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September 2010:
Last night's football game was a family affair.
Our grandson Tyler played his first game at his new school last night as the starting quarterback and he was remarkable. Tyler threw 5 touchdown passes and his team won the game by a large margin.
There are some really neat things about this game that won't make headline news, but that I am very happy about anyway. First, we got to listen to the whole game via KBBE 96.7, in McPherson, Kansas. We were sitting on our front porch with Grandma Darlene, listening to the announcers get so excited about Tyler and his teammates. I was texting Mother Jennifer (who took all the photos below) and Aunt Shanna in Washington. Shanna and John soon turned the game on at their house, so we were all involved. Cary called Randy everytime Tyler threw another touchdown pass, which seemed like every 5 minutes; driving Randy crazy. It was so fun!
Another highlight is that Jennifer's grandmother, who lives in Oregon, was there to watch the game too. She had not seen the kids for a long time, and I can only imagine how she was bursting with pride over everything she was getting to see in person last night.
Randy, Tyler, Cameron, Jen and Halie
Grandpa Hal, Grandma Bev, Great Grandma Celia, and Jen
I am so jealous! I wanted to be there sitting next to
them and I think Cary feels the same way.
them and I think Cary feels the same way.
Cameron, Great Grandma Celia, Tyler and Halie
Great Grandma Celia, Grandpa Hal, Tyler and Grandma Bev
Great Grandma Celia and Tyler
Our sweet babies: Cameron, Halie and Tyler.
(Even though I have only known them for 7 years!)
(Even though I have only known them for 7 years!)
The Victory Party!
The Game:
"Coach Young is a great coach and we have a good group of guys and this is a good start to what I think is going to be a good year," Matthews said. "We were just clicking tonight and the line blocked, the receivers got open æ.æ.æ. everything was perfect."
This was the score when Tyler left the game and they gave others a chance to play. The final score was 52-27.
Halie is in the middle. I texted Jen and asked how Halie was doing, and she replied: "Halie is BEAUTIFUL!" Yes, she is.
The star of the show:
Links:
From the Wichita Eagle Website:
McPherson beats Andover behind Tyler Matthews' five passing TDs
McPHERSON — This time last season, McPherson quarterback Tyler Matthews was buried on the bench at Goddard.
Not until the second half of the season did Matthews find the field, and he wound up throwing for more than 1,000 yards.
When his dad took a job in McPherson after football season, Matthews transferred and began studying coach Tom Young's playbook, in anticipation of becoming the Bullpups' quarterback.
After throwing for 296 yards, five touchdowns and completing 85 percent of his passes (17 of 20) in McPherson's 52-27 victory over Andover on Friday night, Matthews better get ready to hear the comparisons with Joel Piper, last year’s quarterback who has moved on to Butler Community College.
"Coach Young is a great coach and we have a good group of guys and this is a good start to what I think is going to be a good year," Matthews said. "We were just clicking tonight and the line blocked, the receivers got openæ.æ.æ. everything was perfect."
Matthews' primary targets, Nick Gawanda and Christian Ulsaker, benefited greatly from Matthews' quick delivery.
Often times the Bullpups’ standout receivers hadn't even turned their heads on their routes and the ball was already there.
Gawanda finished with five catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns, while Ulsaker had eight receptions for 108 yards and a score.
"I compare him a lot to Joel (Piper)," Ulsaker said. "Tyler's ball jumps the last 10 yards and that's something we didn't have last year."
To make matters worse for opponents, McPherson has a lethal running game too.
Kevin O'Connor ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a shovel pass from Matthews and ran it in from 44 yards.
"We were pretty sharp, and in fact, I was surprised how well we executed," Young said. "We've got pretty good balance and we're fortunate to have that talent."
The sight was all too familiar for Andover coach Mike Lee.
One year ago his team lost by the exact score at Buhler, and just like Friday night, gave up yard after yard.
"I don't think any team can match up with McPherson," Lee said. "That is a very, very good team."
The Trojans appeared to have something going in the early stages of the game. Ben Croitoru ran the first play from scrimmage 67 yards for a touchdown, and then the Trojans added a receiving touchdown from Caleb Windholz early in the second quarter to take a 14-12 lead.
The Bullpups responded by scoring touchdowns on six of their next seven series.
To make matters even worse for the Trojans, Croitoru, who rushed for 1,490 yards last season, left the game with a knee injury.
"I'm going to try and be an optimist about it, but it doesn't look good," Lee said. "We are already starting to think where we go from here."
From The McPherson Sentinel Website:
Not until the second half of the season did Matthews find the field, and he wound up throwing for more than 1,000 yards.
