Valley City (CSi) In the season football opener for both teams, Thursday, The VCSU Vikings defeated the University of Jamestown, 20-14, in the Ag-Bowl game, in Valley City.
VCSU’s Mark Potts reports, recorded meetings of the rivalry date back to 1909, and the two schools have met on
the football field every season since 1946. Valley City State University now leads the all-time series with Jamestown, 63-53-5, and leads the Paint Bucket series 42-31. The Paint Bucket Series and traveling trophy were established in 1961.
Recap
VALLEY CITY, N.D.– Down by six points with 8:24 remaining and the ball on their own 4-yard line, the University of Jamestown football team had an opportunity to engineer a come-from-behind victory Thursday evening against Valley City State (N.D.) University in the 72nd battle for the Paint Bucket Trophy.
The VCSU defense forced and recovered a fumble on 4th-and-2 after the Jimmies got down to the Viking 31-yard line, preserving the 20-14 victory in the 121st meeting all-time between the fierce rivals.
UJ trailed 20-7 after three quarters but cut the deficit to 20-14 on the first play of the final stanza. Jordan Mann (SR/Bismarck, N.D.) found Garrett Mitchell (SO/Shakopee, Minn.) from two yards out and Sean Fenelon (SO/West Fargo, N.D.) converted the point after touchdown kick to make it a one-score game.
The Jimmies took over following a VCSU punt that put the ball on the four-yard-line with just under eight-and-a-half minutes left. Mann extended the final drive twice by converting fourth downs on a four-yard keeper and a 16-yard scramble, but Dustin Kasowski forced Mann to fumble on the third fourth down of the drive.
Mann led UJ with 73 yards on 14 carries and completed 11 of 22 passes for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
VCSU took a 13-0 halftime lead on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Pfeifer to Jake Peterson and a three-yard scoring run by Josh McKnight.
Jamestown got on the scoreboard in the third quarter with a 37-yard pass from Mann to Marcus Giles (SO/Blaine, Minn.). The drive took just 29 seconds and two plays, covering 42 yards.
The Vikings quickly answered with a touchdown of their own on the ensuing drive, marching 63 yards in 1:24 on three plays. Louis Quinones ran it in from 10 yards out to make it 20-7. Quinones finished with 249 yards on 26 carries.
Mitchell led the Jimmie receivers with six catches for 71 yards. Four Viking players each had two catches.
Defensively, UJ was led by Troy Stuard (SR/Daingerfield, Texas) with nine tackles, followed by Aaron Mack (FR/Jamestown, N.D.) with seven, and TJ Milk (JR/Pahrump, Nev.) with six. Darrick Jones (JR/Compton, Calif.) and John Sullivan (SO/Sundance, Wyo.) split a sack while Marcelo Sanchez (SR/Poulsbo, Wash.) and Jeremy Hautau (SO/Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) were credited with pass breakups.
Total yards were 333-292 in favor of VCSU. Jamestown won the time of possession 31:14-28:46.
Next up for Jamestown (0-1) is the home opener on September 7 against Dickinson State (N.D.)
