VALLEY CITY, N.D. – For the first time in almost exactly six years, Valley City State defeated Dickinson State in football. The last Viking win in this series came on October 26, 2019, when VCSU won 23-22 over the Blue Hawks at Lokken Stadium, a span of then straight losses. But Saturday, the Vikings got a field goal midway through the fourth quarter, then scored a late touchdown to pull out a 29-21 win over the Dickinson State in Frontier Conference football at Lokken Stadium and Dacotah Bank Field.

The Vikings are 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Frontier Conference. Dickinson State falls to 2-6 overall and 0-4 in the conference.

Before the game, the Vikings recognized twelve seniors. Dominic Sotomayor, Marty Gohn, Moziah Rogers-Tivao, Joey Cave, Hunter Phelps, TaQuez Chatman, Wadley Lamy, Tommy Cox, Reese Willprecht, Atibordin Sophonsakulrat, Mathew Jacquot, and Trent Finney.

Dickinson State had a nice drive that went 14 plays and covered 57 yards and took 7:41 off the clock. But the Viking defense bend-but-don't break came through and stopped the Blue Hawks on downs at the Viking 15-yard line.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Blue Hawks struck first. Early in the fourth quarter, after a short punt gave Dickinson State the ball at the Viking 31-yard line, Ty Dassinger scored from 13 yards out. Quinn Kalpin's extra point capped the four-play, 31-yard drive that took less than two minutes off the clock.

Valley City State would strike back quickly with a three-play, 70-yard drive that was capped off by a seven-yard touchdown run by quarterback Joey Cave. The big play on the drive was a 63-yard completion from Cave to Jake Deutsch that got the ball down to the seven-yard line. Cave scored on the next play to end the drive that took just 48 seconds. Walker Brondos added the extra-point to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:03 to go in the second quarter.

The Vikings forced Dickinson State to punt on their next drive. Cave led the Vikings on a ten play, 80-yard drive. He was four for five passing on the drive for 62 yards, including the 16-yard scoring strike to Deutsch. Brondos' extra-point made it 14-7 Vikings with 1:49 to go in the second quarter.

But that gave the Blue Hawks just enough time to go on an eight-play, 75-yard drive that took 1:27. Marc Sanders tossed a ten-yard touchdown pass to Gage Gilbert to end the drive. Kalpin's extra-point made it 14-14 heading into the locker room.

Dickinson State went three and out in its first possession of the second half.

The Vikings would go on a 13-play, 62-yard drive that took 6:40 off the clock. Cave found Deutsch across the back part of the end zone. Deutsch made a great catch and kept his feet in bounds for the six-yard touchdown pass. Brondos' extra-point was blocked by Dickinson State's Carson Baker to make the score 20-14 with 7:24 to go in the third quarter.

The Blue Hawks would answer right back with a twelve play, 87-yard drive that took just over six minutes. Sanders and Gilbert hooked up again for a 39-yard touchdown pass. Kalpin's extra-point made it 21-20 Dickinson State with 1:16 to go in the third quarter.

With momentum on their side, Dickinson State's defense came up with a big play on the Vikings next drive. Nathaniel Jilek picked off a Joey Cave pass at the Blue Hawk seven-yard line. But the Vikings came up with a stop thanks, in part, to a TaQuez Chatman sack. After a 33-yard punt, the Vikings took over at their own 49-yard line.

The drive would stall at the Dickinson State 22-yard line. Walker Brondos then kicked a 36-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 23-21 lead with 7:36 to go in the fourth quarter.

The Blue Hawks would go three-and-out on their next possession. A short punt gave Valley City State the ball at the Blue Hawk 48-yard line. The Vikings put an exclamation point on the game with a nine-play, 48-yard drive capped off by Devyne Pearson's five-yard touchdown run. The extra point was blocked then the loose ball was fumbled by VCSU end the play. The Vikings led 29-21 with 2:03 to go in the fourth quarter.

On the ensuing drive, the Vikings' Chatman came up with second sack of the game and caused a fumble. Blue Hawk offensive lineman Landen Thompson fell on the ball to keep the possession with Dickinson State. After an incompletion, Sanders would complete the next three passes and get the ball to the Viking 39-yard line. Back-to-back incompletions would make a fourth and three. Sanders's pass would be batted in the air by Chatman. Sanders would catch his own pass but then was brought down immediately by Savili-Hiapo Castillo-Leovao to end the drive and essentially the game. The Vikings would take one knee to end the game and earn a big win over the Blue Hawks.

Joey Cave was 16 for 24 for 211 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. He would add 19 carries for 70 yards and a score. Devyne Pearson had ten carries for 53 yards and a score. Jake Deutsch had eight catches for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

Gavin Gerhardt and Ashton Raquino both had twelve tackles to lead the defense. TaQuez Chatman, one of the twelve seniors honored before the game, had five tackles, three for a loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a pass deflection.

The Vikings are off next weekend before wrapping up their regular season on the road at Montana State-Northern in Havre, Montana on November 8^th then at Montana Tech in Butte on November 15^th.