By John Mesh
The No. 9 Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team rallied to beat Dodge City 75-67 in overtime Wednesday night at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in the final regular-season games for both teams.
Blue Dragon sophomore women’s players Hailey Jackson, Kahlen Norris, Madi Denison, Jada Pleasant, Landon Forbes, Brynne Katcher and Zhane Singer were recognized in a brief ceremony after the women’s game.
The Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team improved to 27-3 overall and claimed a share of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference title with Dodge City at 21-3.
The No. 7 Dodge City Conquistador women’s basketball team fell to 26-4 overall.
The Dodge City women led at halftime 38-28. The Conquistadors outscored the Blue Dragons 20-10 in the second quarter. The score was tied 18-18 after the first quarter.
Dodge City led 51-41 after three quarters, but the Blue Dragons tied the score at 60-60 on a Kahlen Norris tip-in with 45 seconds left.
The Conquistadors hit two free throws with 18 seconds left to take a 62-60 lead.
Hutchinson’s Brynne Katcher hit a jump shot with 3 seconds left to tie the score at 62-62 and the game went into overtime.
Hutchinson went on a 13-5 run in overtime to for the 73-65 victory.
Jackson posted a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Dragons.
Jackson is seventh on the career scoring list with 1,042 points. She now has 564 points this season and has moved into the top four on the all-time single-season scoring list.
Landon Forbes scored 19 points, dished off 7 assists, had 5 steals and pulled down 4 rebounds. Norris scored 10 points, Jada Pleasant 9, Karcher 8 and Katie Duncan 5.
Layla-J Cameron and Shorna Preston each scored 16 points for Dodge City. Tayah Morgan scored 12 points and Mia Jordan 11. Preston grabbed 16 rebounds and Morane Dossou had 10 rebounds.
While Dodge City and Hutchinson shared the KJCAA regular-season title, Dodge City win the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed in the Region 6 Tournament.
Hutchinson’s quest to repeat as NJCAA Division I women’s national champions begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Region 6 quarterfinals against the winner of Saturday’s first round game between Cloud County and Colby.
Hutchinson Blue Dragon men fall to Dodge City, will host Region 6 quarterfinal on Tuesday
The Hutchinson Community College men’s team dropped a 75-65 decision to the Dodge City Conquistadors Wednesday night at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragon men dropped to 19-11 (15-9 KJCCC). The Dodge City Conquistadors, who won their fourth game in a row, improved to 14-16 overall (11-13 KJCCC).
Blue Dragon sophomore men’s players Kobe Smith, D.J. Dudley, Khalil Arnold, Mikhail Abdul-Hamid, Isaiah Jackson and Jaquez Thornton and team manager Gavin Mills were honored in a brief ceremony before the start of the game against Dodge City.
Hutchinson trailed at halftime 40-27.
Hutchinson cut Dodge City’s lead to 2 points at 67-65 with 3:12 left in the game. Dodge City then went on a 9-0 run to push its lead to 76-66 with 44 seconds left in the game.
Bo Aldridge broke the Dragons’ scoring drought with a free throw with 7 seconds left.
Aldridge led the Blue Dragons with a career-high 29 points. DJ Dudley scored 18 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Abdul-Hamid scored 5 points, Isaiah Jackson 4, Smith 4, Javon Gantry 2, Bobby Cannon 2 and Amari Davis 2.
Jayse Boatwright led Dodge Coty 22 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Minor Strong scored 19 points and Derrick Rivers 14. Wesly Rosa had 6 points and 12 rebounds.
The Hutchinson CC men will be the No. 4 seed for the Region 6 Tournament and will play a first-round game Tuesday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
HutchCC softball team plays Butler Thursday at Fun Valley
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College softball team has announced that the Blue Dragons and the Butler Grizzlies will swap home dates.
Originally, the Blue Dragons were to have traveled to El Dorado to take on the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
The inclement weather conditions in Kansas over the past few days forced the change to be made.
Now the Blue Dragons and Grizzlies play their first KJCCC doubleheader on Thursday at Fun Valley with games at 2 and 4 p.m.
