Freshman Viktoria Graf (right, shown in a scrimmage) combined for 23 kills during a 1-1 day for the Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons’ volleyball team Friday at the Reiver Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Photo courtesy of HutchCC Sports Information).
By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team split its first two matches of the season Friday afternoon at the Reiver Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The Blue Dragons won their first match 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-15) over Jefferson College and lost to the host school Iowa Western 1-3 (23-25. 22-25, 25-20, 21-25).
A service ace by Beatriz Carvahlo clinched the first-match victory for the Blue Dragons. Carvahlo is a 5-foot-5 freshman setter from Recife, Brazil/Collegio Marista Sao Luis.
In the third set victory, HutchCC’s Precious Johnson, a 6-foot sophomore middle blocker from Amarillo, Texas/Palo Duro, got a game-winning kill for a 25-20 win to cut Iowa Western’s match lead to 2-1.
Freshman outside hitter Viktoria Graf combined for 23 kills in the two matches. Johnson had 11 kills and 13 blocks.
In the Jefferson College match, Graf led Hutchinson with a match-high nine kills and three block assists. Johnson posted career highs with six kills and six total blocks (three solo blocks and three block assists).
Freshman Atlyn Proctor finished with eight kills, while sophomore Tiana Simmons finished with six kills and three block assists.
McKenzie Murphy added three block assists for the Dragons.
Sophomore setter Shelbi Wilson finished with 16 assists and two service aces. Freshman setter Ellie Suber had 14 assists.
Freshman libero Addy Foster had a match-high 21 digs. Freshman Brooke Galey had 11 digs and freshman Siani Sanchez had 10 digs.
Graf paced Hutchinson’s offense in its four-set loss to Iowa Western with 14 kills and added a pair of block assists. Proctor added six kills and two block assists.
Johnson had a career-high seven total blocks (2 solo blocks, 5 block assists). Suber finished with 33 set assists and five kills.
Foster posted a match-high 25 digs, while Sanchez had 14 digs and Wilson added nine digs. Sanchez and Galey both had ace serves.
In Saturday matches at the Iowa Western Reiver Classic, the Blue Dragons will play Northeastern Junior College at 9 a.m. and Western Nebraska Community College at 11 a.m.
HutchCC will play Butler Community College at 6 p.m Wednesday at the Power Plant in El Dorado. It’s the first Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference match of the season for the Blue Dragons.
HutchCC women’s soccer team rolls past NOC Enid in opener
The 20th-ranked Hutchinson Community College’s women’s soccer team powered past NOC Enid 6-1 in its season- and home-opener Thursday at the Salthawk Soccer Complex.
The Blue Dragons (1-0), coached by Sammy Lane in his 20th season, led 5-1 at the end of the first half.
At the 38-minute mark in the first half, the NOC Enid Jets scored the first goal of the match from 20 yards out.
With 32 minutes remaining, HutchCC’s Kaitlyn Edwards scored the first goal of the season for the Blue Dragons on an assist from Jessica Salkeld.
At the 17-minute mark, HutchCC’s Kira Artmann smashed a shot inside the box the Gove the Blue Dragons a 2-1 lead.
With less than 15 minutes to go, Edwards fired in a shot off a pass from Katharina Marx to gives the Blue Dragons a 3-1 lead.
Anastasia Pokrandt scored on a free kick from deep to give HutchCC a 4-1 lead with 11 minutes left in the first half.
With two minutes left in the first half, Haley Rogers scored the first HutchCC corner-kick goal since the Region VI Championship match in 2010. HutchCC led 5-1.
With 25 minutes left in the second half, Marx scored her second goal to give the Blue Dragons a 6-1 lead. Marx also had two assists for a career-high six points.
Because of expected heat on Saturday in Liberal, the Blue Dragons’ 3 p.m. Saturday match against Otero in Liberal was canceled.
The Blue Dragons host Garden City at 6 p.m. next Wednesday and will play Seward County Aug. 31 at Liberal.
