Vikings host Mavericks in must-win matchup

After a dominant performance on Saturday which saw the Mavericks take care of the Upper Iowa Peacocks 43-20, the football team will hit the road this weekend to take on a challenging foe. 

The Mavericks travel to Sioux Falls Saturday to take on the 21st-ranked Augustana Vikings at Kirkeby-Over Stadium at 1 p.m. The last time these teams clashed was last year in a late October game in which the Vikings came out on top, 45-35. The Mavericks will be looking to prove that last season’s loss was just a fluke, as before last season’s slip up they had won nine straight against the Vikings. 

One thing that stuck out during the Mavericks’ win last week was the team’s ability to run the ball, with 48 carries for 320 yards and five touchdowns as a team. Freshman Colin Kadolph handled 18 of those attempts, and expects the dominance on the ground to continue.

“We are always trying to add people into the mix so we have more variation,” said Kadolph. “With injuries, we just need people who can run the ball well and help the team win.”

The Vikings have been strong and consistent on the offensive end this year, scoring over 20 points as a team in every game so far. They have been led by two different quarterbacks this season: junior Casey Bauman and sophomore Thomas Scholten. Bauman has started three games this season, including the team’s most recent matchup against Wayne State. In comparison, Scholten has made four starts on the year and has gone 4-0. 

On the defensive end for the Vikings, senior defensive end Grayson Diepenbrock has been having himself a year. With eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss, he leads the Vikings in both categories by far. Another player to watch is senior defensive back Eli Weber. He leads the team with three interceptions and four pass breakups, while also adding another four tackles for loss. Having playmakers in the defensive backfield and on the defensive line has made the team’s defense a great strength as well.

This week’s matchup also carries significant playoff implications. With a win this weekend they have a much greater chance at making the playoffs. If this Saturday’s showdown ends with a Mavericks’ loss, it would essentially rule out any possibility that they would make the playoffs, making this a must-win game for the Mavericks.

Regarding the energy and mindset they have been building leading into this game, Kadolph and the Mavericks are locked in.

“We’ve been running off the energy from our win last week, and we want to keep building on it this Saturday. It has been very important to stay focused and keep winning one game at a time.” Kadolph added.

Header Photo: The Minnesota State University, Mankato’s football team will be on the road this weekend in Sioux Falls to play Augustana on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Dylan Engel/The Reporter)

Write to Hayden Lee at Hayden.Lee@mnsu.edu