September 28, 2019

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to convert scoring opportunities Saturday afternoon as they fell short to Valley City State (N.D.) in the Dacotah Bank/North Star Athletic Association football season opener at Shelly Ellig Field at Lokken Field.  The Vikings held on to a 10-6 victory over the Trojans.

Dakota State fell to 2-2 overall record.  Valley City State lifted their overall record to 3-1.

FIRST QUARTER

• Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to take the first lead in the opening quarter, despite recording eight plays for 60 yards from their own 28-yard line to VCSU's 12-yard line.  Casey Bourque's 29-yard field goal was missed wide left with four minutes left in the first quarter.
• The Trojans outgained the Vikings 74-59 in total offensive yards in the first 15 minutes of the game.

SECOND QUARTER

• VCSU's ensuing possession from the end of the first quarter through the second quarter resulted in a missed scoring opportunity for the first lead of the game.  The Vikings recorded 13 plays for 71 yards in 6:26 as Landon Arredondo missed a 26-yard field goal (wide left) with 12:41 remaining before halftime.
• Viking Doniaj Smelker intercepted DSU's pass and returned it for a 25-yard touchdown for a 6-0 VCSU lead.  Arredondo's PAT extra-point kick was good to extend Valley City State's lead to 7-0 with 11:19 on the clock.
• Dakota State used six plays for 53 yards in 3:36 on the next possession, highlighted by Brodie Frederiksen two straight rushing plays of 18- and 36-yards to VCSU's 25-yard line.  Bourque's 43-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful was the Trojans trailed 7-0 with less than eight minutes to go in the second.
• Arredondo's missed a 43-yard field goal on the ensuing possession with 5:06 left, turning the ball back to the Trojans.  After DSU was forced to punt, Riley Janke intercepted VCSU's pass on DSU's 49-yard line with 2:23 left in the second quarter.
• DSU answered with a touchdown after using five plays for 51 yards in 1:40 in the scoring drive, highlighted by Devericks' 35-yard pass to Dajshon Keel.  Frederiksen rushed for a 1-yard touchdown as the Trojans cut VCSU's lead to 7-6 with 43 seconds before halftime.  Bourque's PAT extra-point kick was no good.

THIRD QUARTER

• Valley City State kicked off the second-half with the possession of the ball.  They used 12 plays for 55 yards in 6:07, but the Trojans' defensive unit halted the Vikings from scoring.  DSU stopped the Vikings on the DSU's 19-yard line, turning the ball on downs with 8:46 on the clock in the third.
• Dakota State produced four first-downs on the ensuing possession, despite recording 11 plays for 72 yards in 5:34.  Bourque's 26-yard field goal was missed wide left with 3:39 left.
• Valley City State held on to a 7-6 lead by the end of the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Dakota State produced another four first-downs after the Vikings was forced to punt in the early fourth quarter.  The Trojans used 12 plays for 75 yards in 5:06 but committed a turnover with a fumble loss on the VCSU's 14-yard line with 7:31 remaining in the game.
• Valley City State recorded 10 plays for 60 yards in 4:41 on the next possession.  The Vikings had to settle down for a 43-yard field goal by Arredondo to extend their lead to 10-6 with 2:50 left.
• The Trojans recorded 12 plays for 55 yards in 2:33 on the ensuing possession.  Facing a fourth-and-10 situation on VCSU's 37-yardline, DSU was able to extend their drive after a 16-yard completion from Devericks to Roger Moore.
• DSU was unable to convert another fourth-and-10 situation on VCSU's 21-yard line as they turned the ball on downs with 11 seconds remaining in the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Frederiksen rushed 29 times in the game for a total of 176 yards with a touchdown for Dakota State.  He eclipsed the 3,000 career rushing yards at DSU (currently have 3,022 career rushing yards).  Frederiksen had rushed over 100 yards all four games this season.  Brenner Furlong also ran six times for 26 yards.
• Devericks completed 16 passes in 32 attempts for a total of 195 yards for the Trojans.  Keel caught five passes for a season-high 108 yards.  Josh Giles also had five receptions for 46 yards.  Moore had two catches for 22 yards.  Josh Giese and Jacob Hirsch each had two receptions.
• Karson Lindblad led the Trojans' defense with 12 tackles (2 solo, 10 assist).  Jordan Thomas added nine tackles.  Cole McCarty recorded eight tackles.  Conner Tordsen tallied seven tackles and registered two tackles-for-loss of 3.5 yards.
• Marcus Vanden Bosch, Braedon Wallenstein and John Trout each collected six tackles for DSU.  Janke and Noah Guse each recorded five tackles.  Janke had a quarterback sack for a loss of seven yards, two tackles-for-loss of 15 yards and an interception. 
• Louis Quinones rushed for 137 yards in 25 attempts for Valley City State.  He had two receptions for 61 yards.  Jalen Pfeifer was 11-of-21 with 160 yards and an interception.  Jake Peterson caught five passes for 50 yards. 
• Sal Avila had a game-high 15 tackles (5 solo, 10 assist) for the Vikings.  Arron Martin added 13 tackles, while Hunter Olson had nine tackles.  Smelker had an interception and returned it for 25 yards.

TEAM COMPARISONS

• Dakota State outgained Valley City State 398-315 in total offensive yards in the game.  The Trojans rushed 203 yards compared to the Vikings 155 yards.  DSU had 195 passing yards, while VCSU recorded 160 passing yards.
• The Trojans produced 20 first-downs (9 by rushing, 10 by passing, 1 by penalty).  The Vikings had 14 first-downs.
• DSU was 4-of-15 on third-down conversions.  VCSU converted 5-of-13 third-downs.

UP NEXT
Dakota State kicks off their two-game home stand at Trojan Field next Saturday.  The Trojans host Presentation (S.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association conference football action.  Kick-off is set for 4 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director