Christian Ulsaker becomes top Bulldog at McPherson basketball in Kansas

Playing at a high school rich in basketball tradition, McPherson standout Christian Ulsaker surpassed the one Bullpup that stood in the way of his quest for the top rung on the school's career scoring charts Saturday.

Ulsaker scored 26 of his game-high 33 points in the first half of an 80-54 win over Goddard, slipping by Jordan Fithian's career scoring mark of 1,287 points in the process. As of Saturday, Ulsaker had scored 1,297 points in his career.

"When you consider the players that have played at McPherson High, it is a tremendous achievement," McPherson coach Kurt Kinnamon told the McPherson Sentinel. "I am quite certain he would trade that record right now for a state championship."

Actually, Ulsaker may get his cake and get to eat it too. McPherson is 14-1 so far this season with its only loss being an 81-73 setback to Kansas Class 6A state basketball favorite Heights (Wichita).

So far this season, Ulsaker is averaging 23.5 points a game as well as 8.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks per outing.

MATTHEWS GIVES VERBAL TO TCU
Earlier this month TCU gave McPherson quarterback Tyler Matthews a verbal offer. Saturday the 6-foot-3-inch, 193-pound junior responded with a verbal commitment to play football for the Horned Frogs at the school's "Junior Day."

Matthews transferred to McPherson from Goddard following his sophomore season and led the Bullpups to a 9-2 mark last fall and into the second round of the Kansas Class 5A state football playoffs before falling to runner-up Wichita Bishop Carroll 30-22.

Last fall Matthews completed 160 of 215 passes for 2,658 yards and 30 touchdowns with three interceptions.

"He's got a strong arm, he throws accurately and makes good decisions," McPherson coach Tom Young told the McPherson Sentinel. "He's improved a heck of a lot since he got here. He needs to work on the physical things, getting faster and stronger. I think he'll be a great player."

BONTZ, LITTLE PUT IT ON THE LINE IN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Sporting identical 31-0 records going into the Rose Hill Invitational 145-pound championship match last Saturday, Central (Andover) wrestler Alex Bontz and Bradley Little of Derby put on an epic battle.

Tied at 1-1 following regulation, the two powerhouse wrestlers battled to a third overtime before Bontz came out on top after Little had been deemed the champion. With 10 seconds remaining in the third overtime period, it appeared that Little had taken down Bontz for the win.

But the referee then decided that Little had not successfully pulled off the takedown allowing Bontz to move to 32-0 on the year.

"It wasn't bad to lose to him," Little told the Derby Informer of the 2-1 loss to one of the nation's top wrestlers. "He was a great wrestler to take away your undefeated season. We were both putting it on the line. It was just a good match. It's just a bonus if you can go undefeated. Even if just having one loss, if I end up like that, it's still going to be nice. State's what I'm looking forward to."

36-YEAR SWIMMING RECORD GOES DOWN
After sitting atop the Cougar record board for 36 years, the South (Salina) 200-meter medley relay record was unable to stand the test of time one more time. Phillip Steele, Bryce Kampfe, Luke Trimmell and Mason Darnell swam the event in a Cougar school record one minute, 41.42 seconds at Saturday's Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League meet in the school's pool.

A trio of individual school marks also highlighted the day's events allowing the Cougars (264 team points) to capture third place behind Maize (300) and Derby (269). Steele reached the top rung of the Salina South 50 and 100-yard freestyles, while Kampfe took hold of the Cougars' top 100 backstroke clocking of all time.

"I think that relay sparked everything today," Steele told the Salina Journal. "Everybody was cutting time and it was a great swim for us."

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