The Viking football team finished off the regular season in style Saturday, winning the outright North Star Athletic Association conference championship with a 36-14 victory at Presentation College.
VCSU built a 30-7 lead midway through the second quarter and led 30-14 at halftime. VCSU's defense held Presentation College scoreless in the second half to clinch the championship.
The win extends Valley City's winning streak to eight games as they improve to 9-1 overall and finish conference play with a 6-0 record.
The No. 15-ranked Vikings likely sewed up a spot in the national playoffs with the victory as well. VCSU will find out its playoff matchup on Sunday, Nov. 16.
Presentation College finishes the season with a 6-4 overall record and a 3-3 mark in conference play.
The Vikings wasted no time staking their claim to the outright championship Saturday in Aberdeen, S.D. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Viking offense needed just four plays to find the end zone when quarterback Kurtis Walls hit DeJhon Edwards for a 38-yard score and a 7-0 lead.
Walls threw four touchdown passes on the night; all to different receivers and all in the first half. After being forced to punt on their second drive, the Vikings special teams forced a fumble on the punt return and recovered at the 50-yard line. VCSU's offense would capitalize when Walls hit Demondre Boler for a 9-yard score and a 13-0 lead with 7:45 remaining in the first quarter.
A 27-yard touchdown run by Presentation College's Hayden Zenner cut the Viking lead to 13-7. VCSU answered when kicker Thomas Cortes nailed a 25-yard field goal late in the first quarter. After the Viking defense forced a punt, Walls and Antoine Griffin hooked up for a 62-yard touchdown and a 23-7 Viking lead. The Viking defense immediately forced another 3-and-out and once again the offense marched down the field, capping a 5-play, 68-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Walls to Zach Johnson.
Presentation College proceeded to put together a 12-play, 79-yard touchdown drive, capped by an 11-yard pass from Stephen Braswell to Anthony Bricker. The score cut the Viking lead to 30-14, which it would be at halftime.
The second half was a defensive struggle and neither offense found the end zone. The score would remain 30-14 until the final play of the game, when VCSU defensive back Andre Peppers intercepted Presentation College's last-gasp pass and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown.
The Viking defense forced three Saints turnovers in the game and won the turnover battle 3-0. Viking linebacker Nick McBeain had a huge game, leading the defense with 16 total tackles (11 solo), a sack and an interception. Jawuan Pugh had 11 tackles and Steve Wright had seven tackles and broke up three passes. Sam Cooke added six tackles, including two tackles for loss.
Kurtis Walls finished the game 25-for-44, passing for 384 yards and four touchdowns. The four touchdowns give him 35 this season, which sets a new single-season school record at VCSU. His first touchdown Saturday broke the old record of 31 held by Jason Beilke.
Freshman receiver Antoine Griffin also set a new school record Saturday. He finished the game with nine receptions for 179 yards and a score. He now has 1,174 receiving yards this season, which breaks the old school record of 1,168, held by Steve Battle.
DeJhon Edwards also had a 100-yard receiving game, finishing with four catches for 106 yards and a score. Trevor Goerts led the Viking rush attack with 21 carries for 66 yards. Ian Keller had 11 carries for 45 yards.
Zenner led the Saints's offense with 135 yards rushing and a touchdown on 24 carries. Antoine Scott added 55 yards on the ground. Anthony Bricker caught six passes for 88 yards and a touchdown.
Up next: Valley City State University will find out its playoff opponent and destination on Sunday, Nov. 16. The first round of the NAIA playoffs begins Nov. 22.
