MCPHERSON, Kan. — Sterling College fell to McPherson College 85-0 on Saturday, Nov. 15 in the final game of the season. Sterling’s defense recorded two quarterback sacks and forced three fumbles, recovering one. Despite their efforts, Sterling struggled offensively, managing only 145 total yards and committing four interceptions. The Bulldogs dominated with 524 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns, contributing to their decisive victory.
Sterling opened the first quarter with possession, but their initial drive stalled quickly, leading to a punt. The defense then made a crucial play by forcing a fumble recovered by Sean Watson at the Sterling 44-yard line, halting McPherson’s advance after a significant gain.
Sterling’s subsequent drive showed promise, as Jeremyah Raguindin connected with Chandler Ingold and Will Stokes on consecutive completions, moving the ball into McPherson territory. However, the drive ended without points as Sterling was forced to punt.
McPherson’s final drive of the quarter saw them advance to Sterling’s 6-yard line, but the defense held firm, stopping Brysen Kerby on a third down rush attempt. The first quarter concluded with the score tied at 0-0, with Sterling’s defense preventing an early deficit.
The second quarter began with Sterling holding the Bulldogs on a fourth down at their own 6-yard line. However, following a turnover on downs, Sterling’s drive stalled, leading to a punt. McPherson capitalized on their next possession, scoring a touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Ryan Markarian to Traven Lewis-Johnson, extending their lead to 7-0.
Sterling’s subsequent drive ended abruptly with an interception by Xavier Kendrick. The Bulldogs took advantage again, with Markarian connecting with Edgar Bell Jr. for another touchdown, increasing the lead to 14-0. Sterling continued to struggle, as another interception led to a defensive touchdown for McPherson, making it 21-0.
Sterling managed to move the ball with Armando Juarez‘s rushing efforts, but a penalty halted their progress. McPherson maintained their momentum, scoring on a Brysen Kerby rush to push their lead further. The quarter closed with the Bulldogs adding more points, including a field goal by Jack Finder, and another touchdown pass, bringing the halftime score to 38-0 in favor of McPherson College.
The third quarter began with McPherson College capitalizing on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Markarian to Traven Lewis-Johnson, followed by a successful extra point. Sterling responded with a drive highlighted by Raguindin connecting on a 25-yard pass to Juarez, pushing into McPherson territory, but the drive stalled after two incomplete passes. McPherson then extended their lead with a 15-yard rushing touchdown by Horace Bradshaw.
Sterling’s next possession was marked by a 31-yard pass completion from Raguindin to Juarez, but it was unable to sustain momentum, resulting in a punt. Defensively, Sterling’s Jorge Cereceres made a significant impact with a sack for a 14-yard loss on McPherson’s Markarian, forcing a punt soon after. However, McPherson managed to score again with a 75-yard touchdown pass late in the quarter.
Sterling attempted to counter, but an interception returned for a touchdown by Kirby Lewis added to McPherson’s lead. The quarter concluded with Sterling unable to advance effectively, as McPherson maintained a commanding 66-0 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Sterling began the final quarter facing a challenging second-and-long situation, which resulted in a sack and a punt by Mason Cobb. The punt was returned 63 yards by Azaiah Gonzalez for a touchdown, extending McPherson’s lead. Following a missed extra point attempt by McPherson, Sterling’s subsequent drive showed promise with Gabriel Argott rushing for 24 yards over three carries, pushing the team to their own 43-yard line. However, the drive stalled, and another punt by Cobb returned possession to McPherson College.
The game concluded with Sterling unable to close the gap, resulting in a 85-0 final score in favor of McPherson College.
Armando Juarez led the offensive effort with 91 receiving yards on seven receptions, adding 33 rushing yards on six carries. Jeremyah Raguindin completed 12 of 23 passes for 121 yards, though he was intercepted twice. On defense, Ryan Morgan contributed significantly with eight tackles, while Sean Watson forced a fumble, recovered it, and added a tackle. Additionally, Logan Castille made his presence felt with two forced fumbles and five tackles.
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