By John Mesh
No. 20 Monroe University upset No. 13 Chipola College, Fla. 79-78 in the third game of the NJCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament Saturday night at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Four first-round games were played Saturday. It was the first time the NJCAA men’s tournament opened on a Saturday.
Monroe improved to 26-7 and Chipola finished the season with a 24-8 record.
Chipola, from Marianna, Fla., led for the first 32 minutes (12 points at halftime 35-23). The Monroe Mustangs, from New Rochelle, N.Y., led 60-54.
However, Chipola went on a 10-4 run. Chipola’s Trent Lincoln, a 59% free throw shooter, sank two free throws to send the game into overtime at 64-64.
Monroe outscored Chipola 15-14 in the overtime period. Hassan Washington scored the game-deciding points on a slam dunk off a feed from Ryan Williams Jr. with 12 seconds. Farquir Mosley stole a Monroe pass as the final buzzer sounded.
Devere Palmer Jr. led Monroe with 17 points, followed by Williams with 16, Jordan Sanders 15, Washington 11 and Mosley 9. Williams and Washington each grabbed 9 rebounds, Palmer 7, Eric Mejia 7 and Qingfang Pang 6.
Donald Bangham Jr. led Chipola with 23 points, Grace Alumna 22 and Lincoln 14. Lincoln also grabbed 7 rebounds.
No. 17 Connors State 80, No. 6 John A. Logan 75
In the first game of the 2025 NJCAA Division I tournament Saturday afternoon at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, the No. 17-seeded Connors State College (Okla.) Cowboys rallied from a 10-point deficit to defeat No. 16 John A. Logan 80-75.
Bill Muse won his 800th career victory as Connors State’s men’s basketball coach. His team will play Snow College (Utah) in a second-round game at noon Monday.
DJ Dormu led Connors State (29-3) with 25 points, followed by former HutchCC Blue Dragon Edwin Daniel with 21. Jermiah Johnson and Kevin Stubblefield Jr. each scored 11 points. Daniel grabbed 15 rebounds.
Davius Loury led John A. Logan (23-9) with 29 points and 9 rebounds. Caden Hawkins added 16 points.
John A. Logan led at halftime 39-38. Connors State outscored John A. Logan 42-36 in the second half.
No. 15 Triton College 58, No. 18 Columbia State 55
Triton College In the second game of the day at the Hutchinson Sports Arena Saturday, No. 15-seed Triton College (Ill.) came from behind to defeat No. 18 Columbia State Community College (Tenn.) 58-55.
Columbia State, which finished the season with a 27-5 record, led at halftime 29-25.
Vijay Wallace led Triton College with 16 points. Dayjaun Anderson and Chase Coleman each scored 13 points. Tolu Samuels grabbed 13 rebounds.
Makhi Wright led Columbia State with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Thaddeus Johnson scored 14 points.
No. 14 Vincennes College 69, No. 19 Three Rivers, Mo. 51
In Saturday’s late game (Game 4) at the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, No. 14 Vincennes College, Ind., defeated No. 19 Three Rivers Community College, Poplar Bluff, Mo., 69-51.
The Vincennes Trailblazers improved to 27-4. The Three Rivers Raiders finished the season with a 21-13 record.
The Trailblazers led at halftime 32-25.
Lebron Thomas led the Trailblazers with 18 points. Michael Cooper tallied 14, Travelle Bryson 10, Dayton Williams 9 and Bryan Akanmu 8.
Ethan Johnson and Demetris White scored 13 points apiece to lead the Raiders. Matt Hampton added 12 points.
NJCAA Division I Men’s Tournament Schedule
In Sunday’s first game, No. 9 Barton Community College (25-8), the defending NJCAA champions, will play No. 24 Brunswick (28-4) at noon.
Sunday’s other games feature No. 10 Pensacola State (23-11) vs. No. 23 Trinidad State (18-14) at 2:30 p.m., followed by No. 21 South Georgia State (27-6) vs. No. 12 Angelina College (26-6) at 5:30 p.m.; and No. 11 Frank Phillips (24-8) vs. No. 22 Wallace State (26-5) at 8 p.m.
In second-round games Monday, Connors State will play Snow College (32-1) at noon, Cowley College (29-4) will play Triton College (29-5) at 2:30 p.m., South Plains (27-6) plays Monroe at 5:30 p.m. and Indian Hills (27-5) plays Vincennes at 8 p.m.
In second-round games Tuesday, Daytona State (27-5) plays the Barton/Brunswick winner at noon, Trinity Valley (30-3) plays the Pensacola State/Trinidad State winner at 2:30 p.m., Jones (30-3) plays the Angelina/South Georgia State winner at 5:30 p.m. and Panola College (27-6) plays the Frank Phillips/Wallace State winner at 8 p.m.
The quarterfinals will be played at noon, 2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday. No games are scheduled on Thursday.
The semifinals will be played at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday. The championship game will be played at noon Saturday and will be televised on ESPNU.
Hutchinson CC baseball team takes two games from Seward County
The Hutchinson Blue Dragon baseball team claimed both ends of a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference doubleheader from Seward County Saturday afternoon at Hobart-Detter Field at Carey Park in Hutchinson.
The Blue Dragons won the first game 5-3 and the second game 12-1 (5 innings, run-rule.
In Game 2, Hutchinson scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, three in the second, three in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth for the 12-1 victory.
