WICHITA, Kan. – McPherson High School’s Girls Soccer team took their talents to Wichita eyeing a possibility to win the 4-1A State Title, but a loss in the semifinals led them to a third-place win to finish off their season. Following the season, the AVCTL Div. 3-4 honors were announced, which can be seen after the game recaps.
Game Recaps:
The Bullpups took on a combined team of Topeka’s Cair Paravel Latin School and Eskridge’s Mission Valley High School to kick off the semi-finals. McPherson’s lone goal came off of the foot of Ellie Bower in the second half, but the Bullpups could not come back from the early deficit, falling 3-1. Cair Paravel/Mission Valley would eventually fall to Bishop Miege in the State Championship in 2OT.
Ellie Bower continued the terrific season she had by scoring both goals in the match for the Bullpups, helping them earn their 2-1 win over Rose Hill. GK Alyssa Harger also made 8 saves, pushing McPherson to earn 3rd place in the 4-1A State Bracket.
Unfortunately, the game itself has been overshadowed by social media and media outlets due to obscene comments made by a play-by-play announcer on the game’s NFHS Network feed. Toby Moore, an announcer from Oklahoma, was heard talking to somebody in the press box at the Stryker Sports Complex at halftime of the game. Believing his microphone was turned off, Moore was heard on the stream commenting negatively on the game itself before transitioning to talking about the women, more specifically the “Soccer Moms”, spectating the game. KSHSAA and the NFHS have since cut ties with the announcer and have removed the audio feed on the NFHS Network’s on-demand feed.
AVCTL Div. 3-4 Honors:
Following their season finishing 13-5-1, including finishing 4-1 in AVCTL Div. 3 play in the regular season, multiple Bullpups earned top divisional postseason honors.
Ellie Bower was named the Most Valuable Player of the league and head coach Chris Adrian was named the Co-Coach of the Year. GK Alyssa Harger, Bower, defender Baylee Simmelink and midfielders Grace Prescott and Alivia Villalobos earned First-Team AVCTL Div. 3-4 honors.
Full honors:
Most Valuable Player: Ellie Bower (McPherson)
Co-Coaches of the Year: Chris Adrian (McPherson) and Shelby Kaba (Rose Hill)
- First Team:
- Midfielders:
- Jade Smallwood (Mulvane)
- Grace Prescott (McPherson)
- Alivia Villalobos (McPherson)
- Ashlynn Adcock (Buhler)
- Defenders:
- Teagan Garrison (Mulvane)
- Baylee Simmelink (McPherson)
- Navaeh Kelly (Rose Hill)
- Peyton Childers (Augusta)
- Forwards:
- Ellie Bower (McPherson)
- Kyla Kelly (Rose Hill)
- Bronalea Thies (Augusta)
- Teigan Nielsen (Buhler)
- Goalkeepers
- Alyssa Harger (McPherson)
- Midfielders:
- Second Team:
- Midfielders:
- Skylar Flower (Winfield)
- Ella Swearingen (Rose Hill)
- Blythe Hackney (Rose Hill)
- Grace Buell (Augusta)
- Defenders
- Brodie Kuhn (McPherson)
- Paige Loeck (Rose Hill)
- Kenzie Welch (Buhler)
- Ashlyn Coker (Buhler)
- Forwards
- Riggs Kuhn (McPherson)
- Becca Lulloff (McPherson)
- Ava Markley (Rose Hill)
- Madison McCool (Buhler)
- Goalkeepers
- Sammie Brooks (Buhler)
- Midfielders:
- Honorable Mention:
- Midfielders:
- Amelia Hogan (Winfield)
- Anne Marie Olson (Wichita-Collegiate)
- Kenna Dale (McPherson)
- Caitlyn Pearson (McPherson)
- Paige Winer (Rose Hill)
- Emily Wells (Augusta)
- Maddison Levings (Augusta)
- Briar Lichlyter (Augusta)
- Mady Tanksley (Buhler)
- Kam Worthington (Circle)
- Beth Turner (Circle)
- Defenders:
- Scout Hedges (Winfield)
- Grace Carpenter (Mulvane)
- Kylie Schwanke (Mulvane)
- Naomi Vesser (McPherson)
- Keanna Sullivan (McPherson)
- Aubrey Moore (Rose Hill)
- Brinley Fouts (Rose Hill)
- Emily Brundege (Augusta)
- Juliette Shank (Buhler)
- Rhylie Reedy (Circle)
- Chloe Whyte (Circle)
- Forwards:
- Layla Washington (Winfield)
- Kierra Cain (Mulvane)
- Makenzie Rogers (Mulvane)
- Kyndall Glock (Rose Hill)
- Goalkeepers:
- Natalie Hobart (Wichita-Collegiate)
- Abby McCulloch (Rose Hill)
- Makenna Shively (Augusta)
- Jillain Edwards (Circle)
- Midfielders:
