VALLEY CITY, ND – The Mayville State University Comets were looking to erase their conference woes Saturday afternoon, but a Valley City State Vikings football team stood in the way. A five-yard rushing touchdown by Joshua McKnight was the eventual game-winning score for the Vikings, as they escaped with a 30-19 North Star Athletic Association win against the Comets of Mayville State at Shelly Ellig Field at Lokken Stadium in Valley City.
"Our guys fought hard for 60 minutes today," head coach Jeff Larson said. "Unfortunately, we did not come out on top."
The two teams played a scoreless first quarter, and it was Valley City State who got on the board first in the game. Jalen Pfeifer's 15-yard pass to Jacob Gottenborg, with 8:31 to go in the half, put the Vikings up 7-0, with the extra point kick.
"I give Valley City credit, they are a well-coached team and capitalized on their opportunities," Larson said.
The Comets looked to equalize the game, as they got the ball back on turnover on downs late. Cole Dukart scampered into the endzone, but Josh Portillo's extra point was missed, making the score 7-6.
Valley City went up 14-6 a short time later, as a four-play, 66-yard drive ended in the eventual winning touchdown by McKnight.
The third quarter started off with the Vikings taking the opening kickoff across the field, capped off by a 21-yard field goal by Landon Arredondo, making it 17-6 Vikings. Pfeifer extended the score to 23-6 with 2:54 left, as he rushed into the endzone from one yard out.
Mayville State pulled the game to within 10 as Creighton Pfau found Jacquante Pitts for a 20-yard touchdown pass, a four-minute drive that spanned 80 yards.
Pfeifer increased the gap with a nine-yard touchdown rush with 3:06 left, making it 30-13.
Then, to close the game, Pfau scrambled for a four-yard run, with one second left.
Pfau finished the game with 319 yards and one touchdown on 31-of-45 passing.
Pfau also led all Comet rushers with 20 rushes for 73 yards and one touchdown, while Pitts had 11 receptions for 124 yards and one touchdown.
The Comets will host Dakota State next Saturday at 2 p.m. at Jerome Berg Field.
"Just like every week, we have to have a short memory and move on to giving everything we got to get ready for Dakota State," Larson said.