McPherson, Kan – With NAIA Playoff hopes on the line, the Bulldogs needed a large victory over the Sterling Warriors on Saturday in order to give themselves a chance to make the post-season for the first time in 15 years. McPherson came into the contest off their second loss of the campaign to Kansas Wesleyan the previous Saturday.
The Basics
Location: McPherson Stadium
Records: MC 9-2 (3-2 KCAC), SC 1-10 (0-5 KCAC)
Score: MC 85, SC 0
How it Happened
In front of a Senior Day crowd at Paul Family Field, the Bulldogs hosted their final game of the year in hopes of making it to the 2025 NAIA Playoffs, needing a massive win over the Warriors at home.
Despite a slow first quarter, the Bulldogs rolled to an 85-0 victory, breaking a program record for the most points scored in a single game at McPherson College.
Ryan Markarian started off the scoring connecting with
Traven Lewis-Johnson for a 14-yard reception into the endzone for the 7-0 lead with 12:12 left in the second quarter. Two minutes later, it would be another 14-yard reception from Markarian to
Edgar Bell Jr. for the 14-0 lead.
Brysen Kerby extended McPherson's lead at the 7:58 mark on a three-yard jog into the endzone after finding a large gap created by the offensive line, growing the lead to 21-0. The defense got in on the scoring as
Gabe Goodnight brought back a 47-yard interception to spread the margin at 28-0. Just over a minute later,
Jack Finder connected on a 37-yard field goal for the 31-0 advantage.
In the third quarter, Lewis-Johnson hauled in a 56-yard pitch-and-catch from Markarian to cap off a two-play drive for six more points, making the score 45-0 early in the second half.
Horace Bradshaw found his first score of the day on a jet-sweep from 15-yards out for the 52-0 advantage.
Ryan Markarian found his fifth and final deep bomb of the day on a 75-yard touchdown to
Jamai Rutherford for the 58-0 lead (two-point attempt failed). The defense found it's second touchdown of the day after
Kirby Lewis made a great read on a stop route near Sterling's bench, leaving the Warriors to watch Lewis stroll 25 yards into the endzone for the 66-0 lead.
Azaiah Gonzalez, who has been a lethal punt returner this season, brought one all the way back 63 yards in the fourth quarter following great blocking to grow the lead to 72-0 after a failed two-point conversion from the Bulldogs.
Traven Lewis-Johnson scored his final touchdown of the day on a 63-reception from
Wyatt Smith for the 78-0 advantage. The final score of the day also came off the throw of
Wyatt Smith as he found
Horace Bradshaw for a 37-yard touchdown, to move the game to the eventual 85-0 victory.
