Vikings get past Waldorf, Sat. football

FOREST CITY, IOWA – Valley City State scored the game-winning touchdown with 12 seconds remaining Saturday, capping a thrilling road victory at Waldorf University in the NAIA Football Game of the Week.

Trailing 21-18 on their own 20-yard line with with 56 seconds remaining, the Viking offense went 80 yards in just 44 seconds, driving down the field in the final minute to pull out a 25-21 victory. Jalen Pfeifer hit Benjamin Dumond in the end zone with 12 seconds left, finishing the game-winning drive with a 25-yard touchdown.

The Vikings improve their record to 4-1 in the North Star Athletic Association. Waldorf University drops to 4-2, with both of their losses coming against VCSU.

A pair of freshman skill players contributed career games for the Vikings on Saturday. Running back Taylor Simmons had 23 carries for a career-high 143 yards, and Dumond caught five passes for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown. Senior quarterback Jalen Pfeifer, who went 3-for-4 on the game-winning drive, finished the game 16-for-32 for 263 yards and two touchdowns – both of which came in the fourth quarter. He also rushed for VCSU’s first score of the day and completed passed to nine different players.

Pfeifer’s first quarter touchdown run tied the game at 7-7. The Vikings blocked a punt out the end zone for a safety in the second quarter, going ahead 9-7. Waldorf added two field goals for a 13-9 lead at halftime.

Valley City State kicker Nico Magana trimmed the deficit to 13-12 with a third-quarter field goal, setting up the exciting fourth quarter. The Vikings took the lead with an 88-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter. A 51-yard strike from Pfeifer to Dumond put the Vikings on the 3-yard line, and then Pfeifer found tight end Zane Schuchard for a 3-yard touchdown – the first of his career.

Schuchard’s score put VCSU ahead 18-13 after the Vikings failed to convert the 2-point attempt.

Waldorf responded late in the quarter with an 82-yard touchdown drive, capped when quarterback Tyler O-Hara complete a fourth-and-goal pass to Ryan Martinez for a 5-yard score. The Warriors converted the 2-point attempt to take a 21-18 lead with 2:06 remaining.

VCSU’s chances appeared slim after the Vikings fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Waldorf recovered on VCSU’s 20-yard line. But the Viking defense held strong and Waldorf missed a 35-yard field goal, leaving VCSU’s deficit at 21-18 as they took over with 56 seconds remaining.

Pfeifer hit Michael Cornelious for a 17-yard gain on the first play and then found Dumond for 33 yards on the next play. Dumond fumbled downfield, but VCSU receiver Caid Combs recovered at the 25-yard line to keep the Viking hopes alive. After an incompletion, Pfeifer connected with Dumond in the end zone for the game-winning score with just 12 seconds on the clock.

The Vikings racked up 421 yards of total offense, including 158 rushing and 263 through the air.

Valley City State’s defense held Waldorf to just 230 total yards, including 114 passing yards and 116 rushing yards.

Freshman Riley Gerhardt led the Vikings with 12 total tackles and a fumble recovery. Sal Avila totaled nine tackles and broke up a pass, and Dustin Kasowski had eight tackles and a forced fumble. Nick Harberts had a sack as one of VCSU’s five tackles for loss. Jahidi West finished with seven tackles, one tackle for loss and two passes broken up.

The Vikings remain one game back of conference-leader Dickinson State in the loss column. The Blue Hawks defeated Mayville State on Saturday to improve to 6-0 this season.

Up next: Valley City State is back on the road next Saturday in Madison, S.D., playing at Dakota State at 4 p.m.