| 2008
Players of the Week
Eason
named NAIA National “Special Teams Player of the Week”
McPherson College sophomore
Travis Eason has been named the NAIA National Special Teams “Player
of the Week” for his play in the Bulldogs' 28-23 season finale win
over Bethel College on September 13, 2008.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The
11 th and final installment of the 2008 NAIA National Football Players
of the Week were announced today (Nov. 17): Drew Dallas of
Kansas Wesleyan University was named NAIA Offensive Player of the
Week, Travis Eason of McPherson (Kan.) College was named
NAIA Special Teams Player of the Week and Adarrious Ross
of Lindenwood (Mo.) University was named NAIA Defensive Player of
the Week , for the week of Nov. 10-16. These winners were chosen
out of a pool of conference player of the week performers among
10 conferences and independents.
 Eason,
a 5-10, 155 lbs., sophomore kicker from Tulsa , Okla. , was the
difference maker in the 28-23 win over Bethel ( Kan. ) in McPherson's
season finale. He connected on a career-best three field goals,
hitting from distances of 41, 27 and 41 yards. Normally just the
placekicker, Travis was pressed into punting duties as the regular
punter got injured. Of his three punts, he averaged 35.7 with a
long of 41 and pinned one of his punts at the BC's one-yard line.
His three field goals marks the second-most made in MC single-game
history. Also, the two 40-plus yard field goals in one game are
reported to be a first in school history.
Dallas,
a 6-3, 215 lbs., senior quarterback from Salina , Kan. , accounted
for seven touchdowns in the Kansas Wesleyan 63-34 road win at Tabor
( Kan. ). He went 13-for-23 passing for 213 yards and six touchdowns.
On the ground, Drew finished with 78 yards on nine attempts (8.7
ypc) and one score. He spread the ball around through the air hitting
six different wide receivers. On the year, Drew finished with nearly
1,900 yards of total offense and posted 24 touchdowns (18 passing,
6 rushing).
Ross, a
5-11, 173 lbs., junior cornerback from Inglewood, Calif., was a
stand-out in the defensive secondary in Lindenwood's 21-18 victory
over visiting and No. 12 Missouri Valley. Adarrious had two interceptions,
both when MVC was driving in Lindenwood territory. He also had a
pair of pass break-ups and two tackles. One of his stops came during
the Vikings game-ending drive when they were trying to either tie
or take the lead. He made a game-saving tackle of MVC running back
Robert Holmes during that drive. He helped the LU defense limit
a MVC team ranked second in the conference in total offense to just
256 yards.
For a complete listing of
all the national statistical leaders, click
here.
Offensive Nominees:
Danny Lowery, Langston (Okla.); Michael Hayward, St.
Ambrose (Iowa); Kyle Callahan, Union (Ky.); Ethan Haller, Ottawa
(Kan.); Stinson Dean, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.); Brandon Bishop-Parise,
Dickinson State (N.D.); Bubba Slaba, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
Defensive Nominees:
Ken Mitchell, Kansas Wesleyan;
Cunningham Anson, Pikeville (Ky.); Colin Green, St. Ambrose (Iowa);
Evan Twedt, Jamestown (N.D.); Mark Drobac, St. Francis (Ind.); Brandon
Sam, Texas College; Adam Maher, Missouri Valley
Special Teams Nominees:
Ropheyel Howell, Bacone (Okla.);
Scott Mckeon, Kansas Wesleyan; Kyle Chilton, Pikeville (Ky.); C.J.
Gradoville, Morningside (Iowa); Nate Nygaard, Jamestown (N.D.);
Adrian Trevino, Missouri Valley
*****
Paulson,
Simon, Eason grab KCAC football weekly awards
McPherson College senior
Jacob Simon, junior Jeff Paulson,
and sophomore Travis Eason combined to sweep the
KCAC football “Player of the Week” honors for their play in the
Bulldogs' 28-23 season finale win over Bethel College on September
13, 2008.
 Paulson
(6'0”, 205-lb.) was named the KCAC “Defensive Player of
the Week” after being credited with nine tackles, four solo, and
3 ½ tackles for 11 yards in lost yardage, 1 ½ sacks,
and one pass broken up in McPherson's win over the Threshers. Paulson
led the Bulldog defense as it limited Bethel to 212 yards of total
offense and -14 yards rushing as the Bulldogs came back after trailing
early in the second half.
This was the second time
Paulson has received the KCAC “Defensive Player of the Week” honor.
He was the conference recipient after his 16-tackle performance
in the Bulldogs' season opening win.
A 2005 graduate of Limon,
Colo., High School, Paulson is majoring in business management/marketing.
 Simon
(6-0, 205-lb) was named KCAC “Co-Offensive Player of the
Week” after making his first start of the season on Senior Day and
responding with a career high 344 yards and three touchdowns passing
on 23 of 45 attempts. His three touchdown passes tied his career
best performance against the University of Saint Mary in 2007. Simon's
344 yards passing was the most by a Bulldog quarterback since Wade
Pedersen threw for 388 yards against Bethel in 2001 and his 358
yards of total offense ranks #5 on the Bulldogs' all-time single
game list.
Simon is a 2004 graduate
of Flinthills High School, Rosalia, Kan., and transferred to McPherson
from Independence Community College in the fall of 2006. He is a
biochemistry/pre-med major.
