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Dakota State University

Scoreboard

10
Valley City State VCSU 6-1 , 4-1 NSAA
24
Winner Dakota State DSU 4-3 , 3-2 NSAA
Valley City State VCSU
6-1 , 4-1 NSAA
10
Final
24
Dakota State DSU
4-3 , 3-2 NSAA
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
VCSU Valley City State 0 7 3 0 10
DSU Dakota State 7 0 14 3 24

Game Recap: Football |

DSU shocks #15 VCSU in NSAA football action at Trojan Field

October 16, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu, Karen Giles, Mike Black, Thomas Jones

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) returned home Saturday at Trojan Field in another North Star Athletic Association football contest against nationally-ranked and league leader No. 15 Valley City State (N.D.).  The Trojans' defense came up big with four interceptions, with two 'Pick Six' returns for touchdowns, a fumbled recovered from VCSU's failed punt, and a blocked punt to fuel to a 24-10 upset victory over the Vikings.  It was the second consecutive week that DSU caught four interceptions in a single game (at Dickinson State, N.D. on Oct. 9).

Dakota State earned its fourth all-time win over Valley City State in the 31st meeting.  It was the first victory for the Trojans over the Vikings at Trojan Field since Sept. 5, 1998, and first win over VCSU since Oct. 21, 2017, in Valley City, N.D.

The Trojans snapped their two-game losing skid, lifting their overall record to 4-3 and 3-2 record in the league.  DSU improved to 3-1 record at home, securing a home field winning record for the fifth time in the last seven years.

It was the highest ranking in head coach Josh Anderson's coaching era at Dakota State to defeat an NAIA nationally ranked team, previous highest ranking that Trojans defeated an NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked team was No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Aug. 26, 2016, in Mitchell.

Valley City State suffered its first setback of the season, falling to 6-1 overall record and 4-1 NSAA conference record.

Both teams will play their second North Star conference meeting on Nov. 6 in Valley City.

Saturday's game was part of Rushin' for a Cure football game, raising cancer awareness.  The Trojan football athletes wore pink socks and sleeves to support the people who are batting cancer.

FIRST QUARTER

  • Dakota State struck first in the first quarter after both teams struggled to move the ball.  Starting on their own 33-yard line, the Trojans produced three first downs in the first scoring drive.  DSU also converted a pair of third-down situations, highlighted by a 23-yard reception by Cooper McDermott (from Ja'Sem Atonio) to VCSU 13-yard line.
  • Atonio rushed for an 8-yard touchdown to give DSU a 6-0 lead with 1 minute, 22 seconds on the clock in the first quarter.  Caleb Nielsen followed up with a successful PAT extra-point kick to make it 7-0 in favor of Dakota State. 

SECOND QUARTER

  • VCSU's Dustin Kasowksi intercepted Atonio's pass on DSU's 36-yard line and returned it for 19 yards to DSU's 17-yard line with 8:21 on the clock in the second quarter.  On the next play, Jalen Pfeifer threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Michael Cornelious with 8:16 on the clock.  Nico Magana followed up with a successful PAT extra-point kick to knot the game at 7-7.
  • Dakota State was able to start their field position on VCSU's 48-yard line after a penalty committed by the Vikings on the kick-off.
  • The Trojans were unable to gain the lead after Nielsen's 57-yard field goal school record attempt that hit the crossbar with less than six minutes to go before halftime. 
  • There were two turnovers combined committed by both teams near halftime.  Atonio fumbled the ball on DSU's 28-yard line, forced and recovered by Viking Sal Avila with 2:29 left in the second quarter.
  • Noah Guse prevented the Vikings to score on the ensuing possession as he caught an interception in the end zone and returned it for 15 yards with 21 seconds left before intermission.
  • The game was tied at 7-7 by halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

