Vikings find their footing with two straight home victories
The Augustana Vikings bounced back from a rocky start to the season with a series of wins at home. The victories have given the Vikings some momentum as they look forward to their next home game against the University of Sioux Falls.
The Vikings came back against Minot State with a 38-33 victory on Sept. 12 after a loss away at Minnesota Duluth the week prior. The Vikings kept the train rolling as they breezed past MSU Moorhead in a 45-21 triumph on Sept. 18.
The first home game against Minot State was closely contested.
Quarterback Jett Lundeen scored three rushing touchdowns for the Beavers, who led for stretches of the second and third quarters.
According to coach Jerry “OJ” Olszewski, key changes at halftime were imperative to stopping Minot from penetrating the Vikings’ defense.
“We pinched the front a few times, we locked up our corners and brought them down and just took the wide outs out from the crack game,” Olszewski said regarding the adjustments he made at halftime. “We let our safeties go around the alleys and choked them out a little bit.”
Both Olszewski and sophomore defensive lineman Cameron Maciejewski said the adjustments to the defensive line at halftime were the result of discussion between the defense and the coaching staff. After halftime, Augustana stopped Minot from taking the lead, apart from a 3-minute period early in the third quarter.
Maciejewski pointed to a number of key stops in the second half that kept Minot State from putting pressure back on the Vikings.
“I mean, getting those stops late is huge,” he said.
Augustana’s offensive capabilities remain strong, with senior tight end Klayton Sattler completing two touchdowns over the course of the game. Senior receiver Cody Oswald was on the receiving end of a 33 yard pass from senior quarterback Gunnar Hensley which gave Augustana the lead in the second quarter.
“Offensively, I think we were hitting on high cylinders all day,” Olszewski said, praising his offense's ability to create plays. “We got behind the chains twice, but we made a play.”
According to Sattler, Hensley has been an underrated part of their clean offensive play. He was named Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) player of the week for his 23 completed passes — four of which were passing touchdowns against Minot State.
“He can never get enough [credit],” Sattler said. “Putting these balls in, letting us make plays — he’s the best quarterback in the country, regardless of what division we’re playing in.”
The Vikings got off to a slow start against MSU Moorhead, trailing by 10 after the first quarter. Freshman offensive lineman Nicholas Wilson said the slow start can be attributed to MSU playing a layered defensive line, which isn’t a style the Vikings usually face.
He said the team figured out what MSU’s defense was doing in the second quarter and slammed 28 points past them. Sophomore running back Breylon Blount joined Sattler, Lemmond and Oswald with a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Hensley threw a career-best five touchdown passes on 27 completions against MSU Moorhead, earning NSIC offensive player of the week honors for the second week in a row. Blount and Oswald each scored an additional touchdown in the fourth quarter, while senior kicker and captain Jake Pecina contributed a 33-yard field goal.
“[Pecina is] an incredibly valuable part of our team. That's why our kids named him captain,” Olszewski said. “He's a real weapon, and I'll put my bank account on him every single time, win or lose.”
Looking ahead, the Vikings are aiming for a fourth consecutive win against USF coming up Oct. 3. Another victory would make it Augustana's longest period of dominance against the Cougars in this century.
