MOUNT PLEASTANT, IA (NewsDakota.com) – Vikings traveled to the state of Iowa on this Saturday afternoon as they took on the Iowa Wesleyan Tigers. Vikings came into this game ranked 20th in the top 25 poll and looking to improve to 4-0 on the season.
VCSU received the ball to start the game. Early in the drive the Vikings were faced with a 4th down situation and sent out the punt team. However, QB Jalen Pfeifer is also the Punter for the VCSU Vikings. Wanting to set an early tone in the ball game, the Vikings called a fake punt play and picked up the first down after Pfeifer threw 7-yards to TE Ashton Biesterfield. With a new set of downs the Vikings continued to march down the field. Pfeifer completed the drive by throwing a 13-yard TD pass to wide receiver Jacob Gottenborg to strike first, and Kicker Nico Magana tacked on the PAT to give VCSU the 7-0 lead. The Tigers were moving the ball towards the end of the quarter when on a 4th down and 10 punt situation, punter Max Paskowitz bobbled the snap, but would recover and toss an 18-yard pass to Hezekiah Hunter to convert the 4th down play. With a second life for the Iowa Wesleyan offense, Freshman running back Hezekiah Hunter ran in a 6-yard TD rush, and Paskowitz would make good on the PAT to tie the game up at 7-7 with only 10 seconds left in the 1st quarter.
The 2nd quarter saw both teams exchange field positions. However, late in the quarter, Tigers quarterback Gavin Esquivel threw an interception to Vikings defensive back Colton Taylor to set up a great opportunity for the Vikings offense as they would get the ball at the Tigers 24-yard line. On the first play since the turnover, Vikings qb Jalen Pfeifer ran the ball 21-yards to set up 1st and goal for VCSU from the Tigers 3-yard line. After losing 2-yards on the next play, Pfeifer found Tight End Ashton Biesterfield in the back of the end zone for the 5-yard touchdown pass and Nico Magana would add the PAT to give the Vikings the 14-7 lead with 33 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter.
3rd quarter, after the VCSU defense stood tall to start the second half, the Vikings offense came out on the field to try and extend their lead. On 3rd and 7, Pfeifer moved around in the pocket to buy more time and he found Tight End Jorun Hamre for 22-yards to give VCSU a first down at the Iowa Wesleyan 39-yard line. After three straight runs from running back Justice Bice, the Vikings went to the air on 2nd and 6. Pfeifer this time found his go to connection and found wide receiver Michael Cornelious for the 24-yard touchdown pass to give the Vikings a 21-7 lead. Later on in the quarter the Vikings were driving to try to give themselves more breathing room on the scoreboard. Unfortunately for Pfeifer and the VCSU offense Kaden Henley intercepted the ball in the end zone to give the Iowa Wesleyan offense a chance to get back into the game. The Vikings defense would not allow that to happen in the 3rd quarter.
Early in the 4th quarter VCSU running back Justice Bice ran in a touchdown of his own from 1-yard out to cap off a 10 play 74-yard drive and give the Vikings a 28-7 lead with 12:40 left. The Tigers would not go away quietly though. As on their next offensive drive, Iowa Wesleyan would travel 94 yards in 16 plays to score a touchdown of their own. The drive was capped off Hezekiah Hunter once again, who this time would go for 1-yard on the TD run. After the extra point was added the Vikings had a 28-14 lead with 8:01 left. However, that would be all the Tigers would score today as Jahidi West with the interception in the final minute of the game to seal the 28-14 victory for the VCSU Vikings.
Some notable stat lines from today’s game. QB Jalen Pfeifer was 19/31 with 231 passing yards, 3 TD’s and 1 INT. On the ground running back Justice Bice finished the game with 31 carries for 147 yards and 1 TD. Jorun Hamre had 5 receptions on the afternoon for 94 yards.
Next up for VCSU is a home game next Saturday as they return home for Homecoming weekend to take on Mayville State at 2pm and you can hear the call of the game right here on KOVC.