2025 Valley City State Vikings football team

2025 Valley City State Vikings football
ConferenceFrontier Conference
Record6–4 (3–3 Frontier)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDustin Yorek (5th season)
Defensive coordinatorGregg Horner (29th season)
Captains
  • TaQuez Chatman
  • Trent Finney
  • Gavin Gerhardt
  • Taylor Jones
Home stadiumLokken Stadium
2025 Frontier Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 5 Montana Tech x^   6 – 0     12 – 1  
No. 25 Dakota State   5 – 1     8 – 2  
Rocky Mountain   4 – 2     4 – 6  
Valley City State   3 – 3     6 – 4  
Mayville State   2 – 4     5 – 6  
Dickinson State   1 – 5     3 – 7  
Montana State–Northern   0 – 6     1 – 10  
West Division
No. 4 College of Idaho x^   6 – 0     11 – 2  
No. 13 Carroll (MT) ^   5 – 1     9 – 3  
No. 18 Montana Western   4 – 2     7 – 3  
Eastern Oregon   3 – 3     4 – 6  
Southern Oregon   2 – 4     3 – 7  
Arizona Christian   1 – 5     2 – 8  
Simpson (CA)   0 – 6     0 – 10  
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

The 2025 Valley City State Vikings football team represents Valley City State University in the Frontier Conference during the 2025 NAIA football season. The team is led by 29th-year head coach Dennis McCulloch and plays its home games at Dacotah Bank Field at Lokken Stadium in Valley City, North Dakota.

The 2025 season marks Valley City State’s first year competing in the Frontier Conference after the collapse of the North Star Athletic Association. VCSU and Mayville State formally joined the Frontier in August 2025 following a conference-wide realignment.[1] In the preseason Frontier coaches’ poll, the Vikings were picked to finish sixth in the East Division.[2]

Valley City State opened the season with a challenging non-conference schedule, including games against Dickinson State, Augsburg, Eastern Oregon and Simpson (CA).[3] The Vikings secured two historic road victories during the year, earning the program’s first-ever win in the state of Oregon and first-ever win in the state of Montana with defensive battles at Eastern Oregon and Montana State University–Northern.[4] VCSU finished the season 6–4 overall and 3–3 in Frontier East play, placing fourth in the division.[5]

In their first season as members of the Frontier Conference, the Vikings were picked to finish sixth in the East Division but exceeded expectations by placing fourth.[6][7]

After dropping the opener at nationally ranked Dickinson State, Valley City State responded with three straight non-conference victories, including shutout wins over Augsburg and rival Mayville State University and a 3–0 road victory at Eastern Oregon University. The Vikings later added a 13–7 win at Montana State University–Northern, marking the program’s first football victory in the state of Montana.[8][9] VCSU finished 6–4 overall and 3–3 in Frontier East play.[10]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendance
August 287:00 p.m.at No. 13 Dickinson State*
L 15–30
September 46:00 p.m.Augsburg*
W 27–0200
September 203:00 p.m.at Eastern Oregon*
W 3–0
September 272:00 p.m.Simpson (CA)*
  • Lokken Stadium
  • Valley City, ND
W 27–21
October 412:00 p.m.Rocky Mountain
  • Lokken Stadium
  • Valley City, ND
L 21–31300
October 111:00 p.m.Mayville State
  • Lokken Stadium
  • Valley City, ND (rivaly)
W 21–0300
October 184:00 p.m.at Dakota State
L 7–40507
October 251:00 p.m.Dickinson State
  • Lokken Stadium
  • Valley City, ND
W 29–21250
November 81:00 p.m.at Montana State–Northern
W 13–7
November 152:00 p.m.at No. 4 Montana Tech
L 0–413,254
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from NAIA Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[11]

Personnel

Coaching staff

  • Dennis McCulloch – Head Coach / Defensive Backs (32nd season)
  • Gregg Horner – Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers (32nd season)
  • Dustin Yorek – Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers (7th season)
  • Brandon Bouma – Recruiting Coordinator / Running Backs / Tight Ends / Kickers (9th season)
  • Raynor Beierle – Offensive Line (1st season)
  • Jahidi West – Defensive Graduate Assistant / Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs (2nd season)
  • Leon Smith – Offensive Graduate Assistant / Offensive Line (1st season)
  • Nate Pecoraro – Defensive Line (5th season)
  • Trent Kosel – Offensive Assistant (4th season)
  • Dave Rausch – Defensive Assistant (38th season)

