[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]
[ HutchCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College football team has returned to the NJCAA Football Rankings for the first time since Week 4 last season.
Off to a 4-1 start after a 13-10 double-overtime victory against Highland on Saturday at Gowans Stadium, the Blue Dragons are ranked No. 20 in the latest rankings released on Tuesday. This is the first time that the Blue Dragons have appeared in the Top 20 in the last 13 rankings.
The last time the Blue Dragons appeared in the NJCAA Top 20 was September 20, 2016. After that, the Dragons received votes for the next three weeks and were out of the rankings for the remainder of the season. Hutch wasn’t in the preseason rankings for 2017 and only jumped into the receiving votes list after a road win at No. 11 Garden City on September 16.
The Blue Dragons are 3-0 in conference play and have a one-half game lead in the Jayhawk Conference on Independence (2-0) in the Jayhawk.
Hutchinson is one of three Jayhawk Conference teams in this week’s rankings. Independence (3-1) and Butler (3-1) are tied for 12th. Dodge City (3-2), which lost to Butler on Saturday fell out of the rankings, but are receiving votes. Highland and Garden City are no longer receiving votes.
Iowa Western is ranked No. 10 this week.
The Blue Dragons play host to Iowa Central at Noon on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.
NJCAA FOOTBALL RANKINGS
Record Points Last Week
- East Mississippi (7) 4-0 139 1
- Arizona Western (2) 3-0 134 2
- Holmes 4-0 125 3
- Tyler 4-0 120 4
- Snow 5-0 112 5
- Blinn 4-0 105 6
- Lackawanna 3-0 94 7
- Trinity Valley 4-1 93 8
- Iowa Western 4-1 83 10
- Central Lakes 4-0 76 9
- Mesa 3-1 65 12
- Butler 3-1 59 14
- Independence 3-1 59 13
- Georgia Military 3-1 54 16
- Monroe College 4-0 39 17
- Louisburg 4-0 32 18
- Northwest Mississippi 2-1 23 19
- DuPage 3-1 20 11
- Scottsdale 4-0 16 20
- Hutchinson 4-1 14 RV
Others Receiving Votes: Dodge City (3-2); Jones County (3-1)