BULLDOGS GET SEASON OPENING VICTORY

MCPHERSON HAMMERS TABOR, 51-17

By Staff

(Opening pic of Bulldog quarterback Tristan Szabo)

MCPHERSON – What better way to celebrate the life of former McPherson College football student manager Blake Reed than to take rival Tabor College and hammer them for a 51-17 victory in the 2023 season opener.

With the game being the annual Blake Reed Memorial Game, the Bulldogs allowed Tabor to take an early 10-0 lead before pounding them for 37 straight points and allowing just on offensive score the entire game.

“I was very proud of the way the kids competed,” noted Bulldog head coach Jeremiah Fiscus. “The defense was very dominant, and it was good to see some new pieces contribute while some familiar faces from last season did some really good things.”

Tabor went up by a field goal in the first quarter and then took advantage of an unusual mistake from Bulldog quarterback Tristan Szabo throwing an interception that McPherson’s own Jayton Alexander returned 30 yards for another Bluejay score early in the second quarter.

Looking at that early Tabor lead, coach Fiscus said, “They did not let the adversity of being down ten points bother them. They really stuck together and held each other accountable.”

The interception was Szabo’s lone mistake of the game as he dominated Tabor by completing 24-of-32 passes for a career high 405 yards and three touchdowns.

McPherson scored three times in the final seven minutes of the first half on a 36-yard pass from Szabo to Alex Hill, a 42-yard scamper by Brysen Kerby and finally the 39-yard jaunt by Szabo with just 20 seconds left in the half to give the Bulldogs a 21-10 lead at the halftime break.

(Bulldog running back Brysen Kerby)

After the Bulldogs took down Tabor for a safety just 44 seconds into the second half, Kerby scooted in from five yards out to put them up 30-10 heading into the final 15 minutes of play.

Szabo connected with Tyson Bochert for a 20-yard score a bit short of seven minutes into the final quarter before Tabor was able to put together a drive that finished with a 47-yard pass play for a touchdown, giving them their only offensive touchdown of the evening.

The Bulldogs closed out the scoring with Szabo getting his third scoring pass of the game, this time on a 20 yarder to Travn Lewis-Johnson before Hayden Fry bounced into the end zone from two yards out to close out the scoring for the game and giving McPherson their final 34-point, 51-17 win.

Offensively, Brysen Kerby led the Bulldog running attack with 65 yards on 10 carries with Szabo adding another 62 yards on 15 totes. Alex Hill had a huge day catching passes from Szabo as he grabbed eight passes for 128 yards while both Traven Lewis-Johnson, two catches for 78 yards, and Kerby with three receptions for 72 yards went over 70 yards in receiving as well. Szabo spread his career passing day around, connecting with nine different receivers.

(Bulldog receiver Alex Hill)

“Offensively, a lot of guys touched the ball,” pointed out Fiscus. “Once we got rid of the first game jitters, they really started to execute and showcase what their abilities are.”

On the defensive side, the Bulldogs held the Bluejays to 17 points, the number they averaged in 2022 when they ranked in the top-25 nationwide. McPherson held Tabor’s Tyson Dozhier to just 143 yards passing of which 47 came on a touchdown late in the game while holding the entire team to just 274 yards on 63 offensive snaps. Both Avery Crawford and Nehemiah Figueroa picked off Dozhier passes.

(Bulldog defensive lineman Taeylon Garland)

Taeylon Garland and Cameron Fouts led the defense with six total tackles each, while Garlands were all solo stops. Twenty-Four Bulldogs put at least one tackle on the stat sheet, five recorded a tackle that went for a loss of yardage, two, Garland and Jaquez Wilson had quarterback sacks and the pass coverage scored six pass breakups.

Coach Fiscus finished out his post-game reflections with one quick reference to the stout defense, “the defense was very physical as they ran to the football really well in a relentless hunt.”

Next up for the Bulldogs will be a road trip to Sterling College next Saturday, September 2 with game time scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

MCPHERSON BULLDOGS hosting Tabor College

SCORING:

Tabor College > 3-8-0-7 = 17

BULLDOGS > 0-21-9-21 = 51

1st Quarter =

Tabor > (3:41) Nathan Heilig makes 50-yard field goal 3-0.