Roster

2025 Valley City State Vikings football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense }
Pos. # Name Class
WR 1 Jake Deutsch Jr
WR 3 Simon-Peter Johnson So
WR 4 Kassius Ashtiani So
WR 6 Wuoson Nehwah Fr
RB 7 Marty Gohn Sr
RB 9 Laggarius Marshell So
QB 10 Eli Leaver Fr
RB 12 Ka'ua Nishigaya Sr
QB 13 Jeremy Yoder Fr
TE 14 Will Pfahl Jr
QB 15 Joey Cave Jr
QB 16 Taylor Stefonowicz Fr
WR 18 Exavian Westbrook Jr
QB 19 Ethan Kastner Fr
RB 21 Devyne Pearson Jr
WR 23 Nick Mears So
WR 25 Mason Nelson Fr
RB 26 Owen Quail So
RB 42 Collin Peck Fr
OL 52 Wadley Lamy Sr
OL 56 Caden Belgarde So
OL 60 Tommy Cox Sr
OL 61 Jaxon Baumgarn Fr
OL 63 Adam Adeboye So
OL 64 Caiden Olson Fr
OL 65 Taylor Jones (C) So
OL 66 Nevin Daley Fr
OL 67 Patrick Hall Fr
OL 68 Matthew Cruz Fr
OL 70 Rylen Coe Fr
OL 71 Nolan Thaler Fr
OL 73 Reese Willprecht Sr
OL 74 Hunter Lukes Fr
OL 75 Landon Johansen Fr
OL 76 Atibordin Sophonsakulrat Jr
OL 77 Matthew Jacquot Jr
OL 78 Zackary Pfahl So
WR 80 Devin Cooper-Jackson Fr
WR 81 Kaden Austin Fr
WR 82 Rowen Bucao So
WR 82 Slater Kaleiohi Fr
WR 84 Tyson Ball Fr
TE 85 Kyle Cotton Fr
TE 87 Trent Finney (C) Sr
TE 88 Grant Kinzel Fr
TE 89 Blake Lunde So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 0 Gavin Gerhardt (C) Jr
LB 2 Ashton Raquino Jr
DB 3 James Dahn Jr
DB 5 Caleb Torke So
DB 6 Fafo Lefano Fr
DL 7 Moziah Rogers-Tivao Sr
DB 9 Kade Swenson Fr
LB 10 Riley Olsen So
LB 11 Aiden Russell Jr
DB 20 Khalil Toney Jr
DB 22 Chad Colburn Fr
LB 22 Levi Olson Jr
DL 24 Dorian Sandness Fr
LB 25 Iosua Letuli Fr
DB 27 Bradyn Bossert Fr
DB 28 Mariano Sison Fr
DB 30 Noah Nelson Fr
DB 31 Jace Stewart Fr
LB 33 Logan Rist Fr
DB 34 Tuff Longie So
DB 35 Shayzen Lopes Fr
LB 38 Brent Bearman Fr
DB 39 Hunter Phelps Sr
LB 40 Jim Miller So
LB 43 Eric Saau Fr
LB 44 Javaughn Endemann Jr
LB 45 Joey Antonutti So
DL 46 Karbin Brink So
LB 47 Cayden Isaak Fr
DL 48 Taurus Allen Fr
DL 49 Tarren Larson So
DL 50 TaQuez Chatman (C) Sr
LB 51 Haiden Crow Fr
DL 55 Emmitt Maher Fr
DL 56 Brody Weisenburger Fr
DL 57 Lorenzo Luchi So
DL 58 Cole Henderson Fr
DL 59 Bayette Akaka-Folau Fr
DL 69 Scot Rohde Fr
DL 90 Malik Aljack So
DL 91 Taalmyn Staton Jr
DL 92 Jack Miller Fr
DL 93 Paul Webster Fr
DL 94 Brody O'Keefe Fr
DL 95 Savili-Hiapo Castillo-Leovao Fr
DL 97 Jermaine Watson Fr
DL 98 Jacob Foss Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
LS 53 Carter Lyon Fr
LS 96 Xander Moody Fr
K 83 Brysen Ferreira Fr
K 86 Walker Brondos Fr


Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Gregg Horner (defensive coordinator / linebackers)
  • Dustin Yorek (offensive coordinator / quarterbacks / wide receivers)
  • Brandon Bouma (running backs / tight ends)
  • Raynor Beierle (offensive line)
  • Jahidi West (special teams coordinator / safeties)
  • Leon Smith (offensive line)
  • Nate Pecoraro (defensive line)
  • Trent Kosel (quarterbacks / wide receivers)
  • Dave Rausch (linebackers)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Roster

Acquisitions

Incoming transfers

Over the off-season, Valley City State added 9 players from the transfer portal and junior college levels.

