MAYVILLE, N.D. – The Mayville State University football team delivered a thrilling finish Saturday afternoon at Jerome Berg Field, defeating rival Valley City State University 36-33 on a game-winning field goal as time expired. The victory improved the Comets to 5-2 on the season and gave Mayville State its fifth win in its last six games.
In a back-and-forth rivalry matchup, Mayville State built a 14-point lead in the second half before Valley City State rallied to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. With the contest hanging in the balance, Comet kicker Harry Cousins connected on a 26-yard field goal as time expired to secure the dramatic victory.
Mayville State opened the scoring with a 22-yard field goal from Cousins midway through the first quarter. After the Vikings answered with a field goal of their own, Jack Simmers broke free for a 20-yard touchdown run to put the Comets back in front. Valley City State returned the blocked extra-point attempt for two points, cutting Mayville State's advantage to 9-5.
The Vikings briefly took the lead early in the second quarter, but Mayville State responded quickly behind quarterback Aiden Marcussen, who scored on an eight-yard touchdown run. Cousins added a 23-yard field goal later in the quarter to give the Comets a 19-12 advantage heading into halftime.
Mayville State extended its lead in the third quarter when Blaine Smith found the end zone on a one-yard touchdown run. After Valley City State answered with a touchdown pass, Marcussen capped a four-play, 78-yard drive with his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon, giving the Comets a 33-19 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Vikings refused to go away, scoring twice in the final period. A 32-yard touchdown pass brought Valley City State within seven before a two-yard touchdown run tied the game at 33-33 with 4:08 remaining. Mayville State responded with a final drive that positioned Coursins for the game-winning kick, sending the Comets to a memorable rivalry victory.
Marcussen led the Mayville State offense with an impressive all-around performance, throwing for 230 yards while adding 140 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. The Comets finished with 479 yards of total offense, including 249 rushing yards. Payton McGregor contributed 84 receiving yards as Mayville State consistently moved the ball throughout the afternoon.
Defensively, the Comets faced a challenging Valley City State offense that totaled 410 yards. Despite the Vikings' late comeback, Mayville State came away with the victory in a game that featured several momentum swings and a dramatic finish.
The win was particularly meaningful for the Mayville State football program as the Comets continued to rally around teammate Matthew Donovan, who remains hospitalized in Fargo following an injury suffered earlier this season. Saturday's rivalry contest provided another opportunity for Comet Nation to come together in support of Donovan and his family.
Valley City State & Mayville State both wore decals on their helmets showing support for Matt. They also met at midfield with Matt's jersey to show everyone that football is more than a game, it is a brotherhood.
