Bullpups Dominate Independence 3-0 for Regional Championship
Martin's Hat Trick Powers McPherson to Victory; Team Advances to Face Rose Hill in State Quarterfinals
McPHERSON — Jackson Martin delivered when it mattered most, netting a hat trick to lead the McPherson Bullpups past Independence 3-0 in Thursday's Regional Championship match.
Martin opened the scoring in the first half with a clinical finish off an assist from Yahir Valadez, giving McPherson the early momentum they would never relinquish. The junior forward wasn't done there, adding two more goals in the second half — first from a Jameson Bowers setup, then completing his hat trick with Parker Riemann providing the final assist.
"Jackson had himself a day," said McPherson head coach Chris Adrian. "His role going into the match was to be a playmaker and distributor, but instead, he went ahead and scored a hat trick on three great strikes."
Martin nearly added a fourth when a shot crashed off the crossbar late in the match, capping off what Adrian called an "awesome" individual performance in the biggest game of the season.
The Bullpups controlled play throughout, outshooting Independence 10-0 while goalkeeper Gabe Standfast anchored the defense with eight saves to preserve the shutout. McPherson's backline stifled Independence's attack all night, forcing their opponents to play lateral passes rather than mounting any serious offensive threats.
"Defensively, they did an outstanding job shutting down the opposition's top players, forcing them to play sideways and backwards instead of attacking," Adrian noted. "The team competed hard all over the field and brought great energy from start to finish."
"The nerves we saw on Tuesday night were gone, and the group played with confidence and a strong mentality," Adrian said. "The positive energy throughout the team was contagious."
The Regional Championship victory sets up a highly anticipated rematch with Rose Hill on Monday night, with a spot in the Final Four on the line. The two teams met earlier this season, and now they'll battle again with the stakes at their highest.
Adrian remains confident in his team's ability to compete with anyone, regardless of seeding or reputation.
"It'll be a great test, but one thing this team has proven time and again is that they don't care about seeds or rankings — they just compete and leave everything on the field," Adrian said.
The quarterfinal match against Rose Hill is scheduled for Monday.
Greg Loving
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