Name Pos. Height Weight Hometown Year Eligibility Remaining Prev school Source
Ashton Raquino LB 6'0" 220 Wahiawa, HI Junior 2 Hawaii
Kassius Ashtiani WR 5'7" 160 Irvine, CA Redshirt Sophomore 3 Riverside Community College
Devyne Pearson RB 5'8" 180 Moreno Valley, CA Junior 2 Riverside Community College
Simon-Peter Johnson WR 6'0" 190 Sierra Vista, AZ Sophomore 3 New Mexico Highlands University
Joey Cave QB 6'0" 190 Rio Rancho, NM Redshirt Junior 2 New Mexico Highlands University
Adam Adeboye OL 6'4" 320 Brooklyn Park, MN Redshirt Sophomore 3 Minnesota State University Moorhead
Taalmyn Staton DL 5'10" 260 Bridgeport, CT Redshirt Junior 2 Mount Marty University
Matthew Jacquot OL 6'3" 280 Cheyenne, WY Redshirt Junior 2 Chadron State College
Walker Brondos K 6'0" 175 Wilkesboro, NC Redshirt Sophomore 3 Lenoir Rhyne University

[12]

Incoming freshman

Over the off-season, Valley City State added 35+ players from the high school level.[13]

Name Pos. Height Weight Hometown Year Prev school
Kade Swenson DB 6'0" 177 Dilworth, MN Freshman Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School
Eli Leaver QB 6'0" 193 Tampa, FL Freshman Chamberlain High School
Jeremy Yoder QB 6'1" 193 Lewiston, ID Freshman Lewiston High School (Idaho)
Taylor Stefonowicz QB 6'7" 167 Horace, ND Freshman Horace High School
Chad Colburn DB 5'10" 140 Aiea, HI Freshman Aiea High School
Iosua Letuli LB 6'0" 225 Honolulu, HI Freshman Kaimuki High School
Bradyn Bossert DB 5'10" 195 Velva, ND Freshman Velva High School
Mariano Sison DB 5'8" 164 Aiea, HI Freshman Aiea High School
Noah Nelson DB 6'0" 166 Roseburg, OR Freshman Roseburg High School
Shayzen Lopes DB 6'0" 161 Waianae, HI Freshman Waianae High School
Eric Saau LB 5'9" 186 Aiea, HI Freshman Aiea High School
Cayden Isaak LB 6'0" 185 Beulah, ND Freshman Beulah High School
Taurus Allen DL 6'3" 230 Murfreesboro, TN Freshman Oakland High School (Tennessee)
Haiden Crow LB 5'11" 208 Detroit Lakes, MN Freshman Lake Park-Audubon High School
Brody Weisenburger DL 6'2" 292 New Rockford, ND Freshman New Rockford-Sheyenne Public School
Cole Henderson DL 6'2" 216 Rolla, ND Freshman Rolla High School
Bayette Akaka-Folau DL 6'4" 236 Kapolei, HI Freshman Kapolei High School
Nevin Daley OL 6'5" 369 Pisek, ND Freshman Park River High School
Matthew Cruz OL 6'0" 306 El Paso, TX Freshman Austin High School (El Paso, Texas)
Scot Rohde DL 6'3" 270 Valley City, ND Freshman Valley City High School
Rylen Coe OL 6'4" 271 Lake Benton, MN Freshman Elkton High School (SD)
Hunter Lukes OL 6'0" 221 Lisbon, ND Freshman Lisbon High School
Devin Cooper-Jackson WR 5'7" 161 North Pole, AK Freshman North Pole High School
Kaden Austin WR 5'9" 153 Roseburg, OR Freshman Roseburg High School
Slater Kaleiohi WR 5'6" 140 Waianae, HI Freshman Waianae High School
Brysen Ferreira K 5'5" 130 Waianae, HI Freshman Waianae High School
Tyson Ball WR 6'1" 166 Ewa Beach, HI Freshman James Campbell High School
Kyle Cotton TE 6'4" 285 St. Louis, MO Freshman St. Charles West High School
Grant Kinzel TE 6'5" 240 La Vernia, TX Freshman La Vernia High School
Jack Miller DL 5'10" 231 Fargo, ND Freshman Fargo North High School
Savili-Hiapo Castillo-Leovao DL 6'2" 280 Waimanalo, HI Freshman Kamehameha High School
Xander Moody LS 6'0" 229 Fargo, ND Freshman Fargo South High School
Jacob Foss DL 6'0" 261 Grand Forks, ND Freshman Grand Forks Red River High School

