MHS wins opener

McPherson High's Peter Claassen makes a run on Carroll's Mitchell Simpson
Staff Photo by Steve Sell

MHS wins opener

.By STEVE SELL, Sentinel Sports Editor
It's postseason time for McPherson High's soccer team, which means it's the Bullpups' time to shine.
The Bullpups, Class 5A state champions two of the last three years, began the journey toward another Final Four berth here Tuesday with a 3-0 blanking of Bishop Carroll at McPherson Stadium.
The victory propelled the Bullpups into Thursday's 7 p.m. regional championship game, also to be at McPherson Stadium. They host Winfield, the Ark Valley League Division II champions, which handed the Bullpups a 1-0 setback just last week on MHS' Senior Night.
MHS was a prohibitive favorite against a Carroll team that entered 2-14 and the Bullpups clearly were the dominators. They controlled the action from start to finish, and set the tone early when Jamie Crist scored less than four minutes into the game when he rebounded in a missed shot.
"We came out strong, we came out determined," MHS coach Jim Post said. "We talked a lot (before the game) about the postseason. We've been kind of up and down, and we've really kind of had a tough season, schedule-wise. Emotionally we were getting drained and as a coach I was getting drained."
Jason Menard scored the Bullpups' second goal midway through the first half to make it 2-0. Carroll had a golden opportunity to cut the lead in half late in the first half, but Bullpup goalie Lewis Hadduck made a fingertip save.
The backbreaker came with 23 seconds left in the first half when Menard played a nice ball to freshman Ben Schwindt, who scored on a header. You could just see the air go out of the Eagles.
"We definitely came out with the most intensity that we've had all season," Post said. "We did some nice things and we got some guys some rest. We got some of those younger guys in to get them some playing time to see what it feels like."
Neither team scored in the second half. Menard had a chance when he had a one-on-one situation, but couldn't finish it. Carroll also had a chance when Mitchell Simpson fired two shots at Hadduck, who stoned the first and when Simpson fired back with his rebound effort, Hadduck flicked it away.
The Bullpups, 10-6-1, now prepare for Winfield, which was a 6-0 winner over Wichita West on Monday, a game in which the Vikings were able to rest their starters much of the second half since it was 4-0 at halftime.
Post admits he's happy his team gets another shot at Winfield since the Vikes handed the Bullpups such a disappointing loss earlier. But no matter the opponent, Post said, the goal is the same.
"The main thing to us is the regional championship," Post said.
If the Bullpups are successful Thursday, there's a chance they could travel four-plus hours next week to take on Liberal for the right to advance to the Final Four.
Liberal entered postseason play 14-1-1 and no doubt still remembers last year's state championship game against MHS when the Bullpups won in double overtime, 1-0.

McPherson Unified School District 418
514 N. Main
McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-9400
It is the policy of McPherson USD 418 not to discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race,
religion, color, age, or national origin in its educational programs and/or activities, nor in its employment practices.

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