By John Mesh
With the aid of six turnovers (five interceptions and one fumble) from Hutchinson Community College, the No. 13 Butler Community College Grizzlies upset the No. 1 Blue Dragons 27-22 on Homecoming Day Saturday at Gowans Stadium.
The Grizzlies got two wins in two days, including a 1-0 forfeit over Garden City on Friday (the Broncbusters admitted to using an ineligible player in their first seven games).
The Grizzlies improved to 5-2 overall and 4-0 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. The Blue Dragons dropped to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the Jayhawk Conference.
HutchCC will probably be dropped from the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Division I football rankings for the first time in seven weeks when the new poll comes out on Monday.
Hutchinson Community College played its fifth-ranked opponent this season. It was Homecoming Day for the Blue Dragons and their fans.
Hutchinson coach Drew Dallas, whose team lost its first conference game since Oct. 7, 2021, said the game could be a learning experience for the Blue Dragons.
“We didn’t play our best game,” said Dallas during his postgame radio interview. “That’s part of the game. We have to use it as a lesson. You have to learn from it or pout about it. You’re not going to win when you make too many turnovers.”
The Grizzlies took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter after a 5-play, 59-yard drive. Hutchinson’s Demarcus Johnson blocked the extra point and the Blue Dragons nearly ran it back for 2 points.
Hutchinson’s Nestus Burger missed a 49-yard field goal wide left in the first quarter but kicked a 32-yard field with 14:11 left in the second quarter to cut Butler’s lead to 6-3.
After the Blue Dragons turned the ball over on a fumble, the Grizzlies scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mason McHugh to Cam Harris with 5:47 left in the first half. The extra point kick was good and the Blue Dragons trailed 13-3.
Hutchinson quarterback Christian Johnson, who started in place of the injured Samari Collier, threw an interception for HutchCC’s third turnover. Butler’s Craig Royal Jr. picked off the pass and ran it back 43 yards to the Blue Dragons’ 25.
McHugh threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Nolan Chambers that was ruled a catch after an officials’ review. The PAT kick gave the Grizzlies a 20-3 lead with 4:48 left in the first half.
The Blue Dragons finally got their first touchdown with 34 seconds left in the first half. Waymond Jordan Jr. scored from 1 yard out to cap a 9-play, 73-yard drive. Burger’s extra point kick cut Butler’s lead to 20-10 with 34 seconds left in the first half. That also was the score at the end of the third quarter.
The Blue Dragons threw an interception that was returned by Butler to the 10-yard line and the HutchCC defense committed a pass interference. Butler scored from the 1-yard line and the PAT kick made the score 27-10 with 13:52 left in the game.
With 12:41 left in the fourth quarter, Johnson completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Tre Brown to cap a 3-play, 57-yard drive that took 51 seconds. The PAT was no good and HutchCC trailed 27-16.
Johnson scored on a 4-yard run to cut Butler’s lead to 27-22 with 8:59 left in the game and his PAT pass was incomplete. The drive was 7 plays, 62 yards.
The Dragons stopped the Grizzlies on the next series and forced a punt. However, Butler intercepted another pass for the fifth HutchCC turnover of the game.
HutchCC forced another punt but had 80 yards to go and 2:24 left in the game. However, the Blue Dragons threw their fifth interception to clinch the Grizzlies’ upset victory.
HutchCC piled up 512 yards of total offense (286 passing and 226 rushing). The Grizzlies were held to 202 yards of total offense (104 passing and 98 rushing).
Johnson completed 18-of-32 passes with five picks for 286 yards. Jordan rushed for 116 yards and Johnson 85.
Brown caught 3 passes for 89 yards with a 32-yard touchdown pass. Ja’Cory Thomas caught 5 passes for 88 yards. Derrick Salley caught 4 passes for 55 yards. Bubba Craig caught 1 pass for 20 yards. Benson Prosper caught 1 pass for 15 yards. Tate Hoover caught 1 pass for 15 yards. Jordan caught 1 pass for 4 yards.
Hutchinson’s defense was paced by JaQuel Mack who made 8 tackles. The Blue Dragons had 9 quarterback sacks.
McHugh completed 5-of-12 passes for 104 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for the Grizzlies. Markellus Bass rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries with one touchdown. Four receivers caught passes for the Grizzlies.
Butler’s defense was led by Gabe Welch with 14 tackles, David Houston had 10, Royal 8 and Seven Cloud 8 (including 3.5 sacks).
Saturday’s meeting was the 101st all-time meeting between Hutchinson and Butler. The overall series is tied 50-50-1.
The Blue Dragons are off next Saturday because of a bye week and will host Highland at noon on Nov. 9. Hutchinson’s final regular-season and conference game is at 11 a.m. on Nov. 16 at Garden City.
Butler still has four games left, including two conference games. Butler plays at Iowa Western next Saturday, hosts Dodge City on Nov. 9, hosts Iowa Central Nov. 16 and plays a makeup game Nov. 23 at home against Coffeyville.