The teams split a doubleheader Thursday at Liberal. The Blue Dragons won the first game 10-7 and lost the second game 16-6 in seven innings (run rule).
Hutchinson improved its record to 20-8 overall, 7-5 in the Jayhawk Conference and 14-3 at home. The Saints dropped to 15-16 overall and 1-7 in league play.
Hutchinson hosts Southeast Community College (Beatrice, Neb.) in a single game at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Blue Dragons conclude March with a four-game series against Allen County (1 p.m. doubleheader Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field and a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at ACC Baseball Field in Iola).
Hutchinson plays a four-game series against Cloud County Community College on April 3 (1 p.m. doubleheader at home) and April 5 (1 p.m. doubleheader at Concordia).
Hutchinson Blue Dragon softball team sweeps Dodge City
The Blue Dragon softball team swept a Kansas Jayhawk Community Conference doubleheader against Dodge City Community College — 10-0 in Game 1 (5 innings, run rule) and 10-2 (5 innings, run rule) in Game 2.
The Blue Dragons have won 10 straight games and improved to 19-5 overall, 13-1 in league play and 10-1 at home.
In Game 1, Hutchinson pitcher Morgan Tomlinson struck out a career-high 10 batters in five innings against Dodge City.
Hutchinson’s Gabby Stauffer belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning.
In the bottom of the second inning, Hutchinson’s Kaibryn Kruger lined a pitch past Dodge City’s shortstop to score Haley Kruger for a 4-0 HutchCC lead.
Brooke Backhaus got some help from the wind on a flyball three-run double for a 7-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Hutchinson’s Tailor Golly ripped a line-drive two-run double to left field and Brooke Backhaus got an RBI single for the 10-0 winning score.
In Game 2, Dodge City led 2-1 after one inning. Golly ripped a line drive to left field for a RBI single in the bottom of the first.
Hutchinson scored eight runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 9-2 lead. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Brooke Backhaus belted a solo home run over the left field fence to end the second game at 10-2 on the run-rule.
Aubree Thomas was the winning pitcher for HutchCC in the second game. She worked a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning.
The Blue Dragons host Barton County Community College on Wednesday. Game times are yet to be announced.
Hutchinson plays a 1 p.m. doubleheader next Saturday at Pratt Community College.
The Blue Dragons host Fort Hays Tech Northwest in a 1 p.m. doubleheader on April 2 and play a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Butler Community College on April 4.
Haven baseball team 2-0 at Jerry Helm Classic
The Haven High School baseball team opened the season with a pair of five-inning run-rule games at Jerry Helm Classic Friday and Saturday.
The Wildcats defeated Chase County 10-0 in 5 innings at Towanda-Circle and Marion 20-2 in 5 innings Saturday at Maize South.
The Wildcat varsity team plays at Hutchinson Trinity on Monday and the Haven junior varsity hosts Andale.
Edmonton Elks sign former Blue Dragon Roterius ‘Ro’ Torrence
The Edmonton Elks signed defensive back Roterius ‘Ro’ Torrence on Thursday, according to the Canadian Football League transactions page.
Roterius ‘Ro’ Torrence, 23, 6-foot-3, 204 pounds, Bessemer, Ala., signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2024.
Seattle released Torrence on June 25, 2024. The Chicago Bears signed Torrence on Aug. 2, 2024. In 2024, he made five tackles (2 solos, 3 assists), and two pass breakups in three preseason games. The Bears released him on Sept. 25, 2024.
Torrence played two seasons at Hutchinson Community College (2019-20). He made 28 tackles (21 solos, 7 assists), three tackles for loss, one interception and six pass breakups in 11 games for the Blue Dragons.
He was named First Team JUCO All-American, First Team All-KJCCC, NJCAA and KJCCC Defensive Player of the Year in 2020-21.
Torrence transferred to Auburn in 2021. He made five tackles (5 solos) in 11 games for the Tigers.
Torrence transferred to Arizona State (2022-23). He made 73 tackles (47 solos, 26 assists), two tackles for loss, two interceptions and 13 pass breakups in 21 games for the Sun Devils.
Johnson County wins NJCAA II women’s basketball crown
The Johnson County Community College women’s basketball team is the NJCAA Division II national champion.
The Cavaliers defeated Pima (Ariz.) 75-67 in the national championship game Saturday in Joplin, Mo.
Johnson County led at halftime 36-33.
Layla Scott led the Cavaliers with 25 points. Yar Manyiel added 11 points.
Amelie Buffill-Gutierrz led Pima with 18 points. Rori Hoffmeyer added 12 points, Kiley Sours-Miller 9, Melicia Nelson 8, Kennedi Niemann 7 and Mattanaya Vital 6. Nelson grabbed 9 rebounds and Sours-Miller 9. Nelson dished off 5 assists.
Kirkwood Eagles win NJCAA II men’s basketball title
The Kirkwood (Iowa) Community College Eagles won the NJCAA Division II men’s national championship by defeating Parkland College (Champaign, Ill.) 55-54 in the national championship game Saturday at the Mary Miller Center in Danville, Ill.
The Eagles clinched the victory with a last-second free throw and a blocked shot.
Kirkwood was led by Germaine Benson, who scored 12 points and tournament MVP Lucas Lueth, who scored 10. Parkland was led by JaMonte Williams, who scored 17.
Kirkwood defeated Kalamazoo Valley (Mich.) 88-73 in the semifinals and Macomb Community College 78-77 in triple overtime in the first round.