Football | 10/17/2010 12:15:52 AM
Box Score Box Score
McPherson, Kan. – The No. 7 McPherson College football team defeated No. 14 Kansas Wesleyan, 56-42, in an offensive shootout Saturday afternoon at McPherson Stadium. The two sides combined for 1,189 yards of total offense on 169 plays.
The win improves the Bulldogs to 6-0 and 5-0 in KCAC action for the first time in program history, while the Coyotes drop to 5-1 and 4-1 in conference play.
The Bulldogs overcame a slow start, including three punts in their first four possessions, to gain a season-high 629 yards, including 498 yards through the air. Senior quarterback Shane Mascarenas (Peoria, Ariz) set a season-high with 489 yards on 24-of-43 passing, including four touchdowns.
For the fifth consecutive game, junior wide receiver Andy Skinner (Montezuma, Kan.) recorded over 100 yards receiving. The native of Montezuma, Kan., tallied 188 yards on nine catches and three touchdowns. He leads the team with 44 receptions for 831 yards and 10 touchdowns on the year. Fellow receiver Joe Middleton (Phoenix, Ariz.) also topped the century mark with 147 yards on four catches, including a 68-yard touchdown strike midway through the second quarter.
Senior running back Aaron Lafitte (Ironwood, Ariz.) rounded out the Bulldog top offensive performers with 22 carries for 123 yards and three touchdowns. On the year, Lafitte averages nearly six yards per carry, while tallying a team-best 13 touchdowns. Lafitte and Skinner are the only two Bulldogs with double-digit touchdowns.
Following a pair of three-and-outs to start the game, Kansas Wesleyan struck first with a four play, 79-yard drive capped by a 54-yard pass from Doug Webster to Anthony Barry. However, McPherson would even the score with a big play of their own as Mascarenas hooked up with Skinner for a 61-yard pass to tie the game 7-7 with 4:28 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs would tack on 14 more points on a Mascarenas keeper and a Lafitte seven yard run to take a 21-7 lead with 11:25 left in the half. The two teams would continue to light up the scoreboard with three additional scores before the half. The Bulldogs entered the locker room with a 28-20 advantage.
McPherson received the ball to start period three. The Bulldogs marched 70 yards on seven plays, including an 18 yard carried by Lafitte for his second score of the day. KWU would match the touchdown with another big play to stay within seven points, 35-28.
Despite the KWU score, the Bulldogs kept the offense pressure high by adding a pair of Skinner touchdowns on their next two drives to take a 49-28 lead. The second of the two scores was set up by a Coyote fumble that was recovered by defensive tackle John Sobczuk.
Although, Kansas Wesleyan would not go away as Webster utilized outstanding field position to bring the Coyotes within 14, 35-49 with 1:51 left in the third.
However, the Bulldogs continued to fight by adding another Lafitte touchdown to seal the victory. KWU added a late score to bring the game to a 56-42 final.
Defensively, senior linebacker Will Powers (Garden City, Kan.) led the team with 15 tackles, including nine solo stops and one tackle for loss. Fellow linebacker J.L. Gomez (Prosper, Texas) also recorded double-digit tackles with 14, including a team-high four tackles for loss and two sacks.
McPherson returns to action next Saturday (Oct. 23) as they travel to Southwestern College. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. in Winfield, Kan.
