Graphic courtesy of Blue Dragon Sports Information
By John Mesh
The No. 2 Hutchinson Blue Dragon football team is headed to the national semifinals for the fourth time in five years under head coach Drew Dallas, who has a career record of 47-5 overall and is 28-3 in KJCCC games.
The Blue Dragons will host a national semifinal game at Gowans Stadium on the first weekend of December after posting a 42-17 victory over Garden City Saturday morning/Saturday afternoon at Broncbuster Stadium.
“You have to fight to get in it (the playoffs),” Dallas said on his postgame radio interview. “They (the Dragons) went and took it. It’s playoff football. It’s December football.”
The Blue Dragons, who scored 28 points in the second quarter, improved to 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the KJCCC.
Hutchinson wide receiver Tre Brown caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Samari Collier with 11:28 remaining in the first quarter. Nestus Burger kicked the extra point to give the Blue Dragons a 7-0 lead.
The Broncbusters tied the score at 7-7 on a 6-yard TD pass from quarterback Tyler Nelson to Zac Dyer with 8:19 left in the first quarter. Tanner Rinker’s extra point kick was good.
HutchCC’s Waymond Jordan Jr. scored from 1-yard out for his 18th TD of the season. Burger kicked the extra point for a 14-7 HutchCC lead with 9:13 left in the first half. The drive was set up by a LaModrick Spencer interception and the running and passing of Collier.
Collier and Brown hooked up for a 27-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 6:00 left in the first half. Brown broke two tackles on his way to the end zone. Burger’s third PAT kick made the score 21-7. HutchCC went 29 yards on three plays in 53 seconds.
Garden City cut the Blue Dragons’ lead to 21-14 on a 36-yard TD pass from Nelson to Jayson Salkey with 2:02 left in the first half. Rinker’s PAT kick was good. GCCC went 66 yards in two plays in 28 seconds.
The Blue Dragons answered with a 10-yard TD run from Collier with 1:38 left in the first half. Burger’s PAT kick made the score 28-14. HutchCC went 65 yards on three plays in 24 seconds.
With 12 seconds left in the first half, Collier connected with Benson Prosper with a 17-yard TD pass. Burger’s PAT kick made the score 35-14 at halftime. The 7-play, 38-yard TD drive was set up by a 27-yard punt return by Kordell Gouldsby.
Neither team scored in the third quarter.
Garden City’s Rinker kicked a 34-yard field goal with 14:08 left in the fourth quarter to cut HutchCC’s lead to 35-17. The field goal capped a 5-play, 65-yard, 1 minute 55-second drive.
The Blue Dragons tacked on a 19-yard TD run by Titus Petteway with 3:42 left in the game. Burger’s sixth extra point kick made the score 42-17.
Garden City threw an interception into the end zone. It was the third takeaway by the Blue Dragons’ defense.
HutchCC used a balanced offense, led by sophomore running back Waymond Jordan Jr., who rushed for 135 yards on 22 carries with one TD. His big run was for 47 yards.
Collier passed for 127 yards and three TDs and rushed for 63 more with one TD. Christian Johnson ran for 41 yards and passed for 15. Julius Bolden ran for 48 yards.
La’Terrius Robinson had 3 catches for 55 yards for the Blue Dragons. Brown caught 3 passes for 50 yards and two TDs. Prosper caught 3 passes for 30 yards and 1 TD.
Garden City’s Nelson rushed for 141 yards rushing and passed for 92 more. Zahmari Palode-Gary rushed for 49 yards. Dejuan Lacy, who averages 100 yards rushing per game, was held to 39. Salkey caught 2 passes for 68 yards.
The Garden City Broncbusters dropped to 1-10 overall and 1-5 in the Jayhawk Conference.
Garden City, which was ranked as high as No. 5 in the NJCAA Division I poll, had to forfeit six victories during the middle of the season because the Broncbusters used an ineligible player.
The Blue Dragons lead the series against Garden City 44-40.
NOC Enid Jets stun No. 15 Blue Dragon men’s basketball team
The No. 15-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team were stunned by the NOC Enid Jets and a red-hot Jordan England 75-69 in the Best Western/Cougar Booster Cougar Club Classic Saturday afternoon.
The tournament was played at Barton Community College’s Kirkman Activities Center.
The Blue Dragons (4-2) led the Jets at halftime 38-24. The Jets (5-2) outscored the Blue Dragons 51-31 in the second half.
England scored 40 points (including 5-of-8 3-pointers and 11-of-13 free throws), grabbed 11 rebounds, had 4 steals, handed out 4 assists and blocked 1 shot to lead the Jets.
Dryne Stewart scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds for the Jets.
HutchCC was paced by Isaiah Jackson with 19 points. Ketraleus “Bo” Aldridge had Dimitrius “DJ” Dudley scored 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Jaquez Thornton had 7 points and 6 rebounds. Bobby Cannonhad 6 points and 6 rebounds. Kobe Smith scored just 2 points but grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Blue Dragon men’s team returns to the Kirkman Activities Center Wednesday to play Barton Community College in the first Jayhawk Conference game of the season. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.
The HutchCC men travel to Goodland next Saturday to play Fort Hays Tech Northwest (formerly Northwest Kansas Tech) at 4 p.m. central time/3 p.m. mountain time.
Hutchinson’s first conference home game is Nov. 26 against Colby Community College (7:30 p.m.). The Blue Dragons’ final game in November is Nov. 30 at Independence Community College (4 p.m.).
The NOC Enid men lost to Barton Community College, the No. 1-ranked defending NJCAA Division I champions, 75-72 Friday night.
No. 1 Hutchinson women’s basketball team dominates Redlands
The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team improved to 6-0 with an 81-59 victory over Redlands Community College in the Best Western/Cougar Booster Cougar Club Classic Saturday afternoon at Barton Community College’s Kirkman Activities Center.
The Blue Dragon women’s basketball team led 17-5 after one quarter, 32-15 at halftime and 52-34 after three quarters.
Redlands CC (El Reno, Okla.) dropped to 3-2.
Five Blue Dragon players scored in double figures. Hailey Jackson had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Brynne Katcher had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Jaden Wilson had 10 points and 8 rebounds. Dylan Alexander scored 12 points and Jada Pleasant 10.
Katie Duncan scored 6 points, Landon Forbes 4, Honey Cooney 3 and Noelle Anthon 3. Kahlen Norris did not score but had 1 assist and 1 rebound in 16 minutes of playing time.
The Blue Dragons made 31-of-39 free throws. Including 8-of-9 from Jackson and 6-for-6 from Pleasant.
Ellie Willard led the Redlands Cougars with 15 points. Haven Joseph had 11 points and 9 rebounds. Mykyla Allen added 9 points, Madison Moore 7 and All Harris 6. Harris had 3 assists. Alaura Pruitt grabbed 5 rebounds.
The Blue Dragon women’s team returns to the Kirkman Activities Center Wednesday to play Barton Community College in the first Jayhawk Conference game of the season. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m.
The HutchCC women travel to Goodland next Saturday to play Fort Hays Tech Northwest (formerly Northwest Kansas Tech) at 2 p.m. central time/1 p.m. mountain time.
Hutchinson’s first conference home game is Nov. 26 against Colby Community College (5:30 p.m.). The Blue Dragons’ final game in November is Nov. 30 at Independence Community College (2 p.m.).
The Barton women defeated Redlands 76-60 Friday night on the first night of the tournament.