MAYVILLE, N.D. – Valley City State scored three second-half touchdowns Saturday afternoon, breaking open a tight game as the Vikings picked up a 24-7 road victory at Mayville State.
 
Quarterback Avery Thorsgard ripped off a 70-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second half, giving VCSU a 10-0 lead. After the Comets trimmed VCSU's lead to 10-7, VCSU put the game away with two touchdowns in a 75-second span of the fourth quarter.
 
Thorsgard hit Mason Yoshino for a 32-yard score with 5:47 remaining to give VCSU a 17-7 lead. On Mayville State's ensuing possession, VCSU safety Micah Olson picked off a pass and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown and a 24-7 lead.
 
Andrew Nielsen started the scoring for VCSU with a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter, and the Vikings would take a 3-0 lead in halftime before the big second half.
 
The Vikings have now won three straight games and are 6-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play. The Vikings are back on the road Nov. 4 at Dickinson State – the only conference team that has beat VCSU this season. With a win on Nov. 4, the Vikings would move into a tie with Dickinson State atop the standings with one game remaining. The Blue Hawks are currently 7-1 overall and 6-0 in conference play.
 
On Saturday at Mayville, Valley City State's defense limited the Comets to just 171 yards of offense, including only 9 yards passing. With temperatures below freezing and a stiff wind blowing, neither team's offense went to the air much. The teams combined for just 94 total passing yards on only 23 attempts.
 
Senior defensive lineman Riley Gerhardt led the Vikings with 20 total tackles, which included one sack and two tackles for loss. Senior linebacker Jahidi West had 14 total tackles, 1.5 TFL and a sack. Paco Baltazar, Loke Iese and Georgie Mageo each had six tackles. Taquez Chatman added a sack and two TFL, and Olson's 60-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed the victory.
 
Offensively, both Thorsgard and Noah Chambers saw time at quarterback. Thorsgard rushed 10 times for 99 total yards and the big rushing touchdown to start the half. He was also 4-for-6 passing for 70 yards and the touchdown to Yoshino. Chambers rushed eight times for 33 yards and was 2-for-4 passing for 15 yards. Justice Bice carried the ball 11 times for 42 yards, and Yoshino had three catches for 49 yards and the score – his first career touchdown as a Viking.
 
Up next: Valley City State plays at Dickinson State on Saturday, Nov. 4. The Vikings need a win to move into a tie for first-place in the conference standings.