By John Mesh
Starting with a 16-6 seven-inning run-rule rout of the Kingman Islanders Saturday night at Hobart-Detter Field, the Hutchinson Monarchs will play eight baseball games in eight days.
The Monarchs (18-5) host the Haysville Aviators on Sunday, the Wichita Wildcats on Monday (suspended game from June 23), the Aviators again on Tuesday and the Great Bend Bat Cats on Wednesday.
Hutchinson plays on the road Thursday against the Great Bend Bat Cats, then host the Kingman Islanders Friday and Saturday.
The Monarchs have Sunday, July 13, off. Hutchinson finishes the regular season with two games against the Junction City Brigade (July 14 at home and July 15 at Junction City).
Hutchinson hosts the Jayhawk Collegiate League All-Star Game July 19 at Hobart-Detter Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Monarchs and other JCL teams will compete in the National Baseball Congress World Series July 24-Aug. 2 at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium.
The Monarchs defeated the Kansas Cannons 11-2 Tuesday night at Rodney Wheeler Stadium in Augusta and the Wichita Black Sox 12-3 Wednesday night at Hobart-Detter Field in Hutchinson’s Carey Park.
In Tuesday’s game, Hutchinson starting pitcher Pryce Bender got the victory. In five innings, Bender allowed just one run on four hits, struck out four and walked one.
Hutchinson led 11-0 after four innings Wednesday night. The Wichita Black Sox scored a run in the top of the fifth. The Monarchs tallied one run in the top of the sixth inning, but left the bases loaded.
The Black Sox scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to cut Hutchinson’s lead to 12-3.
Adam Mustow went 3-for-3 with a walk for the Monarchs.
Monarchs’ Giesbrecht, Gutierrez earn JCL weekly honors
Hutchinson Monarchs’ pitcher Ethan Giesbrecht is one of five Jayhawk Collegiate League Pitchers of the Week.
Giesbrecht pitched 11 innings and looked three earned runs, struck out 15 and walked two.
Other Pitchers of the Week are Cooper Annan, Great Bend Bat Cats; Cade Sutherland, Derby Twins; Kyle Sonnenburg, Haysville Aviators; and Luke Ethridge, Wichita Wildcats.
Monarchs’ newcomer Jake Gutierrez was 4-of-8 in his first two games for the Hutchinson Monarchs and was named as one of the JCL’s top position players for the week
Gutierrez drove in three runs, walked twice and was successful on 100% of his stolen base attempts.
Other top position players were Cam Jones, Haysville Aviators; Connor Rabe, Haysville Aviators; Jackson Ellison, Wichita Wildcats; Raisean Dorsey, Newton Rebels; Owen Schmidt, Kingman Islanders; and Kyle Walker, Great Bend Bat Cats.
Inman’s Suttyn Harris suffers ACL injury playing for Kansas Fight Club volleyball team
According to the Great Bend Tribune, Kansas Fight Club (8-2) finished 11th in the elite USA Division of the USA Volleyball Association Junior Nationals.
The tournament took place in Dallas.
Great Bend’s Kya Behr, Hoisington’s Sophia Simic, Ellinwood’s Kyndal Moore and Inman’s Suttyn Harris competed for Fight Club.
Harris was sidelined when she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury.
The girls kept Harris in their hearts and minds and played inspired volleyball and finished 8-2 with a ninth-place finish in the USA Division.
USA DIVISION
Fight Club def. Madtown 25-15, 25-21; Fight Club def. Angel 25-20, 25-18; Skyline def. Fight Club 25-20, 25-12; Fight Club def. UVa 25-22, 25-16; Fight Club def. Heaika 25-15, 25-13; Fight Club def. Madtown 25-23, 29-31, 15-9; Fight Club def. Black Adidas 25-18, 15-17; Fight Club def. Tsunami 12-25, 25-21, 15-8; Fight Club def. Dynasty 25-23, 25-23; Texas Tornadoes def. Fight Club 25-23, 25-21.
HutchCC athletes earn ‘Distinguished Dragon’ awards
Two Hutchinson Community College athletes and graduates received “Distinguished Dragon” recognition from the school — softball player Brooke Backhaus and track athlete Jordyn Picolet.
Brooke Backhaus
From Newkirk, Okla., Brooke Backhaus completed an Associate of Science while at HutchCC.
Her nominator writes “the skilled first baseman for the Blue Dragons softball team, Brooke has shown remarkable dedication both on the field and in the classroom. Her strong performance in macroeconomics reflects her academic commitment and intellectual curiosity.”
