Football | 10/13/2023 3:40:00 PM
McPherson College (4-2) at Bethel College (3-3)
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023 | 6:00 PM | Thresher Stadium, North Newton, Kan.
WATCH | Tickets | Stats
The McPherson College Bulldogs travel to North Newton, Kan. to open Kessinger Division play with a showdown against Bethel College.
A LOOK AT THE DOGS
The Bulldogs look to get back in the win column this week, after falling 10-7 to Kansas Wesleyan on a very windy afternoon in Salina.
The Bulldogs come into the contest allowing just 22.0 points per game, while scoring 37.7 ppg. MC ranks fifth in the NAIA with 286.7 passing yards per game, led by Tristan Szabo who is averaging 280.0 yards per contest. Szabo is also fourth in the country with 18 touchdown passes.
Brysen Kerby leads a balanced MC backfield with 291 rushing yards this season and a team-high four touchdowns. Szabo is second on the team with 194 yards and three touchdowns, while Hayden Fry has run for 193 yards and a pair of scores.
The Bulldogs spread the ball around in the passing game with six players catching 10 or more passes. Traven Lewis-Johnson has caught a team-high 22 passes for 421 yards and four scores, while Alex Hill has 216 yards on 16 catches with four touchdowns of his own. Tyson Bochert is second on the team with 247 yards and three touchdowns, while Kerby has 12 catches for 149 yards. Kamryn Brown (133 yards) and Burnts Lewis (188 yards) round out the double-digit receptions.
Defensively, Marquis Willoughby paces the Bulldogs with 55 total tackles, 23 solo stops, and 7.5 tackles for loss. Willoughby has also forced three fumbles, and has one interception. Nehemiah Figueroa is tied for third in the NAIA with four interceptions, while breaking up three passes and making 20 tackles.
SCOUTING THE THRESHERS
Bethel enters the contest with a 3-3 record after dropping their last two games. The Threshers fell to Tabor 31-21 in Hillsboro their last time out.
The Threshers rank fourth in the country and second in the Kessinger division with 273.0 rushing yards per game, led by quarterback DJ Ciers with 730 yards on 90 totes and 10 rushing touchdowns. His season-high was a 212-yard performance against Saint Mary, but was held to a season-low two yards in the 24-14 loss to Kansas Wesleyan.
Kayden Christiansen is second on the team with 80 carries for 297 and a touchdown. Scott Grider has 72 carries for 251 yards.
In the passing game, Ciers has competed 62.8 percent of his passes for 556 yards and nine touchdowns. Trevon Madison and Tucker Smith have each caught 13 passes with Madison going for 235 yards and five touchdowns. Smith has 129 yards and one score. Jacob Reyes is the remaining 100+ yard receiver for the Threshers with 110 yards on nine catches.
Defensively, Kade Miller leads the team with 47 total tackles, while Tate Seabolt is second with 42 stops. Miller and Brenden Sanders lead the Threshers with two interceptions apiece. Jairo Castillo, Jr. is tops on the team with three sacks.
SERIES VS. BETHEL
The Threshers have won the last five matchups between the two teams, and eight of the last ten meetings. They have also won each of the last five games played in North Newton.Â
LAST MEETING
The Threshers knocked off the Bulldogs 14-13 in the 2022 season-opener in North Newton, Kan. The Bulldogs took an early 7-0 lead marching 75 yards in 10 plays on the opening drive, capped off by a 12-yard strike from Tristan Szabo to Brysen Kerby. MC would expand their lead to 13-0 midway through the second quarter with a 42-yard pass from Szabo to Brandt Johnson.
However, from there, it was all Threshers when DJ Ciers scored from 11 yards out to trim the lead to 13-7. Ciers then gave the Threshers the lead with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Caden Hernandez with just 5:11 remaining in the game. The Bulldogs had two chances to regain the lead, but were stopped on fourth down deep in their own territory.
