Big Plays Propel McPherson to Big Win Over Tonganoxie

McPHERSON, Kan. – The McPherson Bullpup football team used big plays in the first half and solid defense in the second half on their way to a 38-19 win over Tonganoxie on Senior Night at Brubaker Family Stadium Friday.

The Bullpup defense had a quick three-and-out and blocked a Chieftain punt on their first drive, taking over at the Tonganoxie 36. Three plays later, Dane Becker was in the end zone on a 28-yard run to put McPherson up 7-0. The Bullpup defense made another stop, but on a 4th-and-inches play with 6:46 left in the 1st, Becker was stopped short by the Tonganoxie defense. After having no success in the passing game on the first two possessions, Tonganoxie shifted to a Wildcat run-game with Bodee Maslak and he finished a long drive with a four-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7.

On the ensuing possession, McPherson needed just two plays to regain the lead as Carter Bengtson escaped pressure and found Ashton Malm on a 69-yard screen pass for a score. That touchdown put the Bullpups up 14-7 and that would be the score after one.

In the second quarter, Bengtson found Brody Hoffman on a bubble screen, resulting in a 64-yard touchdown pass as McPherson took a 21-7 lead with 7:41 remaining in the first half. Tonganoxie answered with another solid drive on the ground, capped by a four-yard score from Blake Riedel, but the extra point was missed as McPherson held an eight-point lead with just over four minutes left in the half. That was too much time for the McPherson offense as Brody Milleson scored from eight yards out with 1:43 left in the first half to give the Bullpups a 28-13 lead.

McPherson nearly gave Tonganoxie too much time at the end of the first half. After a kick return to the Bullpup 40, the Chieftains got to the McPherson 26, but an interception in the end zone on a fourth down play by Takoda Linn with 34 seconds left in the first half thwarted the opportunity as McPherson had the 28-13 lead at the break.

After a combined 41 points in the first half, things slowed down in the second half. The Bullpups fumbled the opening kickoff, but five plays later Chase Lowery recovered a Tonganoxie fumble to give them the ball back. Dane Becker scored from six yards out to put McPherson up three scores at 35-13 with 6:39 to play in the third. Jaxon Hoover added a 28-yard field goal to extend the lead to 38-13 by the end of the third quarter. The lone fourth quarter score was a 41-yard touchdown pass from Hudson Myers to Jack Reischman for Tonganoxie. A two-point attempt failed and the 38-19 score ended up as the final.

McPherson had 480 yards of total offense as Bengtson was 17-21 for 303 yards and two scores. Malm had his best game of the season with 146 yards on seven catches with the touchdown and Hoffman had his first 100-yard game with four catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. The Bullpups racked up 177 rushing yards as Becker had 25 carries for 135 yards and two scores. Tonganoxie ended up with 318 yards of total offense, picking up 221 on the ground. Maslak carried the ball 20 times for 149 yards and a touchdown to lead the Chieftain offense.

McPherson stayed at number two in the 4A West standings with the win, moving to 6-1 on the season. Tonganoxie dropped to 4-3. The Bullpups will finish their regular season on Friday night at Winfield, looking to finish an unbeaten AVCTL Division III schedule. The Vikings are 3-4 after a 51-7 loss at Buhler on Friday night.

Score by Quarters