He then adds, “Brooke’s leadership and teamwork on the softball field, combined with her academic achievements, make her deserving of this honor. She truly exemplifies the qualities of excellence and perseverance.”
In addition to being a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Backhaus was repeatedly named to the President’s Honor Roll thanks to her great work in the classroom. She also volunteered at the Hutchinson Animal Shelter.
One of her favorite memories was going to the National Tournament in Alabama with the softball team.
She would also like to thank coach Jamie Rose and coach Ray Aguirre for all of their support during her time at HutchCC.
Jordyn Picolet
From Council Grove, Jordyn Picolet studied agriculture while at HutchCC.
One of her nominators writes, “Jordyn was an outstanding student in my class. She is also a model of how to be an exceptional athlete and student. In addition to this, she has a delightful personality.” The nominator concludes, “Oh how I wish I had more students like Jordyn.”
Another nominator praised her humbleness and described her as a genuinely good person and an absolutely amazing student.
In addition to being named to the President’s Honor Roll repeatedly, this Presidential Gold Scholar was a member of the HutchCC Honors Program and graduated with High Honors.
\She was also a tutor as well as a member of both the HutchCC Cross Country and Track teams for which she broke school records, including for the indoor 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters.
She also set the second-fastest time in Blue Dragon women’s history in the 10,000 meters at the 2024 national championships and then went on to shatter it at the 2025 national championships by 2:06.03.
Her fantastic work on both the cross country and track teams led to her being described by Blue Dragons Athletics as one of the Blue Dragon Women’s top distance runners in program history.
One of Jordyn’s favorite memories is learning to swing dance with her roommate during a HutchCC Dance Club activity.
When reflecting about her time at HutchCC, she writes that she would like to thank “the teachers for actually enjoying what they’re teaching and doing all they can to help students understand their subjects.”
Central Christian’s Jessa Losew is Ad Astra Athlete of the Week
Ad Astra Radio’s Athlete of the Week is Hutchinson Central Christian High School senior-to-be Jessa Losew.
Losew nabbed her first state championship at the Class 1A state meet on May 30 at Wichita State.
After an injury-riddled freshman and sophomore season, Losew was healthy going into the state meet her junior year.
Losew won the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 8 inches. No other high jumpers in any classification surpassed 5-8. Losew would have won Classes 6A, 5A and 2A.
Losew qualified for state in four events. She was the top seed in the high jump (5-6), the third seed in the triple jump (36-10) and the second seed in the 400 meters (59.17). She was also a part of the Cougars’ 1,600-meter relay team.
Losew also had a strong season in basketball, where Central Christian was a 1A Division 2 substate runner-up.
Former Blue Dragon Waymond Jordan stays hydrated with new NIL deal
According to Michael Ehrlich, Sports Illustrated contributor and sports marketing executive, top junior college transfer Waymond Jordan has added another beverage brand to his growing portfolio.
Jordan, the former No. 1 ranked junior college running back, enrolled at the University of Southern California this spring after dominating the ground game for Hutchinson Community College, has signed a deal with Niagara Water one month after partnering with C4 Energy.
First reported by On3’s Pete Nakos, Jordan joins the Southern California-based water brand that counts USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane and former Trojan cornerback Jaylin Smith — now a rookie with the Houston Texans — as brand ambassadors.
As a sophomore at Hutchinson CC last season, Jordan earned NJCAA DI Football Offensive Player of the Year honors while leading the Blue Dragons to the NJCAA DI Football Championship.
Jordan rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024, averaging 134.5 yards per game.
Originally committed to the University of Central Florida, Jordan continued the recent transfer portal and recruiting class momentum for Lincoln Riley when he flipped to the Trojans early this year.
“Waymond’s really compact, really kind of moves effortlessly and obviously a ton of production at Hutch,” Riley said during spring practice.
Jordan brings much needed help to the USC backfield after losing All-Big Ten second team member Woody Marks to the NFL and second-leading rusher Quinten Joyner to Texas Tech via the transfer portal.
USC will kick off the 2025 season on Aug. 30 when the Trojans host Missouri State.
Calendar of Sports: July 7 – 13
Monday, July 7
Hutchinson Monarchs host Wichita Wildcats, resumption of June 23 weather-suspended game (Hutchinson leads 3-1 in the bottom of the first inning with one out).
Tuesday, July 8
Hutchinson Monarchs hosts Haysville Aviators
Wednesday, July 9
Hutchinson Monarchs hosts Great Bend Bat Cats
Thursday, July 10
Hutchinson Monarchs at Great Bend Bat Cats
Friday, July 11
Hutchinson Monarchs at Kingman Islanders
Saturday, July 12
Hutchinson Monarchs host Kingman Islanders