2nd Quarter =

Tabor > (13:26) Jayton Alexander on a 30-yard interception return – Heilig Kick 10-0.

BULLDOGS > (6:28) Alex Hill on a 36-yard pass from Tristan Szabo – John Lowery Kick 10-7.

BULLDOGS > (1:50) Brysen Kerby on a 42-yard run (Lowery Kick) 10-14.

BULLDOGS > (0:20) Tristan Szabo on a 39-yard run (Lowery Kick) 10-21.

3rd Quarter =

BULLDOGS > (14:16) Bulldogs Defense gets Safety 10-23.

BULLDOGS > (11:52) Brysen Kerby on a 5-yard run (Lowery Kick) 10-30

4th Quarter =

BULLDOGS > (8:44) Tyson Bochert on a 20-yard pass from Tristan Szabo (Lowery Kick) 10-37.

Tabor > (6:03) Isiah Williams on a 47-yard pass from Tyson Dozhier (Heilig Kick) 17-37.

BULLDOGS > (5:06) Traven Lewis-Johnson on a 20-yard pass rom Tristan Szabo (Lowery Kick) 17-44.

BULLDOGS > (2:46) Hayden Fry on a 2-yard run (Lowery Kick) 17-51.

TEAM STATS =

Tabor College > Total Yards – 63 plays for 274; Passing Yards – 15 of 33 for 143 with 2 scores 1 interception; Rushing Yards – 30 for 131; 1st Downs – 12; Penalty Yards – 3 – 30; Fumbles – 3/0; Time of Possession – 51:34.

BULLDOGS > Total Yards – 71 plays for 570; Passing Yards – 24 for 32 for 405 with 3 scores 1 interceptions; Rushing Yards – 39 for 165; 1st Downs – 23; Penalty Yards – 6 – 50; Fumbles – 1/0; Time of Possession – 34:12.

BULLDOG INDIVIDUAL STATS =

Passing > Tristan Szabo – 24/32 for 405, 3 tds, 1 Int, 1 sack.

Rushing > Brysen Kerby – 10/65, 2 tds; Tristan Szabo – 15/62, 1 td; Jalil Brown – 4/19; Alex Hill – 1/10; Hayden Fry – 6/5, 1 td; Tyson Bochert – 1/4; Traven Lewis-Johnson – 1/4. Team Totals – 39/165, 4 tds.

Receiving > Alex Hill – 8/128, 1 td; Traven Lewis-Johnson – 2/78, 1 td; Brysen Kerby – 3/72; Tyson Bochert – 3/34, 1 td; Jaxon Douthit – 2/34; Jalil Brown – 2/19; Harley Blaske – 1/18; Kamryn Brown – 2/15; Brayton Dewell – 1/7. Team Totals – 24/405, 3 tds.

Defense = Tackles/Solo/Assist > Taeylon Garland 6/0/6; Cameron Fouts 6/2/4; Christian Davis 5/2/3; Marquis Willoughby 5/1/4; Obi Maijeh 5/2/3; Taikorean Phillips 5/3/2; Zane Cornejo 4/0/4; Kolianitoni Lemanu 4/1/3; Josiah Jones 3/1/2; Wiktor Zaton 3/1/2; Nehemiah Figueroa 3/2/1; Kobe Brown 2/1/1; Jordyn Crain 2/1/1; Jason Laster 2/2/0; Avery Crawford 2/2/0; Dominic Lawrnce 2/0/2; Connor Donaho 2/1/1; Jamichael Turman 1/0/1; Kamryn Brown 1/1/0; Hayden Fry 1/0/1; Jesse Davis 1/1/0; Jaquez Wilson 1/0/1; Jacob Goad 1/1/0; Daryn Stack 1/0/1.

Tackles for Loss > Lemau – 1.5; Garland, Fouts, Brown 1; Wilson .5.

Sacks > Fouts 1; Garland, Wilson .5.

Interceptions/Pass Breakups > Crawford 1/2; Figueroa 1/1; Lemau 0/1; Crain 0/1; Laster 0/1.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)