The Blue Dragons were originally scheduled to play Butler at home on April 5. That doubleheader moves to East Park in El Dorado on Thursday, April 4. The game times will be released at a later date.
Blue Dragon head coach Jaime Rose also added a home game to be played at 1 p.m. on April 6 against the Friends University JV.
Hailey Jackson earns fourth KJCCC Player of the Week award
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
For the fourth time this season, Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball forward Hailey Jackson was named the KJCCC Division I Player of the Week on Tuesday.
Hailey Jackson, a 5-foot-11 forward from Tulsa, joined the Blue Dragon 1,000-Point Club and posted a career high in a 2-0 week for the now-No. 9-ranked Blue Dragons last week.
Jackson posted her 11th double-double of the season with a career-high 33 points and 10 rebounds in a 58-50 victory over Seward County on Saturday. In the process, she reached the career 1,000-point mark.
For the week, Jackson averaged 22.5 points and 9.0 rebounds and continues to lead the KJCCC in scoring at 18.6 points per game.
Jackson was also named KJCCC Division I Player of the Week on Dec. 17, Jan. 7 and Feb. 18.
This is the fifth time a Blue Dragon won the weekly conference honor. Landon Forbes won the award on Jan. 29.
HutchCC baseball’s Anthony Mazza named Jayhawk West Player of the Week
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Hutchinson Community College freshman catcher/designated hitter Anthony Mazza continued his torrid start to the season and was named the Jayhawk West Division I Baseball Player of the Week on Tuesday.
Mazza, a freshman from Prairie Village, recorded hits in all eight games Hutchinson played last week in going 6-2.
For the week, Mazza hit .567 (17 for 30) with five doubles, a home run, seven RBIs, and 13 runs scored. He now has a 13-game hitting streak to start the season.
Mazza had six multi-hit games, including a trio of three-hit games against Highland and Coffeyville (twice).
Northgraves leads Dragons in 2025 spring opener
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Freshman Jack Northgraves shot a 2-under 70 in the second round to lead the No. 2-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team placed 10th at the Shadow Valley Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith in Rogers, Ark.
The first two rounds were scheduled for Monday, but Round 2 was suspended because of darkness and completed Tuesday morning.
Because of high winds and inclement weather conditions, the third and final round set for Tuesday was canceled.
After a rough opening round on Monday where the Blue Dragons posted a 325 team score, the Blue Dragons made a 26-stroke improvement and finished with a 299 for a 36-hole total of 624 (+48).
Harding University won the tournament with a two-round score of 600 (296-304). Arkansas Tech was second at 604 (310-294).
Hutchinson and Garden City were the only NJCAA teams in the field of 13. The Broncbusters were 13th with a score of 661 (329-332).
Northgraves was the only Blue Dragon to finish in the Top 10 individually, tying for ninth at 7-over 151.
Northgraves opened on Monday with an 81, but improved 11 strokes in the second round that included five birdies and three bogeys for a 2-under 70.
Sophomore Charlie Box tied for 22nd with a 154 (79-75). Sophomore David Razinskas tied for 53rd at 160 (82-78).
Freshman Jayden Caruthers tied for 76th with a two-round total of 167 (91-76). Sophomore Louis Ross was 85th with a 169 (83-86).
The Blue Dragons next compete at the Oakwood Intercollegiate on March 24-25 in Enid, Okla.
Sterling College women’s basketball team wins KCAC Tournament Championship
The Sterling College women’s basketball team pulled off an upset Tuesday night against Friends University in Wichita to win the KCAC Tournament Championship.
This overtime thriller was a back-and-forth contest, but in the final five minutes of play, the Lady Warriors were able to hold the Falcons scoreless to gain the 86-76 victory.
The Sterling roster includes Lauren Galliher, a 6-foot-1 junior from Hutchinson Trinity Catholic High School and Pratt Community College; Bailey Young, a 5-10 sophomore from Pretty Prairie; and McKenna Vogl, a 6-0 junior from Pretty Prairie and Barton Community College.
With the win, Sterling College advances to the NAIA Tournament with the opening round to begin on March 14.
The final 64-team field and bracket will be announced at 6 p.m. Thursday.