NJCAA football semifinals: No. 3 Blue Dragons take on No. 2 Georgia Military

By John Mesh

It’s four times in the Final Four for the No. 3-ranked Hutchinson Blue Dragon football team.

The Jayhawk Conference tri-champion Blue Dragons (9-1) will play No. 2 seed Georgia Military College (10-1) in the second NJCAA national semifinal 2:30 p.m. Central time (3:30 p.m. Eastern time) Sunday in Milledgeville, Ga.

In the first semifinal game Friday night in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Iowa Western (11-1), the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 4-seed Northwest Mississippi (10-2) 42-21.

The Hutchinson-Georgia Military winner will play Iowa Western in the NJCAA Championship game on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

HutchCC will make its third straight national semifinal appearance. Two years ago, the Blue Dragons defeated Coffeyville 38-7 in the 2022 semifinals. Last season, the Blue Dragons were upset by East Mississippi 27-23.

The national semifinal game between Hutchinson and Georgia Military will be the first matchup between the two teams.

This will be only the second time that the Blue Dragons will have played a Georgia-based team. The Blue Dragons lost 42-37 to Middle Georgia in the 1995 Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

The Blue Dragons will make their 28th bowl/national playoff in program history. Hutchinson is 16-9-2 all-time in the postseason (not counting KJCCC/Region 6 playoff games).

The Blue Dragons are third in the country in rushing at 265 yards per game and has the nation’s leading rusher in Jayhawk Conference Offensive Player of the Year Waymond Jordan Jr. (1,331 yards with 18 rushing touchdowns).

Sophomore quarterback Samari Collier has completed 83-of-154 passes for 1,174 yards (16 TDs and 5 interceptions) and has rushed for 419 yards and 7 TDs.

Freshman backup quarterback has completed 63-of-106 passes for 919 yards with 5 TDs and has rushed for 309 yards and 5 TDs.

Julius Bolden has rushed for 255 yards and Titus Petteway 187.

The Blue Dragons’ leading receivers are sophomore Benson Prosper (34 catches, 401 yards, 3 TDs), redshirt freshman Tre Brown (27 catches, 500 yards, 9 TDs), sophomore Ja’Cory Thomas (23 catches, 375 yards, 2 TDs), Derrick Salley Jr. (19 catches, 317 yards, 5 TDs) and freshman Le’Terrius Robinson (15 catches, 173 yards, no TDs).

Sophomore Nestus Burger has made 8-fo-16 field goals and 50-of-53 extra points for 74 points.

McPherson freshman Blaise Hoover has served as punter, backup place-kicker and holder this season.

Freshman Davis Barr has punted 44 times for a 44.1 average and Hoover 15 for a 15.1 average.

Freshman Kordell Ghouldsby has been the Blue Dragons’ main kickoff and punt returner. He has returned one punt for a touchdown.

The Blue Dragons defense is led in tackles by redshirt freshman JaQuel Mack with 51. Kedrick Walker has 48, David Jester 42, La’Modrick Spencer 42, Kollin Collier 33, Duke Clayton Jr. 32, Marshon Oxley 32 and Devan Lowe 30.

Oxley leads the Dragons in sacks with 8 and tackles for loss with 10. Kollin Collier has 3 interceptions.

NCAA Division I signing day for 13 Blue Dragon football players

On the first day of the college football signing period Wednesday, 13 Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon football players signed to play at the NCAA Division I level for the 2025 season.

Five Blue Dragon football players were on ESPN’s Top 50 Juco Recruiting List.

That list includes University of Central Florida signee/commit Waymond Jordan Jr., the nation’s No. 1 junior college running back and the Offensive Player of the Year in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

Jordan, nicknamed “The Junkyard Dog,” leads NJCAA Division I with 1,332 yards rushing and 19 total touchdowns (18 TDs rushing and 1 TD receiving).

Jordan, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound Pensacola, Fla., native, picked the UCF Knights (Big 12 Conference) over Missouri, South Florida. Memphis, Boise State, Toledo, Western Kentucky and several other schools.

Jordan leads the Dragons in the ESPN Juco Top 50 at No. 1. The others are:

• 28, Chandavian Bradley, 6-4, 242, defensive end, Oklahoma State.

• 30, La’Modrick Spencer, 6-0, 180, cornerback, SMU.

• 34, Bubba Craig, 6-6, 312, offensive guard, Arkansas.

• 35, Kollin Collier, 6-0, 185, safety, TCU.

