Week 1: Keweenaw Claims Rivalry Rout, Blue Ridge Beats North Carolina

The Owls dismantled Lake Superior, the Wayfinders opened with an in-state victory and Coronado survived Augusta State by a single point.

By Grant Ashworth | CAC Network

Week 1 belonged to the Owls.

Keweenaw Tech entered its rivalry game against Lake Superior State searching for its first victory. By halftime, Vince Parker and the Owls had turned the CAC Network Game of the Week into a rout.

Elsewhere, Blue Ridge State opened its season by beating North Carolina, Acadia State held off Daytona Beach Tech and Coronado State survived another Augusta State comeback. High Plains Tech threatened No. 8 Texas A&M but could not complete the CAC’s biggest upset bid of the young season.

Owls Overwhelm Lake Superior in Rivalry Rout

Keweenaw Tech 38, Lake Superior State 17

Keweenaw Tech left no doubt about who owned the night.

The Owls built a 23–3 halftime advantage and cruised to a 38–17 victory over rival Lake Superior State. One week after falling short against UNLV, Keweenaw controlled the game from the opening half and collected its first conference victory.

Vince Parker completed 25 of 39 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns. He threw one interception for the second consecutive week but consistently pushed the ball downfield while adding 16 rushing yards.

Emmett Lecount balanced the offense with 133 yards on the ground. Kurt Calloway caught five passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, while J.T. Silvestro finished with six receptions for 67 yards and another score.

Anthony Pryor led the defense with seven tackles, an interception and two pass breakups, earning CAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Lake Superior quarterback Bryson Cantrell threw for 319 yards and a touchdown but completed only 20 of 45 attempts and was intercepted twice. Gabe Huey remained the bright spot in the Berserkers’ passing attack, catching four passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, including a 74-yard strike.

Colin Meinerz rushed for 60 yards. Brian Henning added 54 rushing yards and a touchdown.

The Keweenaw offense forced Lake Superior’s defense to spend much of the afternoon on the field. Kane Cobb recorded nine solo tackles and one assisted tackle with a TFL. Stephen Wilkins collected 11 solo tackles and an interception, while middle linebacker Nick Ricci finished with 12 total tackles and two pass breakups.

Grant’s Guess result: Lake Superior State 34, Keweenaw Tech 30
Actual result: Keweenaw Tech 38, Lake Superior State 17
Verdict: Not particularly close, Grant.

Wayfinders Beat North Carolina in Season Opener

Blue Ridge State 31, North Carolina 24

Blue Ridge State did not need a warm-up game.

The Wayfinders entered halftime tied with North Carolina at 17 before pulling ahead during the second half and securing a 31–24 victory in their season debut.

Terry Fowler completed 24 of 34 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown. Trent Weinstein carried 18 times for 103 yards and a score, giving Blue Ridge a dependable foundation on the ground.

Jones Camp gained only three yards on five carries but converted two of those opportunities into touchdowns.

Middle linebacker Dom Wayne anchored the Wayfinders’ defense with 13 total tackles, four tackles for loss and a pass breakup.

For a program built in the mountains of North Carolina, there may not have been a more fitting way to begin the season than by taking down the state’s flagship program.

Coronado Escapes Augusta State’s Latest Comeback

Coronado State 24, Augusta State 23

For the second consecutive week, Augusta State entered the fourth quarter facing a defining comeback opportunity.

This time, the Fighting Azaleas fell one point short.

Coronado led 7–6 at halftime and extended its advantage to 21–14 after three quarters. Augusta scored nine points during the fourth, but the Admirals added a field goal and held on for a 24–23 conference victory.

Alex McQuiston completed eight of 16 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. James McMichael powered the Coronado rushing attack with 135 yards, while Addison Westbrook added 80 yards and a touchdown.

Barry Calcaterra led the defense with 12 total tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack.

For Augusta State, Mitch Webb threw for 240 yards and a touchdown. Madison Elway delivered 161 rushing yards and a score.

George Kruger recorded seven tackles and one tackle for loss. Spencer McFadden added five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

Augusta has now played two games decided in overtime or by a single point. The Fighting Azaleas may be new, but they have already demonstrated that their games should not be abandoned early.

Acadia Holds Off Daytona Beach

Acadia State 28, Daytona Beach Tech 20

Acadia State built a 14–7 halftime lead, extended it to 21–10 through three quarters and withstood Daytona Beach’s late response to earn a 28–20 conference victory.

John McCourt completed 28 of 47 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns. Johnny Kuberski rushed for 69 yards and two scores, while Gage Lehan caught seven passes for 103 yards.

Matt Calloway led the Mainiacs with 11 total tackles. Barry France contributed 10 tackles and one tackle for loss.

