BOX SCORE
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Six takeaways by the Augustana defense helped the Vikings post their fourth straight win by outlasting Winona State 23-15 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football action Saturday afternoon at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
The Viking Days triumph pushes Augustana's record to 4-3 overall, 4-2 in the NSIC and 3-0 in the NSIC South Division. Winona falls to 3-4 overall, 3-3 NSIC, and 1-2 in the NSIC South.
The visiting Warriors had one last opportunity to tie the contest when Augustana kicker
Drew Behrens' 31-yard field goal attempt bounced off the right upright with 2:15 left in the fourth quarter. With no time outs left, WSU kicked in its hurry-up offense but Viking senior defensive back
Zac Kallas picked off an Alex Nelson pass to seal the verdict with 90 ticks left on the scoreboard clock.
It was Kallas' second pick of the day and Augustana's fifth. Sophomore defensive back
Sean Kelly also had two interceptions, and junior linebacker
Austin Luecke had one. In addition, Kallas recovered a fumble.
Junior quarterback
Josh Hanson and senior wide receiver
Sam Holsen hooked up for two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman running back
Dajon Newell had 21 carries for 121 yards. It was his third 100-plus yard effort since breaking into the lineup in the fourth game of the season. Senior running back
Curt Truhe carried just three times, but produced 33 yards and a touchdown.
Augustana totaled 411 yards total offense to 384 for the Warriors. The Vikings' ground game accounted for 240 yards. Hanson completed 16-of-28 passes for 171 yards and two scores.
Senior defensive back Dan O'Keefe had a monster day with 16 tackles, including a fourth-and-one stop of WSU running back Rayon Simmons at the goal line.
Augustana's first possession was vintage Viking football. Mixing the run and pass, Hanson engineered an 86-yard scoring drive that consumed six minutes and 29 seconds. Hanson capped the march with a 19-yard scoring strike to
Sam Holsen.
Drew Behrens' conversion kick was good and the Vikings took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.
The Vikings' increased the advantage to 13-0 on an efficient 10-play, 63-yard drive. Junior running back
Phil Uecker ran for the final seven yards and the touchdown. Sustaining the drive was a fourth-and-one pass from Hanson to senior running back
Curt Truhe that covered seven yards. Hanson took a vicious hit on the previous play but remained in the game.
WSU scored on a 7-yard pass from Alex Nelson to Sean Hertz with 49 seconds left in the first half. Thomas Kinney's extra point attempt failed and Augie's lead was cut to 13-6.
Augustana opened the second half with a three-play touchdown drive capped by Hanson's 37-yard pass to Holsen.
WSU countered with a safety to cut the deficit to 20-8, but Behrens drilled a 39-yard field goal to push Augustana's lead back to 23-8.
The final score of the game came with 4:12 left on Nelson's 1-yard quarterback sneak.
Next up for the Vikings is a home contest against Minnesota State Moorhead next Saturday at 1 p.m.
