October 26, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) prevented Valley City State (N.D.) from scoring in the red zones twice, thanks to a pair of interceptions, holding on to a 13-6 North Star Athletic Association football victory Saturday afternoon at Brian Kern Family Stadium.  The Trojans also earned their first-ever season series sweep of the Vikings.

Dakota State earned their first home victory over Valley City State since Sept. 5, 1998, at the former Trojan Field.  The Trojans earned their first ever two-game winning streak over the Vikings the series meeting.  It was DSU's third win over VCSU in the last five meetings.

The Trojans snapped their three-game losing skid, improving to 5-3 overall record and 3-3 league record.  Valley City State fell to 2-5 overall record and 1-4 record in the North Star conference.  Dakota State moved into a second-place tie with Mayville State after their 21-14 home setback to Jamestown (N.D.) Saturday.

Dakota State closed their 2024 home schedule with a winning record (3-2 record) at the new Brian Kern Family Stadium on Blankley Field.  The Trojans held their opponents to five points per game in those three home victories.

It was the third time in the last four seasons that DSU earned a winning record on their home field.

FIRST QUARTER
Valley City State kicked off the game with five straight rushing plays, highlighted by Avery Thorsgard with 57 yards rush from VCSU's 27-yard line to DSU's 7-yardl ine.  The Trojans halted the Vikings to score a touchdown as they sent their field goal unit.
Yzan Lorenzo's 23-yard field goal attempt was missed as it hit the right crossbar with 10 minutes, 51 seconds on the clock in the first quarter.

Dakota State then used eight plays for 30 yards in three minutes, thirty-six seconds.  The Trojans turned the ball on downs as VCSU regained possession with 7:15 on the clock.

Valley City State would answer on the ensuing possession as they had to settle for 35-yard field goal from Lorenzo for a 3- lead with 2:37 to go in first.  The Vikings used nine plays for 32 yards in 4:38 in their scoring drive.

The first quarter closed with a 10-yard pass from AJ Donovan to Melek Ford from VCSU's 37-yard line to VCSU's 27-yard line.  Tysen Grinde highlighted the drive with a 28-yard reception from DSU's 32-yard line to VCSU's 40-yard line.
Valley City State led 3-0 after the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER
Dakota State had to settle for a 26-yard field goal from Carson Sauseda, tying the game at 3-3 with 11:15 left in the second quarter.  The Trojans used 12 plays for 66 yards in 6:15 in their scoring drive.

Valley City State took much of the second quarter on their ensuing possession, registering 16 plays for 70 yards in 10-plus minutes as they marched to DSU's 3-yard line.  The Vikings produced four first downs in the drive, including a successful fourth down conversion on DSU's 7-yard line where Thorsgard rushed for four yards for a first down on DSU's 3-yard line.

DSU's Trey Ortman caught an interception and returned it for 22 yards to DSU's 23-yard line with 46 seconds to go before halftime.

The game was knotted at 3-3 by halftime.

THIRD QUARTER
Valley City State kicked off the third quarter with 12 plays for 49 yards in 7:14 but committed a turnover in the red zone for the second straight time.  Facing third-and-goal on DSU's 8-yard line, Jay Skogerboe intercepted Thorsgard's pass in the end zone to prevent the Vikings from scoring 7:44 to go in the third.  Dakota State began their next drive on their own 20-yard line.

The Trojans were forced to punt on the next drive.  Tyce Ortman registered a season-long 61-yard punt from DSU's 18-yard line to VCSU's 18-yard line.  Micah Olson fumbled the ball on the punt return as DSU's Cole Paulson recovered the fumble to regain possession on VCSU's 18-yard line. 

The Vikings committed a penalty on the same play, moving the ball to VCSU's 9-yard line.  The Trojans continued their drive with a 4-yard rush by Ty. Ortman.  He then rushed for 5-yard touchdown to give DSU a 9-3 lead with 5:17 to go in the third. 
Sauseda followed up with a successful PAT extra point kick to make it 10-3 in favor of the Trojans.