Szabo finished 11-for-24 passing for 103 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw one interception. Jonathan White led the Bulldogs rushing attack with 77 yards on 18 carries, including a 31-yard run. Â
BULLDOGS BY THE NUMBERS
Home: 2-1
Away: 2-1
When scoring:
0-6 points: 0-0
7-13 points: 0-1
14-20 points: 0-0
21-27 points: 0-0
28+ points: 4-1
When allowing:
0-6 points: 0-0
7-13 points: 0-1
14-20 points: 2-0
21-27 points: 1-0
28+ points: 1-1
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When scoring first: 3-0
When opponent scores first: 1-2
When leading at halftime: 4-2
When trailing at halftime: 0-0
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When winning time of possession: 3-0
When losing time of possession: 1-2
When winning turnover battle: 3-0
When losing turnover battle: 1-2
When turnovers are even: 0-0
A BULLDOG WIN WOULD...
... snap a five-game losing streak against Bethel
... be their first win in North Newton since 2012
... improve them to 1-4 against the Coyotes under Coach Fiscus
... improve them to 12-10 on the road under Coach Fiscus
... move Coach Fiscus into a tie for 2nd most coaching wins in McPherson history
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs return to Paul Family Field at McPherson Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 21) for the first time almost a month for the Homecoming game against Bethany College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
KESSINGER DIVISION UPDATE
Two teams in the Kessinger division remain unbeaten entering divisional play. Evangel took care of business routing Avila 44-6 to improve to 6-0, while Southwestern beat Saint Mary in Leavenworth 36-20. Friends improved to 5-1 with a 55-17 win over Sterling, while Bethel fell to 3-3 with a 31-21 loss to Tabor. Bethany dropped to 1-5, falling to Ottawa 40-13 in Ottawa.
COACH FISCUS
Jeremiah Fiscus enters his fifth year as the head coach of the McPherson College Football team in 2023.Â
The 2022 season proved to be a promising one, as Fiscus led the Bulldogs to a 5-5 record, but four of those five setbacks came to the top teams in the KCAC by a combined five points.Â
In his four years at McPherson, Fiscus has coached 46 All-KCAC players, including five first-team selections and nine players landing on the All-KCAC second team. He was also instrumental in the success of the 2020 KCAC Special Teams Player of the Year, Melvin Reed, and 2022 KCAC Player of the Year, Jonathan White, both securing NAIA All-American honors.Â
Coach Fiscus is a former Bulldog who played for the college from 2006 – 2007 under coaches Dave Cunningham and Brian Ward.
Upon graduation from McPherson, he was hired as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he was the running backs coach. After earning a master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern State in 2010, Coach Fiscus was hired as a graduate assistant at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. While at TCU, he earned another master's degree, this one in educational administration, and worked for head coach Gary Patterson as assistant offensive line coach and recruiting assistant.
In his two seasons at TCU, the Horned Frogs won two Mountain West Conference championships, in addition to winning the Rose Bowl and the Poinsettia Bowl. He coached two All-Conference offensive linemen and the MWC offensive player of the year, Andy Dalton.
After two years with the Horned Frogs, Coach Fiscus was hired by Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He spent six seasons with the Reddies in a multitude of positions. He worked as director of equipment operations, team travel coordinator, NFL liaison, OL/TE/FB coach, recruiting coordinator, and offensive coordinator. During his time there, the Reddies won three GAC championships, had three NCAA D2 playoff appearances, and twice were #1 in scoring offense in NCAA DII football.
Coach Fiscus is a 2003 graduate of Stafford High School in Kansas and was a multi-sport standout, lettering in track and field and football. After high school, he attended Dodge City Community College, playing for the Conquistadors from 2003-2005. After getting his associate degree at DCCC, Coach Fiscus transferred to McPherson College, where he played for two seasons and finished his education, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in education.
Coach Fiscus is married to Jessie, and they have two daughters, Lennox (2016), and Laiken (2019), and a son Leonard (2021).
