The Vikings Have an Impressive First Win

Freshman wide receiver Mark Schlueter (Omaha, Neb.) broke Great Plains Athletic Conference and Dana College records in receiving yards in a game to help give the Vikings a 42-18 victory over the Briar Cliff Chargers Saturday in Blair.

The Chargers’ defense could not stop the freshman receiver. Schlueter opened up the first drive of the game by catching a 62-yard pass from quarterback Marcus Sladek (Omaha, Neb.) to put the Vikings on the two-yard line. One play later, the Vikings scored their first offensive touchdown of the season with running back Robert Fowler (Omaha, Neb.) punching it in to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead.

Briar Cliff answered back a few series later by putting together a solid drive and kicking a 23-yard field goal to put them on the board, 7-3.

The Chargers just couldn’t stop the passing duo of Sladek and Schlueter, with Schlueter coming back to catch a 43-yard strike to put the Vikings up 14-3 and there was no looking back after that.

The duo would hook up one more time more time before half on an 80-yard bomb to give the Vikings a 21-3 lead. After holding the Vikings and forcing them to punt with 1:13 left on the clock, the Chargers would get one more score to close the gap at half, 21-10.

Briar Cliff’s defense came out strong in second half, holding the Vikings’ offense to three and out on its first possession. Dana defense had been playing solid all day and on the third play of the Chargers’ drive defensive tackle Nate Weathers (Omaha, Neb.) came up with a fumble recovery to put the Dana offense back on the field.

The offense wouldn’t be stopped this time, putting together a five-play, 61-yard drive, culminating in a 10-yard reception for a touchdown by redshirt freshman Andrew Hawley (Lincoln, Neb.), giving the Vikings a 28-10 lead.

The Dana offense came out on the next series and again Sladek would hook up with Schlueter for a 60-yard play to put the Vikings on the one-yard line. Senior running back Terrence Almond (Pelham, Ga.) put it in two plays later to give the Vikings a 36-10 lead after the two-point conversion attempt failed.

The Chargers closed the gap to 36-18 going into the four quarter. Sladek led the Vikings offense into scoring range two more times, allowing field goal kicker Keith Neal (Clarinda, Iowa) to give the Vikings six more points on two field goal attempts from 32 and 35 yards out.

Sladek ended the day with 456 yards through the air and three touchdowns, completing 26 of his 36 attempts. Schlueter finished his record-breaking day with 11 catches for 306 yards and two touchdowns.

Dana (1-3) will travel Saturday to take on non-conference opponent Waldorf. Game time is 1 p.m.

For more information contact: Shad Beam, Sports Information Director at sbeam@dana.edu or Francisco Lujan, Assistant Sports Information at flujan@dana.edu