VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com)- It was a late night topped off by a wild finish Friday at Hanna Field. The Hi-Liners won their second straight using the final play of the game with Tate Sufficool finding Avery Bennefeld for a 20 yard touchdown to beat Wahpeton 26-20.

The winning drive came after Valley City surrendered the tying score to DJ King with 55 second left in the game. With a 4th down on The Huskies’ 20, Sufficool scrambled to the 5 yard line before play was stopped.

The officials discussed the last play and determined that there was an inadvertent whistle and Valley City was given one snap with 3 seconds left setting up the winning score.

Friday’s night game was delayed for over an hour in the 3rd quarter because of lightning and rain. Play stopped with 7:11 second left in the quarter after Payne scored his 2nd touchdown of the game, a 55 yarder.

Wahpeton used their running game to control the clock and forced VCHS’s defense to have to come up with big stops. They rushed for nearly 300 yards led by Pfaff’s 186.

For the second week in a row The Hi-Liners were able to turn an interception into a scoring drive. In the 4th quarter Sufficool intercepted a pass from Isaac Wohlers and returned it inside the 5. Mitchel Taylor scored for the first time this season on a direct snap on the next play.

Payne rushed for 148 yard to led Valley City. Sufficool was 7 for 18 with 84 yards passing. Bennefeld had 4 catches for 56 yards. Sam Beierle picked up 28 yards on 3 catches.

A week after ending a 13 game winless streak, The Hi-Liner end a 5 game home losing streak. They are now 2-2 on the year while Wahpeton falls to 0-4. Valley City will host Devils Lake next Friday in their homecoming game.

Postgame Interview with Scott Roehrich