VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City State University Vikings were looking to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season last Saturday on the road. They welcomed a familiar foe to town, the Dickinson State Blue Hawks. Despite intercepting the DSU quarterback four times in the games, the Blue Hawks come away with the 14-7 win.

In the first quarter, Dickinson received the ball to start the game. They were driving the field when Senior quarterback Drew Boedecker tried to throw a ball down the sidelines, it was a short throw that would be picked off by VCSU Sophomore linebacker Jahidi West.

In the second quarter, the Blue Hawks snapped a play from scrimmage from their own 44-yard line. Once again quarterback Drew Boedecker threw another interception to Jahidi West with 7:33 remaining in the first half. On the ensuing offensive drive for the Vikings, they were faced with a 4th and 6 situation inside the 30-yard line of the Blue Hawks. The Vikings would go for it, and get it as Jalen Pfeifer hit Michael Cornelious for the 7-yard pass to keep the drive alive. Pfeifer would set the Vikings up at the 5-yard line after he scrambled his way up the field. Running back Justice Bice would cap off the drive by running in the score from 5-yards out to give the Vikings the first lead of the day. Kicker Nico Magana would tack on the PAT to give VCSU the 7-0 lead with 0:36 remaining in the second quarter. Dickinson would get the ball back before the end of the half at their own 35-yard line after the kick off from Magana would go out of bounds. DSU quarterback Drew Boedecker should be making the pitch to his head coach to get Jahidi West on his receiving core, because for the third time in the first half he threw West an interception, this time with 0:03 remaining in the first half. VCSU would take the 7-0 lead into halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, with the score remaining the same, the Vikings offense faced 4th and 1 at the DSU 26-yard line, and would not pick up the first down and would turn the ball over on downs. On the ensuing offensive possession for the Blue Hawks they would move down the field quickly thanks to a deep pass from Boedecker to wide receiver Kaden Kuntz to keep momentum on the DSU side. Running back Riley Linder would cap off the drive by scoring a 4-yard rushing touchdown, and kicker Jace Johnson would add the PAT to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:42 left in the third quarter.

We would go into the fourth quarter tied, but it wouldn’t stay that way for too long. As DSU would go 83-yards in 8 plays for the score. The big play once again would help out the Blue Hawk offense as again Boedecker hit Kuntz for a massive gain. Boedecker would qb sneak it in from 1-yard out to give DSU their first lead of the ball game, and with the PAT from Johnson, take the 14-7 lead with 12:02 left in regulation. After the Vikings offense couldn’t respond, DSU had their offense back out on the field. With 9:05 left in the game, Blue Hawks quarterback Boedecker threw his fourth interception of the game, this time to Anthony Russell, but as Russell was just a couple of yards away from tying the game he was stripped of the ball, and the ball would go out of bounds and become a touchback for Dickinson. After getting a second chance at life in this game, DSU would just run the ball three straight plays to bleed some clock before punting the ball away. The Vikings offense would be set up at the DSU 16-yard line with under 4 minutes to play. On a 3rd +6, the Vikings tried a trick play where Bice would receive a pitch from Pfeifer and attempt to throw a TD pass, but DSU tackled Bice to stop the play. On 4th and 6, cornerback Jayden Heartwell would break up a would be TD pass from Pfeifer. The Vikings would get one more chance as they would get the ball back at midfield with just under 2 minutes to play. After 3 straight incomplete passes the Vikings would take a delay of game call and be faced with 4th and 15. Pfeifer would pass to Bice on a running back screen pass that would only pick up a handful of yards, and give the ball and the game to DSU.

Dickinson State leaves Valley City with the 14-7 victory Saturday afternoon. VCSU drops to 6-2 overall, and 4-2 in the North Star conference. For Dickinson State they are now 5-2 overall, and 5-0 in the North Star conference.

Next up for VCSU is a road game on Saturday against Waldorf, kickoff will be at 1PM. Vikings with just 2 games left in the regular season.