Blue Dragon football home game themes announced
The Blue Dragon Athletic Department has released its home game themes for the 2024 Blue Dragon football season.
Blue Dragon football, the 2020/21 NJCAA Division I national champion, is set to host six home games this fall, including a 6 p.m. Thursday kickoff against the 2021 NJCAA national champion New Mexico Military Institute.
2024 Blue Dragon Football Home Game Themes
Thursday, Aug. 29 vs. New Mexico Military, 6 p.m. – Blue Dragon Students Night Out
Blue Dragon students are invited to pack Gowans Stadium and have a night out together as part of welcoming students to campus. Activities for students will be announced closer to game day.
Saturday, Sept. 14 vs. Iowa Central, noon – Salt City Day Celebrate Hutchinson
Salt City Day celebrates Hutchinson and also lands on the final weekend of the Kansas State Fair.
Saturday, Sept. 28 vs. Ellsworth, noon – Champion Blue Dragons Night
The Blue Dragon women’s basketball, softball and baseball teams will be honored throughout the game.
Blue Dragon Athletics will celebrate the national championship-winning women’s basketball team, softball team for winning its second Region VI tournament title in the program’s history and advancing to the national tournament for the first time and baseball team for winning the Jayhawk West conference title under then-first-year head coach Brock Nehls.
Saturday, Oct. 5 vs. Dodge City, noon – Educators Day
Celebrating the educators in Reno County and surrounding areas, Blue Dragon Athletics invites local teachers, administrators, coaches, faculty, and school staff to the Dodge City matchup.
Educators receive free admission with their school ID plus one guest.
Saturday, Oct. 26 vs. Butler, noon – Blue Out/Homecoming Week
The Butler/Hutchinson rivalry game caps off homecoming week. Help blue out Gowans Stadium and help the Blue Dragons defeat the Grizzlies!
Blue-out shirts will be sold.
Saturday, Nov. 9 vs. Highland, noon – Salute to Service Day (Military, First Responders, Law Enforcement Appreciation)
Blue Dragon Athletics celebrates all who serve to protect the United States of America.
Military personnel, first responders, and law enforcement receive free admission into the game, plus one guest.
Blue Dragon All-Sports Tickets now on sale
Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon All-Sports Tickets are on sale at the Blue Dragon Athletic Office in the Sports Arena.
Weekday office hours are 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
HutchCC alumnus Markus Golden retires after nine NFL seasons
According to ESPN and ESPN.com, veteran outside linebacker Markus Golden officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday after nine seasons.
Golden, 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, played football at Hutchinson Community College during the 2011 season and played at the University of Missouri from 2012-2014. He is a native of St. Louis.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had placed Golden, 33, on the reserve/retired list this month but Wednesday was the first time that Golden acknowledged that he was officially retiring.
“Football has always been more than just a sport to me, I’ve officially retired from the NFL after playing the game I’ve loved all my life. I feel truly blessed to have been able to live out the dreams and goals I set for myself as a kid,” Golden wrote in a post to Instagram.
Golden finished his career with 51 sacks, 343 tackles and 11 forced fumbles in 127 games with the Cardinals, Giants and Steelers.
As a freshman at Hutchinson Community College, Golden made 90 tackles, including 26 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, to go with five forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions.
Hutchinson lost to Butler Community College in the regular season and the KJCCC championship.
Reno County Sabres volleyball teams sweep Wichita Defenders
The Reno County Sabres volleyball teams swept five matches against the Wichita Defenders Tuesday to open their season.
The matches were played at the Journey Church Activity Center in South Hutchinson.
The Sabres’ high school varsity team won 25-15, 25-17, 25-19, the high school junior varsity won 25-6, 25-10, the junior high school A team won 25-16, 25-19, the junior high B team won 25-9, 25-4 and the junior high C team won 25-14, 25-12.
The Sabres are on the road for a volleyball triangular Friday at Arkansas City and will host Life Prep Tuesday.