DES MOINES, IA – Grand View hosted their second game of the season and returned to the Duke for the first time since their 2024 National championship run. The Vikings took on the Spartans of Missouri Baptist University on Saturday. Grand View dominated the field and pushed their win column to two after a 49-17 victory.
GV was stopped on the first possession but it was the defense that lit a fire under the team on Saturday. The Vikings linebacker, John Argo, intercepted a pass and returned it 32-yards to the 8-yard line. The offense took advantage with a 2-play drive which ended in a Dalten Van Pelt touchdown run.
The next drive, Tucker Dickherber finds the muffed handoff in the backfield and the Vikings had their second turnover of the game, early into the first quarter. Grand View topped their drive with a single play, 17-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Waring to Aisea Toki. This wouldn't be the last of the connection, as the two Vikings connected again the next drive for an 81-yard touchdown! This is their fourth TD connection in the early season. GV went up 21-0 in the first quarter.
The second was much of the same, and they doubled the deficit before half. Ja'Quez Hall caught a long 51-yard rocket at the end of the first quarter, and Bryant Williams finished the drive with a 4-yard TD rush.
Grand View's next scoring drive was a 7-play possession which shared the ball around on the ground. Ethan Schulz, Williams, Waring, and Rex Woodley rushed on this drive with success, and week 2 captain, Dalten Van Pelt, finished the job with a 12-yard touchdown run and a 35-0 Vikings advantage.
GV received a punt late in the half, and with 1:47 on the clock, tacked on their 6th touchdown of the game. Waring found a 31 yard scramble and followed it up with a dart to Curtis Horras for 11 more yards. Waring then checked down to running back Bryant Williams in the flats, and he took it 25 yards to the house. A key block came from #44, Lance Clayburg.
After half, things quieted down for GV. The team let up their first points on a field goal, and then two touchdowns for the Spartans made it 42-17 after the third quarter.
Peyton Rottinghaus came in to QB the fourth quarter for the Vikings and settled in quickly. He matched up with Horras and Toki early drive number one, along with Clayburg and Triston Williams. The fourth down reception was just short of the line-to-gain, and no points came out of #16's first possession under center. The next drive, the rushing attack was established with explosive runs by Williams and Schultz. This opened the field as Rottinghaus completed a 23-yard pass to J. Hall. Then, on third and goal, he delivered his first touchdown pass to Triston Williams on an 18-yard endzone pass.
The game ended at 49-17 and GV earned their first win at Duke Williams Stadium in 2025.
GAME NOTES
UP NEXT
Grand View will travel on the road for the first time this season, to face Baker University in Baldwin City, KS. The game is Saturday at 11:00 AM on September 20th.
