MAYVILLE, ND  (NewsDakota.com)  In a stagnant game that saw 15 total passing yards, on just nine total attempts from both teams combined, the team that opened it up in the second half was going to prevail.

Valley City State found a way.

A broken tackle on a fourth-and-five led to a 32-yard touchdown catch for Viking receiver Mason Yoshino, and a 60-yard  interception return by Micah Olson finished off a 24-7 win at Jerome Berg Field in Mayville, ND, Saturday.

The Vikings led 3-0 at the half, while Mayville State quarterback Tim Salmon, a star quarterback playing with a depleted receiver corps, had just one completion for zero  yards at the half.  He’d finish the game 3-13 for nine yards and a pick-six.

Avery Thorsgard played the entire second half at quarterback for the Vikings, and took the opening second half snap 70 yards down the sideline for the game’s first touchdown, pushing the lead to 10-0.

The Comets responded with a nine minute, 80-yard drive and a one-yard touchdown plunge by Mason Ullman, who finished as the game’s leading rusher, earning 127 yards for the game.

Still leading 10-7, the Vikings drove inside Comet territory, and faced third-and-17 from the Comet 44.  Thorsgard hit Austin Young for a 12-yard gain, and, out of field goal range, the Vikings kept the offense on the field for a fourth-and five.

Thorsgard found Yoshino over the middle near the yard-to-gain marker, but Yoshino ducked a high tackle and sprinted to the end zone for a 32-yard scoring scamper, pushing the Viking lead to 17-7.

On the ensuing drive, Salmon lofted a deep ball over the middle, and Olson made a running grab, finding a hole on the sideline for a 60-yard return, sealing the Viking win.

Riley Gerhardt finished another superb defensive game for the Vikings, recording 20 tackles, a sack and two more tackles for loss.  Thorsgard finished with 99 yards rushing and a score, and 70 yards passing for another score.

The Vikings are now 6-2, and face Dickinson State next Saturday.