Franciscan Shines Brightly in NCR D3 Final

12.15.2025College Men

Joe Moleski starts the attack for Franciscan in the 2025 D3 final. Photo Alex Goff

Author: Alex Goff

Rivals Franciscan and Slippery Rock wrapped up NCR's D3 season with a barnburner worthy of two heated rivals.

There's a lot of respect between the two teams, who split their first two games and finished 1st and 2nd in the Allegheny Conference. Slippery Rock came in as conference champs, but it was anyone's game.

The key in this match was, in part, the wind. Sunday was very windy in Houston and that made for some important tactical choices.

Slippery Rock had the wind early and worked the phases well, keeping Franciscan pinned back and getting their forwards unified and driving the No. 8 Kameron Kruzelyak and the ball over the line.

Franciscan defense vs Slippery Rock in the 2025 D3 final. Photo Alex Goff

That made all sorts of sense, but Slippery Rock did not rely much on the boot to get them into Franciscan territory, and tried more to run it. The Barons' defense was good and they worked hard They were quick, dedicated, and fit. All of that led to Franciscan getting a scoring chance and No. 8 Abraham Schmeising scoring to make it 7-5 (Franciscan ahead).

But Rock responded and put in some of their best rugby. Even when they got a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, they kept at it. Flanker John Elick scored and with a 12-7 lead, The Rock needed to build a cushion. They would go against the wind in the second half and one try wasn't enough.

Franciscan mauls it against Slippery Rock. Photo Alex Goff.

It did seem like they would get there when Franciscan was hit with a yellow card for a dangerous challenge. But Franciscan's defense held strong, and when the Barons got the ball back they worked it wide to flyhalf Lex Lang.

A good reader of the game, Lang had taken a wider spot in the line and raced into the corner. Nate Bateman's well-taken conversion nudged Franciscan into the lead 14-12.

This was significantly bad news for Slippery Rock. Turning into the wind against a team that could kick and could run, they were now under significant pressure. And it told. Flanker Dominic Grocol finished off a movement to made it 19-12 early in the second half.

Flanker Alec Harbsion answered, however, and it was 19-17 going into the final segment of the game.

Down a man for another yellow, Franciscan seemed to garner energy from the challenge. They pinned Slippery Rock back in their 22 and went to work, stretching the defense and then condensing. The Leerkes brothers, Jake at prop and Paul at lock, were outstanding. Jake was their main physical force on a team that's not physically big, and he brought everything he could.

Franciscan attacks in the 2025 D3 final. Photo Alex Goff

Scrumhalf Joseph Moleski was very active and eventually it all came together with Schmeising getting his second. Bateman converted from the sideline, and added a long-range penalty to made it 12-point lead at 29-17.

Slippery Rock just couldn't get into scoring position much after that. Two tries in short order when kicks were dying in the wind wasn't helping. Twice Rock restarts didn't go 10 meters—one didn't go 1 meter—giving Franciscan excellent chances to take control of the game.

And that's what they did.

Franciscan, a school-supported team with a bunch of young men mostly from Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio, had done the job.

"So we knew going in that game was going be a dog fight, especially that first half against the wind," said Moleski. "And Lex punching that try and right at the end gives us that momentum. Now we come into that second half, we got the wind at our backs, and we've got our 10 who's going to make plays every single day, as he does. For me, I'm just blessed that my boys trust me so much. I'll do everything that I can, but it just comes down to me knowing those guys have their faith in me, and that's all I need to do to know to do what I've got to do."

Slippery Rock vs Franciscan in the 2025 D3 final. Photo Alex Goff

Two of the big standouts in this final, with Abraham Schmeising (two tries for Franciscan) tackling Rock loose forward Alec Harbison (1 try and many tackles) in the 2025 D3 final. Photo Alex Goff

There were several standouts in this match. Harbison was excellent for Rock as was fullback Zach Harrington, who had a lot to do. Jake Leerkes was player of the game, and deservedly so. Moleski and Schmeising were terrific, and center Tanner Harris was very effective.

Special note also to Andy Cooper, the referee, who put in a very good game and had some strong moments in terms of player welfare where he was able to manage the game and also manage the safety of the players.