Two longtime NAIA soccer powers meet in the semifinals

Grand View, undefeated and ranked No. 2 nationally, defeated Northwestern in the quarterfinals last weekend and will face another perennial in-state contender, Morningside, in the semifinals at 1:30 p.m

Morningside is looking to return to the NAIA finals for the first time since 2021. This year, the Mustangs won their third national title in four years.

Grand View held Northwestern, which played in the last two NAIA finals, to 218 offensive yards. The 17-0 win was the fourth shutout of the season for Grand View, allowing an NAIA-best 8.1 points per game.

Morningside averages 45.4 points and is second in the NAIA in total offense with 517.2 yards per game. On Wednesday, his quarterback, Zack Chevalier, was named a first-team All-American with 4,416 yards and 43 touchdowns.

His favorite target is Drew Sellon, a Fremont High graduate who is the NAIA leader in catches with 108 and receiving yards with 1,658. In last Saturday’s road win over Montana Western, Sellon had TD catches of 25 and 63 yards in the fourth quarter to turn a 24-17 deficit into a 31-24 victory.

The 63-yarder was his longest throw of the season as he caught a pass over the middle near midfield and outran Montana Western defenders to the end zone.

“We both kind of think the same,” Sellon said earlier this fall, referring to Chevalier. “We just have a lot of trust in each other and a great bond.”