MINNEAPOLIS, MN (NewsDakota.com) From the opening drive, Viking sophomore wide receiver Jake Deutsch began making a mark.
His final mark sealed the first Viking win of the season.
Deutsch caught seven balls for 100 yards, including a 28-yard scoring catch on fourth-and-12 from the Augsburg 28 with 3:34 to go, lifting the Vikings to a 24-14 win at Edor Nelson Field in Minneapolis, MN Friday night.
The seventh catch of Deutsch’s night capped a night in which Noah Chambers found him for big strike after big strike, including a 24-yard hit on third down on the opening drive of the game. The game was the most that Deutsch has been utilized as a receiver as a Viking.
Chambers was harassed all night, sacked four times, yet managed a 15-19 night for 157 yards. He found tight end Austin Richter for a 19-yard connection on third-and-18 on the opening drive, a drive that saw the Vikings march 67 yards in 2:56 to take the opening lead. They would not relinquish the lead in the game.
But it was close.
After a Yzan Lorenzo field goal pushed the Viking edge to 10-0, Augsburg’s Will Smith began to pick Valley City State’s run defense apart. Smith would cap a drive with a four-yard scoring scamper on his way to 98 yards over 22 carries, and the Augies were back within three at 10-7 with 10:22 left in the second quarter.
The Vikings would punt shortly after, and Augsburg again drove, and achieved fourth-and-goal from the Viking three. The Viking defense would stop the ball inches from the goal line, and an Augie unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed the ball out to the 15 after the markoff. The half would end without any further scoring.
A Viking defense that could not generate pressure on Augsburg quarterback Ryan Harvey in the first half solved the problem quickly, sacking him three times in the first 12:39 seconds of the third quarter.
The third sack was a difference maker.
Harvey, rolling to his left, threw back to his right, and Viking defensive back James Dahn, a transfer from Northern State, picked the throw and dashed 56 yards to the house, taking the Viking lead back to 10 at 17-7 with 2:21 left in the third. The sack knocked Harvey out of the game with an injured right arm.
Enter Marcus Freeman, Augsburg’s backup quarterback. Freeman engineered a quick drive, extending two plays with his feet, and hit Tyrone Wilson for a 14-yard diving scoring catch, cutting the Viking lead to 17-14 with 15 seconds to play in the third. Wilson finished with seven catches for 90 yards, Augsburg’s top receiving effort.
Both teams would punt in the fourth quarter, and Valley City State started their final drive at the 37. Chambers again converted a third-and-long, converting on an 11-yard toss to Dom Sotomayor at the Viking 41.
Laggarius Marshell again provided the Vikings a spark in the running game, as he did against Minot State a week earlier. He added 15 yards of rushing to the final scoring push after putting the first points on the board with a 14-yard touchdown run on the opening drive, finishing with 10 carries for 44 yards.
But the Vikings would suffer a catch-and -fumble, losing five yards, and then taking a procedure penalty, forcing a third-and-19 at the 36. After a seven-yard gain on third down, the Vikings left the offense on the field, and Chambers threw to the back shoulder of Deutsch on a post route against double coverage. Deutsch made the grab and absorbed two hits, sliding through the endzone for the decisive score with 3:34 left.
Augsburg made one additional drive, but Freeman would be picked off by Malachi Torres in the back of the endzone, sealing the Viking win.
Sal Soto led the Vikings with nine tackles, while Taquez Chatman recorded 1.5 sacks in the third quarter. Torres had the pick and half a sack, and Loke Iese also recorded a sack.
The Vikings improve to 1-1, and enter a bye week before their North Star Athletic Association opener September 21st, hosting Dakota State.