VALLEY CITY (VCSU) – The Valley City State football won a share of its third
straight conference championship Saturday, defeating Mayville State 37-12 at Shelly Ellig Field.
The Vikings finish with a 3-1 conference record, sharing the title with University
of Jamestown. It is the third straight conference title for VCSU, which won the DAC
in 2011 and the A.I.I. in 2012.
Saturday was the final home game for nine Viking seniors who led an impressive
performance and avenged a loss against Mayville earlier this season. VCSU led 17-0
at halftime and 30-6 early in the fourth quarter.
Viking senior running back Derek Elliott had a career and record-setting day,
finishing with 286 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 44 carries. His 286 yards
rushing tied the single-game record at VCSU, also held by John Overbey. Elliott also
broke three single-season records Saturday, setting new marks for single-season
rushing yards and touchdowns, and single-season total touchdowns.
While Elliott led the offense, the Viking defense came up big with three takeaways
and a shutdown performance. Mayville State managed just 209 yards of total offense,
and just 53 yards on the ground. In a 14-9 loss earlier this season to Mayville, the
Vikings allowed 283 rushing yards. On Saturday, a team effort helped the Vikings
effectively shut down Mayville’s option rushing attack.
Five different Viking defenders tied for the team lead with five tackles. Matt
Craft, playing his final game in front of the home crowd, had 2.5 tackles for loss
and a forced a fumble. Dwanye Fearon and Zach McBeain added a sack each and combined
for 4.5 tackles for loss, and senior Jake Thurston had another tackle in the
backfield.
Neither team did much on their first four drives as the offenses battled a strong
northwest wind, but the Vikings finally broke through on their fifth drive of the
game. A 63-yard run by Elliott took the Vikings inside the 5-yard line, and Elliott
finished off the drive moments later with his first score of the game.
On Mayville’s next series, Viking defensive back Chris Cross came up with an
interception, leading to a 27-yard field goal by Thomas Cortez and a 10-0 lead.
Quarterback Kurtis Walls later found Mark Zinke wide open in the end zone for a
6-yard touchdown with 2:52 remaining in the first half. The Vikings would add
second-half touchdowns on a run by Elliott, and passes from Walls to Colby Lum and
Jacob Miller.
Elliott now has 1,613 rushing yards this season, 17 rushing touchdowns, and 19 total
touchdowns – all of which are new school records for a single season. The old single
season rushing record of 1,386 yards was held by Trevor Bakalar, who was one of
Elliott’s high school coaches at Valley City. Anthony Walkine held the old rushing
touchdown record of 15, and Chauncey Calhoun and Steve Battle held the old total
touchdown record of 19.
Up next: Valley City (5-4, 3-1) heads to California on Saturday, Nov. 16 for a game
at Menlo College.