Other Blue Dragon DI signees are:

• Demonte Gaston, 6-2, 200, defensive back, Georgia State.

• Duke Clayton, 6-5, 238, defensive end, Eastern Michigan.

• Ja’Cory Thomas, 6-3, 195, wide receiver, Old Dominion.

• Tre Brown, 6-2, 185, wide receiver, Old Dominion.

• Carson Bradley, 6-6, 310, offensive line, Old Dominion.

• Nick Hemer, 6-4, 195, long snapper, UT-San Antonio.

• Mickel Williams, 6-5, 265, defensive end, Ohio.

• Korbyn Green, 6-0, 178, defensive back, Western Kentucky.

Sports in Kansas honors Randy Dreiling as All-Classes Coach of the Year

Randy Dreiling of St. Thomas Aquinas (Class 5A) Is the 2024 Sports in Kansas All-Classes Coach of the Year.

Dreiling picked up a state record 10th title as a head coach when Aquinas captured the 2024 5A state championship over Hays.

Dreiling won seven titles at Hutchinson and now has won three at Aquinas.

The Saints moved up from Class 4A, played the best schedule in the state and went 13-0.

Dreiling is a known program builder over the years as he built the Hutchinson High School dynasty to seven state titles that when he inherited the program they were on a 26-game losing streak.

Aquinas also had zero titles before Dreiling’s arrival in football and now has three.

Halstead girls wrestling team places in Top 10 at Wakeeney meet

The Halstead High School girls wrestling team traveled to Wakeeney for a tough 26-team tournament Friday.

The Dragons finished in the Top 10. Kahlyn Davis placed secnd and Mariah Swarts placed third.

