Univ of Jamestown 16, Valley City State Univ 13

Jamestown 0 10 0 6 — 16

Valley City 0 6 7 0 — 13

Playing at home has meant little in the Jimmie/Viking rivalry of late.

That was the case again Saturday as the University of Jamestown went to Valley City State and reclaimed the Paint Bucket.

A late fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Beau Eriksson to Michael Sena put the Jimmies in front and the defense held late in a 16-13 win at Shelly Ellig Field. It was the fifth straight game in the series the road team has won.

For the second straight year, the Paint Bucket will spend the offseason in Jamestown. After winning 13-10 in Valley last season, the Jimmies squeaked out another win Saturday.

The Vikings had a chance to force overtime on the final play of the game, but Thomas Cortez missed a 36-yard field goal as time expired. It was a fitting end to a game that featured four missed field goals and two shanked extra points — with three misses by each kicker.

The go-ahead touchdown drive engineered by Erickson covered 80 yards in six plays and included a galloping 50-yard run by the sophomore quarterback from Devils Lake on third-and-one from the Jimmies' 29-yard line.

Two plays later Eriksson found Sena for the score — their second touchdown hookup of the game.

Eriksson threw for 216 yards, 92 of them hauled in by Sena on nine catches, and ran for another 78 yards.

The Jimmies piled up 389 yards of offense.

The Vikings did try to extend the game. They drove inside Jimmie territory, but couldn't get any closer than the 26, setting up a pressure kick by Cortez, but he couldn't convert.

Jarelle Miller had a key pass break-up on the final drive and two solo tackles of Valley City State star running back Derek Elliott on the Vikings' second-to-last possession, where they were forced to punt. Miller, a sophomore from Orlando, finished with a team-best nine solo stops. Jeremy Cole had eight tackles and Chris Engelstad seven, including their lone sack.

Neither team committed a turnover in the game and only nine penalties were called.

The Jimmies close out the regular season Saturday at Rollie Greeno Field against Presentation College. A win over the Saints would give the Jimmies at least a share of the first North Star Athletic Association championship.

Courtesy of Jamestown Sun Staff, 10/28/13

******* ******* *******

******* ******* *******