ABERDEEN, S.D. - The Valley City State University football team scored the final 14 points Saturday as the Vikings rallied for a 24-14 road victory at Presentation College.
VCSU trailed 14-10 after Presentation quarterback Austin Eggl hit Cole Adams for a 14-yard touchdown with 14:02 left in the game. But on the second play of the ensuing drive, Viking quarterback Kurtis Walls found receiver Josh Tovar for a go-ahead 60-yard touchdown and a 17-14 lead.
The Vikings added another score late in the fourth quarter after Mychael Bruce intercepted Eggl deep in Saints territory. Jacob Duilio followed with a 10-yard touchdown run on the next play from scrimmage to seal the victory.
Valley City State improves to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the North Star Athletic Association. Presentation College drops to 3-4 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
Valley City State struck first when Walls found Mark Zinke for a 9-yard touchdown late in the first quarter. The extra point by Luca Norblom put the Vikings up 7-0. Presentation College tied the game on a 31-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, and the teams went into halftime knotted at 7-7.
Norblom gave the Vikings a 10-7 lead after nailing a 34-yard field goal with 9:11 left in the third quarter. It would stay that way until the Saints took their 14-10 lead early in the fourth quarter, setting up VCSU's comeback.
Nicholas McBeain had 20 tackles and two tackles for loss to lead VCSU's defense. Ethen Preston added nine tackles and a sack, and Riley Fredrickson had eight tackles and two sacks. Bruce had two interceptions in the game.
Offensively, Duilio had 24 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown. Damario Fair added nine carries for 42 yards.
Walls completed 15 of 35 passes for 152 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Colby Lum had six catches for 28 yards and Zackary Schmidt had three catches for 19 yards. Tovar and Zinke each had one catch for a touchdown.
Up next: Valley City State hosts the University of Jamestown on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff for the NSAA conference game is set for 1 p.m. at VCSU's Shelly Ellig Field.