  • Dakota State committed a turnover to kick off the third quarter as VCSU's Jahidi West intercepted Atonio's pass on VCSU's 46-yard line with 11:32 on the clock.
  • The Vikings used 10 plays for 37 yards in 4:03 and had to settle for a 34-yard field goal by Magana to grab a 10-7 lead with 7:29 left in the third quarter.
  • Nielsen punted for 50 yards on the following possession, forcing the Vikings to start their drive on their own 2-yard line with 5:13 on the clock.
  • Guse intercepted Pfeifer's pass on the next play, returning a 'pick six' for touchdown of 15 yards with 5:05 to go.  Nielsen made the PAT extra-point to make as the Trojans regained their lead to 14-10.
  • Valley City State suffered a turnover on the ensuing possession as they failed the punt and fumbled the ball.  DSU's Nico Feroni recovered the ball on VCSU's 21-yard line with 3:35 to go in the third quarter.
  • The Trojans were unable to convert their scoring chance as Nielsen missed a 47-yard field goal with 1:08 on the clock.
  • With Vikings facing fourth-and-3 situation won their own 37-yard line with two seconds left, VCSU faked a punt as Pfeifer threw an interception.  DSU's Jay Skogerboe caught the intercepted and returned it for a 'pick six' touchdown of 35 yards as the quarter expired.
  • Nielsen made a successful PAT extra-point kick as DSU's lead balloon to 21-10.

FOURTH QUARTER

  • Valley City State was forced to punt on the first drive of the fourth quarter.  Pfeifer's punt was blocked by Cody Brown and was recovered on VCSU's 24-yard line with 12:46 remaining.
  • The Trojans answered with a 36-yard field goal to extend their lead to 24-10 with 10:34 left in the game.
  • VCSU marched down the field on the ensuing possession with 13 plays for 46 yards in 4:51 and was unable to score.  Pfeifer was sacked on DSU's 29-yard line on the fourth-and-17 situation with 5:43 to go in the game.
  • As the Vikings faced a fourth-and-4 situation on VCSU's 45-yard line, Guse caught his third interception of the game with 1:26 remaining as the Trojans secured an upset victory over the Vikings.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

  • Guse sparked the Trojans' defense with three interceptions, including a 'pick six' return for touchdown.  He had accumulated a total of 17 interceptions during his career at Dakota State, one shy of tying the all-time school record of 18 interceptions by Jeff Rensch from 1988-91.  He finished with a total of 30 yards return after interceptions and three tackles.
  • Skogerboe added an interception and tallied nine tackles for Dakota State.  Marcus Vanden Bosch had 11 tackles and a quarterback sack of eight yards loss.  Gustavo Bonilla had eight tackles.
  • Devonte Murphy had six tackles and 1.5 quarterback sacks for DSU.  Braedon Wallenstein also had six tackles and 0.5 sack.  Edward Fritzler recorded a quarterback sack of 7 yards loss.
  • Atonio finished the game by going 12-of-20 for 92 yards.  McDermott caught three passes for 28 yards.  Brenner Furlong and Michael Hybertson each added two receptions for 18 yards. 
  • Furlong rushed 11 times for 27 yards for DSU.  Jack Anderson added seven rushes for 22 yards.
  • Pfeifer was 19-of-40 for 156 yards with a touchdown and committed four interceptions for the Vikings.  Cornelious had four receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown.
  • Justice Bice had seven catches for 47 yards for VCSU.  He rushed 19 times for 87 yards.
  • Riley Gerhardt led Valley City State's defense with 13 tackles, a sack and two tackles-for-loss.  Kasowski added 10 tackles and an interception return of 19 yards.  Avila collected eight tackles, a sack, forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.  West had an interception.

TEAM COMPARISONS

  • Valley City State recorded 255 total offensive yards in the game.  Dakota State registered 126 total offensive yards.  The Vikings averaged 3.5 yards per play, while the Trojans had 2.4 yards average per play.
  • The Vikings hit 156 yards in the air compared to the Trojans 92 passing yards.  VCSU had 99 yards rushing yards to DSU 34 rushing yards.
  • DSU averaged 34.8 yards per punt.  VCSU recorded a 17.0 yards per punt.
  • Both teams recorded four quarterback sacks.
  • The Vikings produced 14 first downs in the game compared to the Trojans nine first downs.
  • VCSU converted 5-of-18 (28 percent) on third downs.  DSU was 3-of-11 on third down situations (27 percent).
  • Valley City State maintained a time possession of 33 minutes, 23 seconds.  Dakota State controlled the ball for 26 minutes, 37 seconds.

UP NEXT

Dakota State wraps up their home schedule next Saturday as they host the newest associate member of the North Star Athletic Association, Iowa Wesleyan.  Kick-off from the Trojan Field is set for 1 p.m.

Valley City State returns home next Saturday as they host Dickinson State (N.D.) in the key battle of top teams in the league.  The game is set for 3 p.m. at Shelly Ellig Field-Lokken Stadium in Valley City, N.D.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director

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