CAPTION: No. 3 seed Hutchinson Community College will play No. 1 seed Iowa Western will play for the NJCAA Division I football championship at 7:30 p.m. Central time Wednesday at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. CREDIT NJCAA
By John Mesh
No. 3 Hutchinson Community College and No. 1 Iowa Western Community College will play for the national championship for the second time in the past three years.
The Blue Dragons left Monday morning by bus from the Hutchinson Sports Arena. The HutchCC squad got a fan send-off and a motorcycle escort from the Hutchinson and Wichita police departments.
The showdown will take place at 7:30 p.m. Central time Wednesday at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.
Canyon is about 19 miles (in driving distance) south of Amarillo, Texas.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and is the seventh consecutive NJCAA Football Championship to be aired on national television.
On Sept. 7, the Hutchinson Blue Dragons (10-1) handed Iowa Western its only loss of the season with a 38-37 win in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Iowa Western (12-1) is going for its third straight national championship and would be the first NJCAA Division I program to three-peat.
Hutchinson is playing for the national championship for the third time during the past five seasons. Hutchinson won the national championship during the 2020-2021 season.
“Our program is extremely excited to back in the championship game and have an opportunity to compete for another national championship,” said Hutchinson Community College head football coach Drew Dallas, who has a 48-5 record in five years at HutchCC.
“Both programs (HutchCC and Iowa Western) are very familiar with one another so this game will be all about execution and establishing momentum. Our guys have prepared extremely well for this opportunity are excited to go out compete for another win.
“I am confident that their hard work and dedication throughout this season will allow us to go out compete at an extremely high level.”
The two teams faced off in the 2022 NJCAA Division I Football National Championship in Little Rock, Ark. The Reivers defeated the top-ranked Blue Dragons 31-0.
In the semifinals, the No. 3 Hutchinson Blue Dragons defeated No. 2 Georgia Military 63-21 on Dec. 8 in Milledgeville, Ga.. The Blue Dragons turned a close game into a rout by outscoring the Bulldogs 35-0 in the second half.
Running back Waymond Jordan Jr. had a sensational performance, rushing for 201 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns.
Hutchinson averages 46.6 points per game and leads the nation in yards at 478.1.
Jordan leads the nation in rushing with 1,533 yards on the season and is the only NJCAA rusher with 20 touchdowns.
HutchCC quarterback Samari Collier has passed for 1,293 yards with 18 touchdowns on the season. Collier has rushed for 515 yards and 9 touchdowns.
The Blue Dragon defense has allowed more than 30 points only twice and has three shutouts. HutchCC ranks ninth in the nation in sacks and have 14 interceptions.
Walker leads the team in tackles with 61 while also totaling 8.0 tackles for loss. Sophomore defensive end Marshon Oxley leads the team in sacks (9) and tackles for loss (11).
No. 1 seed Iowa Western defeated No. 4 seed Northwest Mississippi 42-21 in the other semifinal game.
Quarterback Hunter Dekkers, who started his career at Iowa State University, leads the Iowa Western attack with 3,413 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. Dekkers’ 284.4 yards per game lead the nation.
Titus Myers leads the team with 830 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. Walters leads the team with 69 receptions for 811 yards and 7 touchdowns.
FYI – I believe former Hutchinson Trinity Catholic player, Walt Gray, plays on the Iowa Western team. Just a fun point of interest when watching the game.
I will include that in the game story — thank you!