Valley City State marched down the field on the next possession, ignited by Thorsgard's 20-yard rush from VCSU's 25-yard line to VCSU's 45-yard line. 

The Vikings turned the ball on down on DSU's 25-yard line, regaining possession for the Trojans with 21 seconds left in the third quarter.

Dakota State was forced to punt on the next possession as Ty. Ortman recorded a 40-yard punt from DSU's 25-yard line to VCSU's 35-yard line, ending the third quarter.

DSU led 10-3 after three quarters.

FOURTH QUARTER
Valley City State was forced to punt on their next possession.  Jim Miller recorded a game-long 62-yard punt from VCSU's 38-yard line, resulting in a touchback as the Trojans start their drive with 13:13 remaining.

Dakota State went on to record 20 plays for 78 yards in nearly nine minutes on the ensuring possession, highlighted by Preston Iverson's 19-yard rushing to convert a third-and-12 situation on VCSU's 30-yard line to VCSU's 11-yard line that resulted in a first down.

The Trojans had to settle for a 19-yard field goal from Sauseda, ballooning their lead to 13-3 with 4:18 left.

Valley City State quickly answered on the next drive with a field goal.  Thorsgard opened with a 38-yard rush from VCSU's 42-yard line to DSU's 20-yard line.  The Vikings trimmed their deficit to 13-6 with 2:28 remaining after a 32-yard field goal from Lorenzo.

Valley City State used up all their three timeouts on the next drive.  The Trojans produced a first down and then was forced to punt with 1:07 remaining.

VCSU started their drive on their own 37-yard line as Thorsgard threw an incomplete pass on the first play.  He then threw a 6-yard pass to Ka'Ua Nishigaya to VCSU's 43-yard line, out-of-bounds.  Thorsgard ran for seven yards to the 50-yard line for a first down.

As the clock kept running, Thorsgard bobbled the ball and spike the ball for an incomplete pass.  However, he was committed for an illegal forward pass, moving the ball to VCSU's 44-yard line. 

After Thorsgard rushed for nine yards to DSU's 47-yardline (tackled by Taron Serr), the Trojans secured the game as Kacey Cauley caught an interception as the time expired.

TEAM LEADERS
Donovan was 10-for-19 with 83 yards passing for Dakota State.  Iverson rushed 15 times for 68 yards.  Ty. Ortman added 13 rushes for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Grinde finished the game with two catches for 33 yards for the Trojans.  Ford added three catches for 24 yards.

Serr led DSU's defense with nine tackles.  Caleb Dwyer added eight tackles and a quarterback sack of five yards loss.  Paulson had seven tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and a fumble recovery.  Kaden Eng, Blake Duran, Chris Guipi-Bopala, and Collin Brueggeman each recorded five tackles. 

Skogerboe, Tr. Ortman, and Cauley each had an interception for Dakota State.

Thorsgard was 14-for-24 with 115 passing yards and threw three interceptions for Valley City State.  He added 181 rushing yards.  Dominic Sotomayer had three receptions for 32 yards.

Levi Olson led the Vikings' defense with 10 tackles.  Aiden Russell added nine tackles and 2.0 tackles-for-loss.  Georgia Mageo had a quarterback sack of three yards loss.

TEAM COMPARISONS
Valley City State outgained Dakota State 328-189 in total offensive yards.  The Vikings rushed for 213 yards to the Trojans 106 rushing yards.  VCSU threw 115 yards to DSU 83 passing yards.

The Vikings committed four turnovers in the game (three interceptions, one fumble) to the Trojans zero turnovers. 

VCSU converted 7-of-16 on third down conversions to DSU 4-of-11 third downs.  Valley City State produced 17 first downs compared to Dakota State 13 first downs.

UP NEXT
Dakota State takes their second North Star's conference bye week next Saturday and return to action on Saturday, Nov. 9.  The Trojans visit Mayville State (N.D.) at Jerome Berg Field with a 4 p.m. kick-off in Mayville, N.D.