Daytona Beach quarterback Justice Nesbitt threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Aidan Spielman caught seven passes for 90 yards and a score, while Trent McPherson added 85 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Middle linebacker Brian Einstein recorded four tackles and three pass breakups for the Daredevils.

After its comeback against FIU fell short in Week 0, Acadia showed it could protect a lead when Daytona applied pressure late.

No. 8 Texas A&M Holds Off High Plains

No. 8 Texas A&M 36, High Plains Tech 28

High Plains Tech brought its explosive passing offense to College Station and remained within striking distance of the nation’s eighth-ranked team.

Texas A&M led 21–14 at halftime before adding nine points in the fourth quarter to secure a 36–28 victory.

Howie Mundy completed 26 of 42 passes for 289 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Brendan Durant followed his 209-yard opener with 10 catches for 94 yards and another touchdown.

Kane North led the Storm defensively with four tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

High Plains did not collect the signature upset, but staying within one possession of a top-10 opponent reinforced the threat posed by Mundy and the Storm passing attack.

Trawlers Pour on 56 Behind Walter

Lake Charles State 56, FCS Southeast 21

Lake Charles State followed its dramatic comeback against James Madison with a far more comfortable victory.

Mike Walter completed 24 of 35 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown. He was even more dangerous on the ground, rushing for 63 yards and two touchdowns.

Walter’s five-touchdown Week 0 performance and three-score Week 1 showing have the Trawlers quarterback emerging as one of the conference’s early offensive headliners.

His performance earned him CAC Offensive Player of the Week.

CAC Teams Handle FCS Opposition

Five additional CAC programs collected decisive victories against FCS Southeast:

• York Tech 28, FCS Southeast 7
• Hilo State 28, FCS Southeast 0
• Philadelphia Tech 38, FCS Southeast 8
• Carolina State 27, FCS Southeast 9
• Territorial State 52, FCS Southeast 7

Hilo State delivered the weekend’s only shutout, while Territorial State produced the largest margin of victory with its 45-point rout.

CAC Players of the Week

Offensive Player of the Week: Mike Walter, Lake Charles State

Walter completed 24 of 35 passes for 287 yards and one touchdown while adding 63 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Lake Charles State’s 56–21 victory.

Defensive Player of the Week: Anthony Pryor, Keweenaw Tech

Pryor recorded seven tackles, one interception and two pass breakups as Keweenaw Tech defeated rival Lake Superior State 38–17.

Week 1 Scoreboard

Looking Ahead to Week 2

Two undefeated teams meet in the conference’s most consequential game of the young season, while Blue Ridge State receives another opportunity to establish itself against an in-state opponent.

Game of the Week: York Tech at Territorial State

Week 2 gives us the first meeting between two undefeated CAC teams.

York Tech has opened its season by beating North Dakota State 37–6 and FCS Southeast 28–7. The Oystermen have allowed only 13 points through two games, shutting out North Dakota State after halftime and controlling their Week 1 matchup from start to finish.

Territorial State has been even more explosive. The Dealers beat Georgia State 45–21 before dismantling FCS Southeast 52–7. Eric Stevens threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns in the opener, while the Territorial offense has already scored 97 points.

Something has to give when York’s defense meets the Dealers’ high-scoring attack.

CAC Network projected line: Territorial State −3.5
Projected over/under: 55.5

Grant’s Guess

York’s defense keeps this from becoming another Territorial track meet, but the Dealers have home-field advantage and the more explosive offense through two weeks. Eric Stevens makes enough plays late to protect Territorial’s undefeated start.

Grant’s Guess: Territorial State 30, York Tech 24

Three More Games to Watch

East Carolina at Blue Ridge State

Blue Ridge State immediately follows its 31–24 victory over North Carolina with another in-state matchup. Terry Fowler and Trent Weinstein gave the Wayfinders offensive balance in their opener, while Dom Wayne’s four tackles for loss helped set the defensive tone.

A second consecutive victory over an established North Carolina program would give the Wayfinders one of the conference’s strongest early-season résumés.

Philadelphia Tech at Acadia State

Both teams enter at 1–1, but Acadia already owns a conference victory after holding off Daytona Beach Tech.

John McCourt has thrown five touchdown passes through two games. Philadelphia Tech rebounded from its narrow loss to Tulane by handling FCS Southeast, but this trip should provide a much clearer indication of where the Iron Horses stand.

Daytona Beach Tech at Augusta State

This is a fascinating matchup between two 1–1 teams that have already lived through four dramatic finishes.

Daytona Beach needed double overtime to beat Appalachian State before falling eight points short at Acadia. Augusta State defeated Illinois in overtime and then lost to Coronado by one.

If the first two weeks are any indication, nobody should assume this one is finished until the final possession.