Halstead results from Wakeeney meet

Lexi Overton 2-2

Mariah Swarts 4-1 3rd

Kahlyn Davis 3-1 2nd

Parker Metoyer 2-2

Alexis Westfall 0-2

Addi Thompson 1-2

Ava Armstrong 1-2

Kansas high school basketball scores

From Scorestream

FRIDAY NIGHT BOYS

Abilene 79, Circle 56

Andover Central 62, Salina Central 61

Augusta 56, Goddard 48

BV Northwest 59, Wichita Sunrise 50

Berean Academy 60, Caldwell 22

Buhler 49, Nickerson 45, OT

Burlington 67, Holton 44

Cedar Vale-Dexter 53, Oswego 44

Central Plains 49, Smoky Valley 29

Chase County 90, Osage City 87, OT

Clay Center 73, Riley County 48

Cornerstone Family 58, Plaza Heights Christian, Mo. 41

Council Grove 49, Mission Valley 36

Derby 57, Andover 55

Ellinwood 49, La Crosse 39

Ellis 51, Hill City 41

Emporia 71, Liberal 18

Eureka 61, Sedan 43

Flinthills 47, Lebo 37

Fredonia 80, Neodesha 53

Great Bend 71, Salina South 44

Hesston 54, Southeast of Saline 38

Holyoke, Colo. 78, St Francis 40

Humboldt 78, St Paul 38

Ingalls 61, Moscow 9

Junction City 74, Atchison 51

KC East Christian, Mo. 50, Reno County 48

KC Piper 69, Topeka Seaman 51

Kapaun Mount Carmel 65, Wichita Southeast 52

Labette County 73, Frontenac 61

Lawrence 78, KC Harmon 38

Liberty, Colo. 67, Garden City 47

Logan 61, Western Plains-Healy 30

Louisburg 77, Tonganoxie 50

Macksville 57, Ness City 39

Maize South 39, Goddard-Eisenhower 38

Marion 64, Goessel 38

Marysville 57, Sabetha 38

Maur Hill – Mount Academy 59, Doniphan West 47

McLouth 52, Central Heights 39

Metro Academy 59, Harrisonville, Mo. 25

Moundridge 50, Elyria Christian 39

Mulvane 56, Kingman 36

Nemaha Central 49, Centralia 19

Northern Valley 81, Triplains-Brewster 12

Olathe West 83, Maize 78

Pawnee City, Neb. 56, Frankfort 48

Phillipsburg 35, Oakley 22

Plaza Heights Christian, Mo. 30, Flint Hills Christian 23

Quinter 54, Victoria 42

Remington 58, Bluestem 10

Rock Creek 70, Jefferson North 22

Rock Hills 67, Pike Valley 55

Royal Valley 51, Jackson Heights 26

Salina Sacred Heart 60, Clifton-Clyde 49

Scott City 64, Hoisington 36

Silver Lake 59, Perry-Lecompton 52

South Gray 76, Pawnee Heights 22

Southeast 57, Erie 48

St. Thomas Aquinas 61, Omaha Skutt, Neb. 55

Thayer Central, Neb. 50, Hanover 37

Topeka West 66, De Soto 44

Wabaunsee 61, West Franklin 50

Walsh, Colo. 60, Rolla 34

Washburn Rural 71, BV Southwest 53

Weskan 79, Wheatland-Grinnell 30

Wichita Classical 57, Hutchinson Central Christian 48

Wichita Heights 91, Wichita North 14

Wichita Life Prep 54, Manhattan 49

Wichita Trinity 44, Garden Plain 39

Winfield 68, Arkansas City 55

THURSDAY NIGHT BOYS

Frankfort 48, Nebraska City Lourdes, Neb. 23

Wellington 57, Garden Plain 21

Wichita Sunrise 76, Manhattan 56

FRIDAY NIGHT GIRLS

Andover 57, Derby 44

Arkansas City 54, Winfield 17

Beloit 60, Concordia 46

Berean Academy 55, Caldwell 9

Blue Valley Randolph 51, Solomon 17

Buhler 69, Nickerson 17

Central Heights 43, McLouth 26

Central Plains 48, Smoky Valley 29

Centralia 46, Nemaha Central 24

Cheylin 63, Golden Plains 34

Circle 40, Abilene 25

Clay Center 52, Riley County 36

Clifton-Clyde 51, Salina Sacred Heart 38

De Soto 70, Topeka West 32

Doniphan West 55, Maur Hill – Mount Academy 35

Frankfort 63, Pawnee City, Neb. 9

Garden Plain 56, Wichita Trinity 54

Girard 69, Parsons 31

Goddard 46, Augusta 44

Greeley County 45, Stanton County 38

Halstead 46, Rose Hill 28

Hanover 42, Thayer Central, Neb. 27

Haven 60, Hutchinson Trinity 25

Herington 55, Ell-Saline 39

Hesston 67, Southeast of Saline 39

Highland Park 42, SM West 29

Hillsboro 62, Sterling 17

Holyoke, Colo. 33, St Francis 26

Hoxie 58, Norton 25

Humboldt 55, St Paul 20

Iola 40, Anderson County 19

Kapaun Mount Carmel 62, Wichita Southeast 56

Kiowa County 54, South Barber 21

Labette County 41, Frontenac 23

Larned 53, Pratt 31

Lawrence 56, KC Washington 12

Leavenworth 62, KC Turner 9

Lebo 52, Flinthills 19

Liberal 60, Emporia 25

Liberty, Colo. 46, Garden City 42

Logan 33, Western Plains-Healy 29

Macksville 57, Ness City 39

Madison 63, Yates Center 13

Manhattan 53, Hays-TMP-Marian 32

Marais des Cygnes Valley 50, Lyndon 43

Marion 45, Goessel 33

Meade 51, Satanta 27

Mulvane 50, Kingman 36

Neodesha 62, Fredonia 22

Olathe East 37, Newton 20

Omaha Skutt, Neb. 64, St. Thomas Aquinas 48

Onaga 37, Northern Heights 18

Osage City 55, Chase County 42

Phillipsburg 36, Oakley 34

Plaza Heights Christian, Mo. 30, Flint Hills Christian 23

Remington 42, Bluestem 21

Reno County 44, KC East Christian, Mo. 36

Rock Creek 61, Jefferson North 19

Rock Hills 33, Pike Valley 27

Royal Valley 35, Jackson Heights 19

Salina South 57, Great Bend 20

Scott City 44, Hoisington 23

Silver Lake 78, Perry-Lecompton 23

Southeast 53, Erie 28

St. Michael The Archangel Catholic 46, Dunham, La. 43

Topeka Seaman 69, KC Piper 67

Wabaunsee 70, West Franklin 48

Wakefield 55, Centre 35

Wallace County 49, Lakin 38

Walsh, Colo. 42, Rolla 19

Washburn Rural 44, BV Northwest 43

Wichita Central Christian 53, Peabody-Burns 14

Wichita Classical 43, Hutchinson Central Christian 40

Wichita East 73, Wichita West 11

Wichita South 52, Wichita Northwest 19

THURSDAY NIGHT GIRLS

Garden City 53, Coronado, Colo. 7

Liberal 53, Bennett, Colo. 10

McPherson 60, Dodge City 41

Nebraska City Lourdes, Neb. 30, Frankfort 22

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