FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 15, 2025) – When the Lumberjacks needed a big play, their seniors rose to the occasion.
Kolbe Katsis hauled in three receiving touchdowns and
Jaylan Wesley recorded two interceptions, including one deep in opponent territory with 2:20 remaining, in No. 24 Northern Arizona's 35-27 Senior Day win over Cal Poly.
The win clinched a second consecutive winning season for the Lumberjacks, their first back-to-back winning seasons since four straight in 2012-15. NAU upped its record to 7-4 and 4-3 in Big Sky play with one game remaining in the regular season.
"It was a hard-fought game and I'm certainly proud of how resilient our team showed they are once again," said head coach
Brian Wright. "They picked each other. We'd have a poor drive on offense and our defense would pick us up and vice-versa. It went all the way down to the end and we're ready to get to work on the next game."
Katsis is the first Lumberjack since Joe Logan in 2019 to catch three touchdowns in a game as he finished with six receptions for a career-high 148 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Wesley recorded two of NAU's season-high three interceptions. Wesley, who started his Lumberjack career at home with two interceptions against Utah Tech, potentially closed out his career in Flagstaff with his second multi-interception game.
However, everywhere you look in the box score, NAU's seniors shined.
Darvon Hubbard secured his first career receiving touchdown, while
Jayson Raines and
Isaiah Eastman both recorded five receptions and combined for 112 receiving yards.
Brandon Wong and
Bobby Nivens led the Lumberjacks with nine and eight tackles respectively and
Quentin Moten tallied four pass breakups, including the game-sealing one on Cal Poly's final offensive play.
"It meant an incredible amount to go out with our seniors with a win," Wright said. "It was our number-one mission we threw out on the board in our Sunday meeting. We were going to battle for these guys. Our program is about service and doing something for someone else, so it was special to do it for the 28 guys (recognized on Senior Day)."
Ty Pennington and Katsis had their scoring connection down early, as the pair put NAU on the board first with a 6-yard score. After Cal Poly (3-8, 1-6 Big Sky) responded with a touchdown, the teams remained in a 7-7 tie until the waning minute of the first half.
Pennington found Hubbard for a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down to put NAU in front, 14-7, with 1:14 to play before halftime, but the scoring was just getting started. Cal Poly took advantage of a 67-yard kick return with a 51-yard field goal by Gianluca Dimauro 30 seconds later.
Then just as he did a week ago, Katsis provided a momentum-shifting score when Pennington found him streaking for a 75-yard touchdown two plays later. However, the Mustangs had one more play up their sleeve as Anthony Grigsby Jr.'s 57-yard Hail Mary landed in Fidel Pitts' hands with no time on the clock.
The 24 combined points in the final 74 seconds left the teams going into the locker room with NAU ahead, 22-17.
Katsis reached the end zone for the third time on the second half's opening possession as NAU quickly moved 75 yards in four plays, the last 38 coming from the arm of Pennington to Katsis.
The teams traded field goals before the end of the third quarter, giving the 'Jacks a 32-20 advantage heading into the fourth period. Grigsby Jr. brought the Mustangs within 32-27 with a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:44 left, before
Samuel Hunsaker extended the Lumberjacks' lead to 35-27 with his second field goal of the game.
Needing a touchdown, and 2-point conversion, to tie, Cal Poly swiftly moved into the red zone. A sack by
Braeden Kaczmarek – NAU's fourth of the game – forced a 4th-and-15 from the NAU 18-yard line, in which Grigsby Jr.'s desperation heave was interception by Wesley at the 5-yard line with just over two minutes to play.
The Mustangs would get one more shot after stopping the Lumberjacks on fourth down on the following possession, but Grigsby Jr.'s fourth down pass was broken up by Moten, finally securing NAU's win.
"Unfortunately we couldn't put it away earlier in the game, but our team showed a lot of fight today," said Pennington, who threw for a career-high four touchdowns to go along with 356 yards passing. "Each side of the ball had the other's back and we came out with the W and that's all that matters."
NAU rolled up 495 yards of offense and averaged 7.9 yards per play. The Lumberjacks' defense matched season-highs with four sacks and three interceptions.
Michael Beresford accounted for NAU's third pick, which set up Hunsaker's first of two field goals in the third quarter.
The Lumberjacks head out on the road to Ogden, Utah for their final regular season game next Saturday. The Red Rock Rivalry trophy will be up for grabs when NAU faces Weber State at 1 p.m. MST.
Stay up to date with Northern Arizona football by following the Lumberjacks on
X and
Instagram.
