Photo by Jakob Komel
McPherson, Kan. – The McPherson College football team opened their 2021 season with a 24-0 loss at home to the Bethel College Threshers.
The game started off with a bang, with pyrotechnics coinciding with the opening kickoff, endured three weather delays and ended on Friday morning, six hours after the original start time.
For the Bulldogs the story of the game was missed opportunities and peanalties. On the first play of the game, a swing pass by Josh Pisik looked like it was going to be a touchdown, but Joe Smyth barely stepped out of bounds and instead it was just an eight yard gain. On Bethel's first drive, the Bulldogs forced a fumble but couldn't capitalize and went three and out on their next possession.
After another three and out by the Bulldog offense, the defense held the Threshers to a field goal on their next possession. On the ensuing kickoff, J'Kobi Reddick appeared to take the ball to the house on the return, but a penalty on the return brought the ball all the way back to the Bulldog 25 yard line. On the ensuing drive, the offense recorded their first, first down of the game, but the drive stalled and they were force to punt again.
The first quarter ended two plays into the next Thresher possession with the score still 3-0 in favor of the visitors. The Bulldog defense again came up big, and forced the Threshers to punt for the first time in the game. A bad snap over the head of the punter gave the Bulldogs excellent field possession at the Bethel 12 yard line. The Bulldogs got the ball to the 4 yard line but on 4th and 2 turned the ball over on downs with an incomplete pass.
The Bulldog defense forced another Thresher punt on the next possession, but the offense again went three and out and had to punt. This time it was the Bulldogs' turn for a bad snap, and the Threshers once again had a short field to work with at the McPherson 30 yard line. At this point weather rolled in and the game was delayed because of lightning.
After roughly an hour delay, the game resumed, and Bethel went 30 yards in five plays, scoring the first touchdown of the game and extending the lead to 10-0. Two more possessions by the Bulldogs and one by the Threshers all ended in punts, and the half ended with the same score and another weather delay.
After another hour of delay, the second half began. The Bulldogs got another break on the Threshers' opening drive of the half when they fumbled the ball on the pitch from the quarterback to the running back. Unfortunately the Bulldog offense was unable to take advantage again, and punted again on their next possession.
Late in the third quarter, and the beginning of the 4th, the Bulldog offense began to show signs of life, but just over two minutes into the final stanza, more weather rolled in, sending the teams to the locker rooms for the third time. When the teams returned to the field, it was a brand new day but the Bulldogs still trailed the Threshers 10-0.
The Threshers took the wind out of the Bulldog sails two plays after the delay on a 62 yard touchdown run. The Bulldogs got some help on their next drive from Thresher penalties. There was an unsportsmanlike penalty after the touchdown that resulted in the ball being kicked off from the Bethel 20 yard line giving the Bulldogs great starting position near midfield after the return. Pisik threw three incomplete passes, but on the third the Josh Seabolt, the Threshers' top linebacker was called for targeting and disqualified from the game. Two plays later another unsportsmanlike penalty on the Threshers gave the Bulldogs the ball on the Bethel 13 yard line. Three passes later, two incomplete, and one complete the Bulldogs faced a 4th and 6 from the 9 yard line. Offsides by the Threshers made it 4th and 1 from the 4, but Pisik's pass was intercepted in the endzone, killing the drive.
The Bulldog defense forced a three and out on the next Thresher possession, and the Bethel punter shanked the ball out of bounds, netting only 10 yards, and giving the Bulldogs the ball back at the Bethel 39 yard line. The Bulldogs went for it again on 4th down, but an incomplete pass resulted in a turnover on downs.
The Threshers put the nail in the coffin on their next possession, going 66 yards on four plays resulting in another touchdown and giving them a 24-0 lead. The Bulldogs drove the ball down to the Bethel 25 yard line in 11 plays, but time ran out and they were unable to find the endzone.
Team Stats:
The Bulldogs had 168 yards of total offense with 178 yards through the air, but minus 10 yards on the ground. The Defense held the Threshers to 359 yards of offense, all of them on the ground. They also forced the Threshers in to five fumbles, recovering two of them. The Bulldogs had 11 penalties for 109 yards, while the Threshers had 10 for 103 yards. Time of possession was in favor of the Threshers. They held the ball for 33:16 while the Bulldog offense was on the field for 26:44.
Individual Stats leaders
Offense:
Passing               Josh Pisik                          25 – 49               178 yards           1 INT
Receiving            Melvin Reid                      8 catches            65 yards
Rushing        Jamichael Turman       5 rushes       13 yards
 Joe Smyth                         3 rushes              13 yards
Punting               Cole Schroeder                7 punts          231 yards            Avg. 33 yds        Long 53 yds
Kick Returns     J'Kobi Reddick                  1 Return        35 yards
Defense:
Tackles                Taeylon Garland              13                          7 assisted           6 Solo                   1 TFL
Fum. Recovery   Alfred Llamas                   1
                            Bailey Sites                       1
Now 0-1, the Bulldogs turn their sites on the Tabor College Bluejays for a 7:00 match up on September 11, on the road in Hillsboro, Kansas.
