BULLDOGS WIN AGAIN, NOW 2-0

OUTDUEL STERLING 34-31

By Staff (help from McPherson College Media)

STERLING – Despite trailing by 11 heading into the fourth quarter, the McPherson College football team managed to put together a comeback Saturday evening on the road at Sterling and defeated Sterling College by three 34-31.

This gives the Bulldogs their first 2-0 start to a season since 2010, though it is the fourth straight time they have defeated the Warriors.

“This was a hard-fought game,” noted Bulldog head coach Jeremiah Fiscus. “It was definitely a four-quarter game with our team winning in the end. Had a lot of self-inflicted wounds that we had to overcome early, but late in the game when it was time to turn it on and make the plays needed, they did just that!”

McPherson put points on the board first with a six-yard pass from Tristan Szabo to Harley Blaske to give the Bulldogs an early 7-0 first quarter lead.

In the second quarter, Szabo caught an eight-yard scoring toss from Tyson Bochert before scoring again on an 11-yard run to put the Bulldogs up 20-0 before Sterling scored three straight touchdowns to pull back to within three at 20-17 going into the halftime break.

After the Warriors put a score on the board in both the third and fourth quarters, the Bulldogs suddenly found themselves down 31-20 before Szabo found Traven Lewis-Jo for the 38-yard scoring play and followed it up with a five-yard toss to Alex Hill to take the 34-31 final score and win.

Nehemiah Figueroa pulled off a pair of interceptions late in the game to help push back a stubborn Sterling offense and seal the final point win.

“The two fourth quarter interceptions by Nehemiah Figueroa were huge, but it wasn’t just the interceptions but the pressure that got to the quarterback,” pointed out coach Fiscus. “It was awesome to see the defense not only get off the field when we needed them to, but to take the ball away while doing so.”

Tristan Szabo threw for 231 yards and three scores while running for another 28 yards and a touchdown as well. Hayden Fry led the Bulldogs in rushing with 67 yards.

Marquis Willoughby led the Bulldog defense with 10 tackles of which five went for a loss of yardage. Besides his pair of interceptions, Figueroa also forced a fumble and recovered one as well in the game.

Coach Fiscus concluded his post-game reflections by saying, “I am really proud of the fight and the togetherness that we had at the end of the game. When they started utilizing our three building blocks of accountability, toughness and togetherness, it allowed us to go win the game in a clutch situation.”

Next Saturday, September 9, the Bulldogs will return to Paul Hoffman Family Field for a home turf battle with the University of Saint Mary. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m.

MCPHERSON COLLEGE BULLDOG FOOTBALL at Sterling College

SCORING > BULLDOGS > 7-13-0-14 = 34; Sterling College > 0-17-7-7 = 31

1st Quarter >

BULLDOGS = Harley Blaske on a 6-yard pass from Tristan Szabo (Jack Lowery Kick) 7-0

2nd Quarter >

BULLDOGS = Tristan Szabo on an 8-yard pass from Tyson Bochert (Kick Failed) 13-0

BULLDOGS = Tristan Szabo on an 11-yard run (Jack Lowery Kick) 20-0

Sterling = Scored on a 27-yard field goal 20-3

Sterling = Scored on a 5-yard pass play (Kick was Good) 20-10

Sterling = Scored on a 24-yard pass play (Kick was Good) 20-17

3rd Quarter >

Sterling = Scored on a 3-yard run (Kick was Good) 20-24

4th Quarter >

Sterling = Scored on a 24-yard pass play (Kick was Good) 20-31

BULLDOGS = Traven Lewis-Jo on a 38-yard pass from Tristan Szabo (Jack Lowery Kick) 27-31

BULLDOGS = Alex Hill on a 5-yard pass from Tristan Szabo (Jack Lowery Kick) 34-31

TEAM STATS >

BULLDOGS Sterling

1st Downs 22 20

Plays/Yards 82/403 74/325

Passing Yards 16-36/233 14-34/214

Rushing Yards 46/170 40/111

Interceptions Thrown 0 2

Fumbles/Lost 2/1 3/2

Penalties/Yards 10/126 7/63

BULLDOG INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS >

Passing > Tristan Szabo = 15/35 for 225, 3 scores; Tyson Bochert = 1/1 for 8, 1 score. Team Totals = 16/36 for 233, 4 scores.

Rushing > Hayden Fry = 15/67; Brysen Kerby = 11/40; Jamichael Turma = 5/36; Tristan Szabo = 9/34, 1 score; Kamryn Brown = 3/6; Alex Hill = 1/2; Horace Bradshaw = 1/0; Team Totals = 46/185, 1 score.

Receiving > Kamryn Brown = 3/58; Traven Lewis-Jo = 1/38, 1 score; Horace Bradshaw = 3/35; Hayden Fry = 1/34; Tyson Bochert = 1/28; Alex Hill = 2/12, 1 score; Brysen Kerby = 2/12; Tristan Szabo = 1/8, 1 score; Harley Blaske = 1/6, 1 score; Jamichael Turma = 1/2. Team Totals = 16/233, 4 scores.

Defense (Tackles/Solo/Asst/TFL/Sacks/Int) > Marquis Willoughby = 11/6/5/5/0/0; Taeylon Garland = 5/3/2/1.5/1/0; Jaquez Wilson = 5/3/2/1/0/0; Koliantoni Lema = 4/4/0/0/0/0; Christopher Ros = 4/3/1/0/0/0; Cameron Fouts = 4/2/2/0/0/0; Josiah Jones = 3/1/2/0/0/0; Jason Laster = 3/3/0/0/0/0; Nehemiah Figueroa = 3/3/0/0/0/2; Jacob Goad = 3/0/3/.5/0/0; Christian Davis = 2/1/1/0/0/0; Obi Maijeh = 2/2/0/0/0/1; Zane Cornejo = 1/1/0/0/0/0; Jalil Brown = 1/1/0/0/0/0; Kennedy Batchel = 1/1/0/0/0/0; Avery Crawford = 1/1/0/0/0/0; Wiktor Zaton = 1/1/0/0/0/0; Dominic Lawrence = 1/1/0/0/0/0; Kenneth Ray = 1/1/0/0/0/0; Kevin Dodd = 1/1/0/0/0/0.

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