Eason
(5-10, 155-lbs) received KCAC “Special Teams Player of
the Week” honors after converting a career high three field goals
in the Bulldogs' 28-23 win over Bethel, making three-pointers from
41 yards, 27 yards, and a second time from 41 yards. This marked
the first time in school history a Bulldog had made two field goals
of 40-plus yards. His three field goals marked the second best placement
kicking day in school history. Following an injury to the Bulldogs'
regular punter, Eason came on to punt three times, two of which
were fair caught and the final one pinning Bethel at the one-yard
line and basically insuring the Bulldog win. He had one kickoff
for a touchback as McPherson kicked short into the wind on three
of six attempts. The short kicks resulted in six yards of return
and the Bulldogs claiming one loose ball recovery.
Eason graduated from East
Central High School in Tulsa , Okla. , in 2007. Travis is majoring
in biochemisty.
The win wrapped up the Bulldogs'
4-6 season.
*****
Sunday
named KCAC football “Offensive Player of the Week”
McPherson College freshman
Aaron Sunday was named the KCAC football “Offensive Player of the
Week” for his play in the Bulldogs' 41-7 win over Southwestern College
on September 27, 2008.
 In
just his second collegiate start, Sunday (6'2”, 185-lb., Claremore
, Okla. ) passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs'
come-from-behind win. He finished the evening with 20 completions
on 30 attempts with one interception.
Sunday threw for 203 yards
in the second half alone as the Bulldogs came back from a 7-0 halftime
deficit to score 41 unanswered points in a 21-minute span while
the McPherson defense was limiting the Builders to 75 yards of second
half total offense.
Through the third period
and the Bulldogs' first possession of the fourth quarter, Sunday
completed 9 of 13 passes with no interceptions and threw touchdown
passes of 56 and 69 yards.
Sunday opened the game by
completing his first five passes and 11 of 17 passes for 81 yards
and one interception in the opening two quarters. He finished the
evening with 268 yards of total offense.
The Bulldogs' win over Southwestern
broke a four-game losing streak to the Builders and was just the
11 th win over Southwestern in the 53-game history of the series
between the schools.
Coming out of preseason workouts,
Sunday was listed as #3 on McPherson's depth chart at quarterback.
After the Bulldogs' top two quarterbacks went down with injuries
in the Bulldogs' season opening win over intra-county rival Bethany
College , Sunday was called on to see his first collegiate action
as the starting quarterback in week #2. He responded by completing
15 of 28 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions
in the Bulldogs' loss at Kansas Wesleyan.
Sunday's 510 total yards
passing in two games ranks fifth in the KCAC, with all ranked ahead
of him participating in three games. His per game average of 255
yards passing would currently rank second.
“When we recruited Aaron,
we felt he would challenge for playing time as a sophomore,” said
McPherson College head coach Brian Ward. “But with the injuries
(to our top two quarterbacks), the future is now.”
“He was a little shaken (Saturday)
after throwing the (first half) interception, but he showed a lot
of poise and came back with a great second half.”
Sunday is a 2008 graduate
of Verdigris High School, Claremore, Okla., and is majoring in pre-engineering
at McPherson College.
*****
Paulson
named KCAC football “Defensive Player of the Week”
McPherson College junior
Jeff Paulson was named the KCAC football “Defensive Player of the
Week” for his play in the Bulldogs' 37-21 season opening win over
Bethany College on September 13, 2008.
Paulson
(6'0”, 205-lb.) was credited with 16 tackles, nine unassisted, and
one tackle for lost yardage in McPherson's come from behind win
over their intra-county rivals. In addition, the junior was credited
with one pass broken up. Paulson led the McPherson defense that
held Bethany to 110 yards of total offense in the second half and
only 14 yards rushing as the Bulldogs came back from a 21-16 halftime
deficit.
The win was the Bulldogs'
first season opening win since 2003.
“Jeff
is one of our best students and athletes,” said McPherson
College head coach Brian Ward. “He had a good game and is very deserving
of the award.”
“He is one of the best all-around
players on our team He is a great player and person, and whatever
honors he receive s, he works hard to earn.”
Paulson received honorable
mention All-KCAC recognition after moving to the defensive side
of the ball during the second half of the 2007 season. He went on
to be credited with 47 tackles, 26 of which were unassisted, five
tackles for 25 yards in lost yardage, and four passes broken up.
Prior to that move, he had rushed for 234 yards on 40 carries with
one touchdown, caught seven passes for 70 yards, and completed his
only pass attempt for 31 yards.
He was named the KCAC “Defensive
Player of the Week” last year for his play in the Bulldogs' Homecoming
win over Haskell Indian Nations University when he made his first
start on the defensive side of the ball. Paulson was credited with
ten tackles, six unassisted, two tackles for nine yards of lost
yardage, and one pass broken up against the Indians.
As a freshman, Paulson was
named to the 2006 All-KCAC second team offense as a running back
after leading the Bulldogs in rushing with 498 yards and three touchdowns
on 115 carries. He also caught two passes for 43 yards and returned
one kickoff for 20 yards.
A 2005 graduate of Limon,
Colorado, High School, Paulson is majoring in business management/marketing.
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