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CITY, IA (VCSUVikings.com)– It was a roller coaster of emotions Saturday for the Valley City State football team as the Vikings lost a back-and-forth battle at Waldorf University.
The Warriors scored with 12 seconds remaining – the last of seven touchdowns in a wild second half – as they stunned the Vikings with a 39-35 victory.
After the Warriors scored with 2:37 left to take a 32-28 lead, the Vikings mounted a late drive that initially appeared to be the game-winner. Louis Quinones capped the seven play, 53-yard drive with 52 seconds remaining, scoring on a 13-yard carry that put the Vikings ahead 35-32.
The late touchdown would not hold up though as Waldorf quarterback Hilton Joseph led his team 65 yards in just 40 seconds for the game-winning score. The Vikings had a Hail Mary pass into the end zone fall incomplete as time expired.
Valley City State took the opening kickoff and marched 73 yards for an opening score, capping the drive with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Pfeifer to Jake Peterson.
The Warriors responded with 19 straight points as they took a 19-7 lead into the half. Valley City State came back with the first 14 points of the second half, the last score coming on an 86-yard blocked field goal return by Andrew Hanretty. That gave the Vikings a 21-19 lead with 5:09 left in the third quarter.
From there, the teams traded touchdowns the rest of the way with Joseph’s game-winning 17-yard pass to Samuel Huntley the final act in a dramatic fourth quarter.
Early in the game VCSU linebacker Nicholas McBeain made more history as he topped 500 career tackles. His 16 stops in the game give him 513 in this career. He is the only Viking to ever top 400 and now 500 career tackles.
Viking running back Louis Quinones had a big game in the loss, rushing for 107 yards and three touchdowns. Pfeifer went 26-for-36 passing, racking up 257 yards. He threw one touchdown and had two interceptions.
Tyler Howell had a career-high 12 receptions for 89 yards. Quinones and Eli Luna each had four catches, and Jake Peterson caught three passes for 56 yards and a score.
VCSU committed three turnovers compared to just one by Waldorf.
McBeain led the Viking defense with 16 tackles, including 13 solo stops. He topped 500 career tackles during the game. Austin Erickson and Riley Fredrickson each had eight tackles, and Travon Smith had a big game with seven tackles, two tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
Up next: Valley City State (2-3, 1-2 NSAA) travels to Dickinson State University for an Oct. 7 game.