Football | 10/10/2010 1:04:53 AM

Box Score

McPherson, Kan. – The Bulldog offense scored touchdowns on its first eight possessions as the No. 7 McPherson College football team rolled past the University of Saint Mary, 73-24 in front of a Homecoming crowd at McPherson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

McPherson scored more than 70 points for the first time since the 1999 season, while improving to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Bulldogs have not been undefeated at this point in the season since 1952. The loss dropped the Spires to 0-5 overall and 0-4 in the KCAC.

The Bulldogs 560 yards of offense extend MC’s streak of 520-plus yard performances to three games.

Quarterback Shane Mascarenas (Peoria, Ariz) led the Bulldog passing attack, which tallied 285 of McPherson’s 560 yards of total offense, with 228 yards on 15-of-17 passing, including five touchdowns. All of Mascarenas’ touchdowns came in the first half.

Wide receiver duo Andy Skinner (Montezuma, Kan.) and Joe Middleton (Phoenix, Ariz.) continued to be the preferred targets of the MC offense. Skinner led the team with nine catches for 131 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, while Middleton matched the Bulldog all-time mark of four touchdown receptions. Along with the scores, Middleton tallied seven catches for 99 yards.

Aaron Lafitte (Ironwood, Ariz.) led a ground attack that registered a season-best 275 yards. Lafitte himself accounted for 112 of those yards, including a 68-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that put McPherson up 42-7.

USM recovered an onside kick on the opening kickoff to receive the ball around midfield. The Spires, aided by a pair of McPherson penalties, marched 58 yards on seven plays to take an early 7-0 lead. The deficit marked the first time this season that the Bulldogs have trailed.

However, McPherson did not trail for long as they would score on their first nine possessions, including a 40-yard punt return for a touchdown by Thomas Stauts and a Shelton Thigpen blocked punt that Austin Brown scooped up and ran 15 yards to pay dirt.

The Spires added a field goal with time expiring in the first half to make the score 56-10 in favor of the Bulldogs.

McPherson would add a 48-yard Travis Eason (Tulsa, Okla.) field goal in the third, before the second-string offense would trade touchdowns with the Spires to make it a 73-24 final.

Defensively, McPherson held USM to a season low 20 yards rushing on 24 carries. Linebacker Darrick Johnson (Maricopa, Ariz.) led the team with six tackles and two tackles for loss. Thirty-four Bulldogs tallied at least one tackle in the effort.

McPherson continues KCAC action on Saturday, Oct. 16, when the Bulldogs host No. 17 Kansas Wesleyan University. Kickoff with the Coyotes is set for 1:30 p.m. at McPherson Stadium.