Bullpup Football Faces Senior Night Setback Against Mulvane 35-21

McPHERSON, Kan. – The McPherson Bullpup football team held their final home game of the regular season Friday, Oct. 11, but fell against a hot Mulvane squad 35-21 despite a comeback effort.

The night started honoring the senior football players, as each player ran out of the north end zone through a tunnel of Bullpup band members and cheerleaders with local junior football players, in a moment that the players and their loved ones would not forget. The varsity roster consists of 17 seniors, including offensive leaders like Carter Allen and Bishop Brown as well as defensive leaders such as Brody Seidl, Chase Koehn, and Catch Delaney. A full list of seniors can be found towards the end of this article.

The game kicked off a chance for McPherson to move up in the Regional rankings and solidify a chance at finishing towards the top of the AVCTL Div. 3 standings, with the Mulvane Wildcats coming in 4-1 on the season. Mulvane started with the ball and scored on their first drive, capped by a 21-yard TD pass to make it 7-0. Mulvane tacked on two more home run balls early in the 2nd with a 51-yard TD pass then scoring on their first play of their next possession on an 83-yard TD run by QB Manny Myers, making it 21-0 Mulvane. Myers ended the game with 320 rushing yards.

The Bullpups did not have momentum through the first 23 minutes of play, but senior Brody Seidl picked off a Myers pass in the red zone to give the Bullpups possession late in the half. On the next play, Bullpup QB Carter Allen threw a screen pass to sophomore WR Ashton Malm, who ran 85 yards for the first touchdown of the game for the Bullpups, making the score 21-7 at halftime. Malm would finish with 209 yards and three TD’s.

Mulvane scored the lone points of the 3rd on a Fisher Dye 1-yard TD run making it 27-7, but the Bullpups did not give up without a fight. Looking for a response early in the 4th, Allen dumped a screen to Malm again, who took it 85 yards to the house once again, making the score 27-14. McPherson pushed down the field again, scoring on a 21-yard TD pass to Malm with 3:47 to go in the game, bringing it a six point game 27-21.

McPherson’s coaching staff elected to kick it off down the field rather than try an onside kick to try to pin Mulvane back with 3:47 remaining and having all three of their timeouts. Brock Richardson booted the kickoff into the end zone for a touchback to start Mulvane at their own 20, but Myers would keep the ball on an option play on the first play of the drive, running it down the field 80 yards for his second rushing touchdown and 4th overall. Mulvane would hold on defensively, defeating the Bullpups 35-21.

Mulvane improves to 5-1 on the year and are now 2-1 against AVCTL Div. 3 opponents. The Bullpups fell to 3-3 on the year, moving them to 2-1 against divisional opponents as well.

McPherson is in 8th in the 4A West Regional standings, which is no different from last week’s standings despite the loss, thanks to a loss from 9th place Abilene. However, they are now tied for 2nd in the AVCTL Div. 3 standings, tying at 2-1 with Mulvane and Winfield. Buhler holds the top spot in the division with a 3-0 divisional record, 4-2 overall.

The Bullpups will be on the road for their final two regular season matchups, starting off with 1-5 Augusta Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. Augusta is coming off of their first win of the season, a 36-22 victory over Abilene. Coverage of the game can be heard on 98.9/1540 KMCP.