HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Despite trailing by 10 with 2:43 left, the Blue Dragons (4-3) found themselves only down 3 with 12 seconds left.
The opportunity was set up by an Adrian Cross fumble return from 6 yards out. Cam Jones had just been intercepted by the Panther defense when Deryl Bunton lost the ball on a carry out of the backfield one play later.
The touchdown made it 23-20 with 2:29 remaining. The Blue Dragon defense held and forced the Panthers to punt.
Cam Jones extended the Blue Dragon drive on a 23-yard run. His scramble put the Blue Dragons just inside field goal range.
In his last contest, Luke Niemeyer nailed his longest FG of the season from 46 yards out.
Niemeyer would be called on to hit from 54 with just 12 seconds left.
The snap and hold were good and Niemeyer’s kick had plenty of distance. The ball veered slightly left as it crossed the goal line and dinked off the left upright.
The ball fell harmlessly to the ground in the end zone. Ellsworth took a knee to run out the remaining 6 seconds.
The 54-yard FG would have easily been an HCC record.
HCC held a 13-10 halftime lead after a solid running performance from Otis Williams. Williams scored twice in the second quarter. Once from 8 yards out, the other from 4.
His 50-yard rush in the second led to his 4-yard TD.
Ellsworth (4-3) got the first score of the day on a 26-yard pass from Lamont Toney to Jamarius Way early in the second stanza.
The Blue Dragons claimed the lead after two TDs from Williams. HCC led 13-7 after a blocked PAT.
Ellsworth cut HCC’s lead heading into halftime with a 31-yard FG from Justin Wright.
Ellsworth scored the next two touchdowns to take a 10-point lead.
The TDs came courtesy of a 7-yard pass from Toney to Marcel Williams and a 54-yard run from Tekendrick Roberson.
Roberson’s romp came late in the fourth when HCC’s defense was trying to strip the ball.
The Blue Dragons would strip the ball on Ellsworth’s next possession to cut the Panther lead.
The Blue Dragons struggled through the air all game long. Cam Jones threw on target most of the day, but his receivers just couldn’t get a handle on the ball.
Jones finished with 16-of-39 passing for 137 yards, but 4 interceptions.
Otis Williams led the HCC rushing attack with 2 TDs and 146 yards. DeShawn Waller was listed as 50/50 to play today, but got game time and finished with 49 yards.
Tyler Harris and Otis Williams led HCC receivers with 25 yards each.
Lamont Toney threw for 179 yards and rushed for another 58.
Tekendrick Roberson finished with 92 yards on the ground.
HCC had 19 first downs, compared to 10 for Ellsworth, but the Blue Dragons were just 4 of 19 on third down.
HCC had a chance to take the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter, however, Cam Jones fumbled at the 1 on a QB sneak and Ellsworth returned it for a touchdown. The TD was called back on an unsportsmanlike penalty against Ryan Guthrie of the Panthers. As a lead blocker, he celebrated the TD too early and got flagged.
This was the second time Ellsworth had a TD called back. Earlier in the game, Juwan Petit-Frere could have walked into the end zone on a pass from Toney, but chose to dance in.
He was flagged at the half yard line for unsportsmanlike conduct.
FINAL: Ellsworth 23 HCC 20
The Blue Dragons (4-3) head to El Dorado next Saturday to take on Butler (3-3).