Postseason awards

All-Frontier East First Team

  • DL TaQuez Chatman – Sr.[14]

All-Frontier East Second Team

  • DB Gavin Gerhardt – Jr.[15]

All-Frontier East Honorable Mention

  • WR Jake Deutsch – Jr.[16]
  • LB Aiden Russell – Jr.[17]
  • OL Taylor Jones – So.[18]
  • OL Tommy Cox – So.[19]
  • QB Joey Cave – Jr.[20]

Frontier Conference Academic All-Conference

  • Adam Adeboye – Sr.
  • Joseph Antonutti – So.
  • Jaxon Baumgarn – So.
  • Caden Belgarde – Jr.
  • Walker Brondos – Fr.
  • Joey Cave – Jr.
  • TaQuez Chatman – Sr.
  • Thomas Cox – Jr.
  • Jacob Deutsch – Jr.
  • Trent Finney – Sr.
  • Gavin Gerhardt – Jr.
  • Matthew Jacquot – Sr.
  • Simon-Peter Johnson – So.
  • Taylor Jones – Jr.
  • Lorenzo Luchi – So.
  • Carter Lyon – Jr.
  • Nicholas Mears – Jr.
  • James Miller – So.
  • Jack Miller – So.
  • Xander Moody – So.
  • Brody O'Keefe – So.
  • Collin Peck – So.
  • Owen Quail – Jr.
  • Logan Rist – So.
  • Atibordin Sophonsakulrat – So.
  • Jace Stewart – So.
  • Paul Webster – So.
  • Reese Willprecht – Sr.[21]

Frontier Conference Champions of Character Award

  • Wadley Lamy – Sr. [22]

References

  1. ^ Peterson, Eric (August 8, 2025). "Mayville State, Valley City State ready for new Frontier in athletics". InForum. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  2. ^ "2025 Frontier Conference football coaches' preseason poll announced". Frontier Conference. August 18, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  3. ^ "2025 Football Schedule". Valley City State University Athletics. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  4. ^ "College Insider: Deutsch's journey leads VCSU receiving corps". InForum. October 29, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  5. ^ "2025 Football Cumulative Statistics". Valley City State University Athletics. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  6. ^ "2025 Frontier Conference football coaches' preseason poll announced". Frontier Conference. August 18, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  7. ^ "2025 Football Cumulative Statistics". Valley City State University Athletics. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  8. ^ "2025 Football Schedule". Valley City State University Athletics. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  9. ^ "College Insider: Deutsch's journey leads VCSU receiving corps". InForum. October 29, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  10. ^ "2025 Football Cumulative Statistics". Valley City State University Athletics. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  11. ^ "2025 Football Schedule". Valley City State University Athletics. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  12. ^ https://vcsuvikings.com/sports/football/roster?view=2
  13. ^ https://vcsuvikings.com/news/2025/2/5/viking-football-announces-34-signees-on-national-signing-day.aspx
  14. ^ "2025 Frontier Football East Division All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards Announced". Frontier Conference. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  15. ^ "2025 Frontier Football East Division All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards Announced". Frontier Conference. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "2025 Frontier Football East Division All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards Announced". Frontier Conference. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  17. ^ "2025 Frontier Football East Division All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards Announced". Frontier Conference. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  18. ^ "2025 Frontier Football East Division All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards Announced". Frontier Conference. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  19. ^ "2025 Frontier Football East Division All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards Announced". Frontier Conference. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  20. ^ "2025 Frontier Football East Division All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards Announced". Frontier Conference. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  21. ^ "Frontier Conference Announces Football Academic All-Conference Presented by Billings Clinic and Logan Health". Frontier Conference. November 19, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  22. ^ https://vcsuvikings.com/news/2025/11/25/lamy-recipient-of-the-champions-of-character-for-football.aspx
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