WINFIELD, KAN. – On Saturday, November 11th, Southwestern College hosted McPherson College. The Builders fought hard in their battle on a senior day and finished the season on a high with a win against the Bulldogs. With 00:30 seconds left on the clock, Braden Howell received the ball and scored a 1-yard touchdown run. The Builders, with the lead, decided to go for the two-point conversion. Howell received the ball and threw it to Andre Jones, who scored to earn the win for the Builders, 28-21.
A slow start on both sides led to a low-scoring first quarter, where the Builders took the lead with a 37-yard field goal by Corbin Grant.
The second quarter was more exciting as both teams found their way on the scoreboard. The Bulldogs earned a 4-yard touchdown run to take the lead for the first time. The Builders responded with a 6-yard touchdown run by Jarious Burnett with 00:26 seconds left in the quarter to change the score to 9-7 Builders.
The battle between both teams continued into the third quarter, starting with Grant, who scored a 34-yard field goal to improve the Builder's lead to 12-7. The Bulldogs responded with a 5-yard touchdown pass to earn back the lead 14-12 Bulldogs.
With only a few minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Moundbuilders had to come up with something to turn the game around. Braden Howell stepped up and threw a 39-yard pass to Matthew Holthusen, who scored a Builder touchdown. A two-point conversion by Jarious Burnett, who rushed into the endzone, led to a 20-14 lead for the Builders.
The fourth quarter had some excitement to show. The Bulldogs continued their fight by adding another touchdown to their score as Wyatt Smith threw a 62-yard pass in the endzone to Traven Lewis-Jo. Jimmy Mai scored the kick and, therefore, helped McPherson to take a 1-point lead. Ultimately, it was not enough for the Bulldogs as the Builders had wonderkid Braden Howell, who saved the day with his rushing touchdown.
The Moundbuilders offense played a crucial part. Howell showed an impressive performance, completing 36 out of 42 passes for 299 yards and one touchdown. Matthew Holthusen tallied 117 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Blake Stafford contributed a rushing gain of 87 yards.
Defensively, Southwestern College was led by Josh Carter, who recorded 15 tackles. Shane Rodriguez also had an outstanding game, registering four tackles.
The win against McPherson College ends the season of the Moundbuilders (8-3, 2-3 KCAC). The Southwestern College football squad will be back in 2024 with even greater goals in mind.