When his dad took a job in McPherson after football season, Matthews transferred and began studying coach Tom Young's playbook, in anticipation of becoming the Bullpups' quarterback.
After throwing for 296 yards, five touchdowns and completing 85 percent of his passes (17 of 20) in McPherson's 52-27 victory over Andover on Friday night, Matthews better get ready to hear the comparisons with Joel Piper, last year’s quarterback who has moved on to Butler Community College.
"Coach Young is a great coach and we have a good group of guys and this is a good start to what I think is going to be a good year," Matthews said. "We were just clicking tonight and the line blocked, the receivers got openæ.æ.æ. everything was perfect."
Matthews' primary targets, Nick Gawanda and Christian Ulsaker, benefited greatly from Matthews' quick delivery.
Often times the Bullpups’ standout receivers hadn't even turned their heads on their routes and the ball was already there.
Gawanda finished with five catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns, while Ulsaker had eight receptions for 108 yards and a score.
"I compare him a lot to Joel (Piper)," Ulsaker said. "Tyler's ball jumps the last 10 yards and that's something we didn't have last year."
To make matters worse for opponents, McPherson has a lethal running game too.
Kevin O'Connor ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a shovel pass from Matthews and ran it in from 44 yards.
"We were pretty sharp, and in fact, I was surprised how well we executed," Young said. "We've got pretty good balance and we're fortunate to have that talent."
The sight was all too familiar for Andover coach Mike Lee.
One year ago his team lost by the exact score at Buhler, and just like Friday night, gave up yard after yard.
"I don't think any team can match up with McPherson," Lee said. "That is a very, very good team."
The Trojans appeared to have something going in the early stages of the game. Ben Croitoru ran the first play from scrimmage 67 yards for a touchdown, and then the Trojans added a receiving touchdown from Caleb Windholz early in the second quarter to take a 14-12 lead.
The Bullpups responded by scoring touchdowns on six of their next seven series.
To make matters even worse for the Trojans, Croitoru, who rushed for 1,490 yards last season, left the game with a knee injury.
"I'm going to try and be an optimist about it, but it doesn't look good," Lee said. "We are already starting to think where we go from here."
From The McPherson Sentinel Website:
McPherson, Kan. —
This just in -- the new kid isn’t too shabby.
There was much curiosity here Friday night surrounding the debut of McPherson High junior quarterback Tyler Matthews, a transfer from Goddard who was stepping into the oversized shoes of Shrine Bowler Joel Piper.
Talk about your first impressions. All Matthews did before an overflow McPherson Stadium crowd was pierce a good Andover team for 304 yards and five touchdowns to key a 52-27 victory. Matthews was 10 of 13 for 210 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone, as MHS shook off a couple of early deficits to lead 25-14, then added 20 points in the third quarter to break it open.
“Well, maybe not quite that good,” MHS coach Tom Young said when asked if he thought Matthews would be that good. “He really played well. Of course our receivers really caught the ball well and we protected well for most of the time.”
Matthews finished the game a pinpoint 17 of 20, as he hit on all seven of his second-half pitches. He retired after the first series of the fourth quarter. As expected, the MHS receivers were a handful. Nick Gawanda had five catches for 122 yards, including TDs of 29, 64 and 14 yards. Christian Ulsaker latched on to eight passes for 99 yards and a 23-yard touchdown, while Kevin O’Connor turned a shovel pass into a 44-yard TD sprint.
O’Connor augmented the passing game by churning for 133 yards on 18 carries, literally attacking the Trojan defense with fearless abandon. He had three touchdowns, two on the ground. Seth Davenport scored the other rushing TD from five yards out. MHS finished with 475 yards, most of that in the first three quarters.
“A lot of the 7-on-7 stuff you have in the summer anymore is huge,” Young said. “It gives you an advantage to work on the passing game.”
“A lot of the 7-on-7 stuff you have in the summer anymore is huge,” Young said. “It gives you an advantage to work on the passing game.”
The MHS defense was shaky early, as Ben Croitoru scored on the first play of the game on a 67-yard sprint and Andover took a second lead early in the second quarter on a 9-yard Jordan Jones to Caleb Windholz pass. Unfortunately for the Trojans, Croitoru was injured late in the first half and did not return, robbing Andover of its top home-run hitter. He had 105 yards in the first quarter and finished with 110. “He’s a real fine back and it hurt them when we went out,” Young said. “When he gets out in the open, it’s all over. Andover is a fine football team and very physical.”
It was all Bullpups after Croitoru went out, as the Trojans didn’t do anything else offensively until Young cleared the bench.
The Bullpups now turn their attention to Salina South, which defeated Campus 29-18 Friday night. That game also will be at McPherson Stadium and the Cougars are thought to have the talent to return to prominence.
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