VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – It was Homecoming weekend for Valley City High School, and the football team took it upon themselves to put on a show for their city. The Hi-Liners with a complete 60 minute performance this evening on their way to getting their first victory of the season.

The tone was set early on in the game by the Valley City defense. With the Braves offense on the field to start the game they faced a 4th and 4 situation at the Valley City 36-yard line, and decided to go for it. Senior Colten Straub for Valley City came up clutch and made the play to stop the Braves offense and give the ball to his offense. With the offense having the ball the Hi-Liners had a touchdown wiped out after an Offensive Pass Interference penalty. Valley City would end up facing a 4th and goal situation from the 24-yard line and would not convert.

Gavin Gerhardt gave the team momentum in the second quarter as he picked off the pass from Braves quarterback Tanner Monette. However, once again the Hi-Liners offense could not capitalize on a change of possession. With half-time looming Gerhardt came up large once again, and again on the defensive side of the ball. The QB/S made his second interception of the night and this time returned in 72-yards for the score giving Valley City the lead. Gerhardt would find Aiden Jacobson in the end zone for the 2point conversion and the Valley City 8-0 lead going into halftime.

Hi-Liners would receive the ball to start the second half. Gerhardt would finish off the drive by running in for the 17-yard touchdown, and Ethan Miller would convert the 2point conversion to give Valley City the 16-0 lead. One of the key plays in this game came late in the third quarter. The Hi-Liner offense was facing 3rd and 18 on the Turtle Mountain 31-yard line and still just a two possession game, when Gerhardt ran the QB keeper for 19 yards and picking up the first down to keep the drive alive and to move deep into Braves territory. Just 29 seconds into the 4th quarter, Ethan Miller would cap off the drive with a 10-yard touchdown rush of his own and Gerhardt would run in the 2point conversion to extend the Valley City lead to 24-0.

The Braves offense came back out on the field trying to figure out someway to claw back into the game. Tonight, was just not that night as Freshman running back Tyler Morin fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Hi-Liner Jonah Schuldheisz at the Braves 24-yard line. On the drive following the turnover for Valley City, Zach Sykora would run one in from 3-yards out to give the Hi-Liners the 30-0 lead with 8:45 remaining in the game. With the game winding down the Braves offense came out trying to put some kind of points on the board. After a penalty filled drive from both of the teams, Turtle Mountain was faced with a 4th and Goal from the Hi-Liner 1-yard line. Braves QB Monette tried to sneak one in up the middle but he would be stopped by Tyler Keys and Jonah Schuldheisz to preserve the shutout.

Hi-Liners go on to win this one 30-0 to improve to 1-4 on the season. Next up for Valley City is a match up on the road in Jamestown next Friday night against the Blue Jays.