Coyotes remain perfect with big win over McPherson
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Robert Javadian pulls down an interception during KWU's 40-7 defeat of McPherson

Kansas Wesleyan remained perfect on the season, piling up 330 yards rushing as the Coyotes dominated McPherson College 40-7 on a cold windy afternoon at Martin Stadium.

The win moves the no.10 ranked Coyotes to 7-0 on the season, 6-0 in the KCAC, while McPherson drops to 1-6 overall, 1-5 in KCAC play.

A 37-yard return on the opening kick off by Kris Smiley gave McPherson good field position at its own 41, and an 11-yard run by Jeff Paulson gave the Bulldogs a first down in Coyote territory, and forcing Dave Dallas to call a timeout. McPherson got no further than the KWU 39,  settling for a punt for only 12 yards by Jacob Walden.

It took until Wesleyan’s third drive for the Coyotes to score their first points of the game. A four-play, 45 yard drive, all runs by workhorse tailback Darell Grames, capped by a seven-yard run, and Michael Barry’s kick with 1:31 left in the first put the Coyotes ahead 7-0.

After Walden’s punt on McPherson’s next drive was downed at the Wesleyan 2, the Coyotes went on a 10 play, 98 yard drive capped by a 32 yard Grames run with 9:00 left in the second to put the Coyotes ahead 14-0 with Barry’s kick. Wesleyan only passed once on the drive, an 11 yard play from Justin Schropp to DeChad Ward.

On the ensuing kickoff, Anthony Padilla popped a short kick between the McPherson front line players, and Robert Javadian recovered at the MAC-27. It only took one play for Schropp to find Marcus Lowe for the Coyotes’ next score. Schropp’s pass was tipped by McPherson’s Jordan King before Lowe caught it and went in for the score. Barry’s kick made it 21-0 with 8:25 left.

Ward scored the next touchdown for the Coyotes, a 53-yard run capping a five play, 82 yard drive, all Ward runs, to give the Coyotes a 27-0 lead. Barry then missed his first extra point of the season.

Javadian then stepped up again picking off of a Jacob Simon pass at the MAC-49, and going out of bounds at the 48. Schropp converted a third down with a five yard run just before the half, but Brandon Babcock tackled Grames for a five-yard loss, and the Coyotes ran out the clock to head into the half.

McPherson was unable to get into Coyote territory on its first two drives of the half, but the Coyotes added three points on their second drive thanks to a 49-yard field goal by Padilla with 5:09 left in the third.

A 22-yard punt by Walden after McPherson’s drive stalled at its own 24, gave the Coyotes great field position at the MAC-37, and Grames capped the nine play drive with a five yard run with 14:54 left in the fourth quarter, and Barry’s PAT made it 37-0 Coyotes.

McPherson got to the Wesleyan 28 on its next drive thanks to a 19-yard run on a keeper by Simon on the second play of the drive. McPherson tried a halfback pass but Paulson’s pass was intercepted by backup defensive back Seth Franklin at the KWU-3. Three Joe Dixon runs only netted two yards, and Jarod Fronce’s punt from the end zone went out of bounds at the KWU-28.

McPherson then scored its only points on the ensuing drive as Simon ran a keeper around the right end on fourth and 11 from 16 yards out, and Brison Gray’s kick was good to make the score 37-7 with 6:29 left.

Willie Johnson almost broke Wesleyan’s only kickoff return of the day for a touchdown, returning the kick 53 yards, being dug down by Dwight Hale and Steve Dickinson at the MAC-34 yard line.

The Coyotes were able to drive to the MAC-6, as five different ball carriers for Wesleyan got touches. After the drive stalled at the MAC-11, senior Salvador Arceo came on and converted a 28 yard field goal with 48 seconds left to give Wesleyan a 40-7 lead.

Grames led the way for the Coyote rushers, carrying 24 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns, while Ward and went over 100 yards, carrying 14 times for 125 yards and one score. Nine different Wesleyan players got carries, as the Coyotes carried 53 times or 330 yards on the afternoon. Schropp was 3-for-7 passing for 48 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and AJ Avila was 1-for-1 for eight yards. Four different receivers caught passes, led by Lowe’s 27 yard touchdown catch.

McPherson was led in rushing by Paulson with 19 carries for 87 yards, while Trevon Anderson had 10 carries for 48 yards. Simon was only 3-for-13 passing for 12 yards. Dickinson had two catches for six yards to lead the McPherson receivers.

The Coyotes made their first road trip in a month, heading to North Newton to play Bethel next Saturday at 1:30 PM.

-- KWU SI --