Jones deep in Royals territory, setting up a short field at the WU19. Two snaps later, Trent Grotjan found Dantay Diorio on a quick route to the front pylon for a 9-yard touchdown at 9:25, capping the four-play drive for a 7–0 lead. The Warrior defense authored a physical opening frame—Harper Henson, Caden Marsh, and Caden Morrell combined on multiple stops to force three-and-outs, while the front squeezed the edge to bottle up the Royals' perimeter runs. Jaxson Rivera flipped field position with a booming punt that sailed to the goal line for a touchback, and Webber's back end denied two third-and-short throws to preserve the one-score cushion heading into the second.
After Warner momentarily drew level with a short rushing TD, Kendall Johnson detonated the kickoff for an 85-yard house call at 11:16, bursting straight through the wedge for a momentum swing the Warriors never surrendered. With the Royals reeling, Quinton Moore ripped off a 29-yard touchdown at 6:35 to make it 21–7. After a rush from Dorian Manuel, Jahari Treasure-Walker scooped up a fumble at the WU4 and rumbled in at 3:16 for another Webber's touchdown, and a 27–7 advantage. The quarter also featured chunk runs from Dorian Manuel (long 30) and another Johnson surge on a return to set up plus territory; Warner closed with a 41-yard field goal at :23, but Webber jogged to the locker room firmly on the front foot.
Webber opened with a sustained drive but came away empty when a short try drifted wide, and the Warriors capitalized on the very next series with an all-effort takeaway: Omar Goosby crashed off the edge for a strip-sack, the ball popped loose, and Aaron Williams scooped it and sprinted 19 yards for a touchdown at 11:00, pushing the margin to 34–10. The front seven kept compressing the pocket—Phillip Hayes, Christopher Johnson, and Harper Henson shared in the pressure mix—while linebackers cleaned up the second level. Warner answered with its best sequence of the day, a methodical 16-play, 75-yard march that bled clock before a 1-yard plunge trimmed it to 34–17 at 3:20. Even so, Webber's defense forced everything underneath, tackled in bounds, and traded yards for time to carry a three-score lead to the fourth.
The Royals crept closer on an 18-yard TD pass at 12:29 and later a 43-yard field goal at 3:35, but Webber's complementary football held firm: Rivera repeatedly tilted the field with high-hang punts inside the numbers, and the coverage unit—paced by Careal Carter and Landon Earl—broke up throws on the boundary. In the final minute, Warner hurried into the red zone, but the Warriors kept everything in front; with the ball in the air near the goal line, Earl undercut the route and intercepted at the WIU 2 with :12 left, ending the threat and sealing a rivalry win.
Big plays – Offense
- Diorio TD (9:25 1Q): Grotjan to Dantay Diorio for 9 yards after a blocked punt set the table. Diorio finished with 2 catches, 43 yards (long 34).
- Kick-return strike (11:16 2Q): Kendall Johnson took it 85 yards to the house; he totaled 3 KR for 136 yards.
- Jahari Treasure-Walker recovered a fumble for a 4-yard TD (3:16 2Q).
- Run game chunk plays: Quinton Moore (6 carries, 73 yards, TD, long 29) and Dorian Manuel (6 for 71, long 30) powered a 249-yard rushing day (331 total offense).
Big plays – Defense & Special Teams
By the numbers (WIU)
- Team totals: 331 yards (249 rush, 82 pass) on 50 plays; 17 first downs
- Red zone: 2 trips, 1 TD pass
- Top rushers: Moore 6-73-1; Manuel 6-71; Thomas 4-28; Mathis 4-37
- QB line: Grotjan 4-of-12, 78 yds, TD; 7 rush, 16 yds
- Receiving: Diorio 2-43-1; (team total 82 yds; long 34)
- Defense: 4.0 sacks, 6 PBUs, 2 FF, 1 FR TD, 1 INT
- Special teams: Johnson 85-yd KR TD; Rivera 45.0 punt avg; Davis 4-for-5 PAT.
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