HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Charles West’s 6-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining Saturday afternoon was enough to propel the Broncbusters past Hutchinson 24-21.
No. 4 Hutchinson (8-2, 6-1) started the scoring early when Mason Schucker found Jaylen Erwin on a 52-yard bomb. Erwin outran two Garden City defenders to capitalize on the pass. The TD came with just over three minutes gone in the contest. The Blue Dragons would not score again in the first half.
After the game, Blue Dragon head coach Rion Rhoades said he was disappointed Hutchinson did not have a lead at halftime:
After the fumble, No. 2 Garden City (9-0, 6-0) used an 11-play, 39-yard drive to tie the game on a Dedrick Mills 4-yard run.
The Broncbusters entered the game with two 1,000-yard backs. Together, Mills and Charles West touched the ball on nearly 66 percent of Garden City’s plays Saturday. The duo is a big reason why the Broncbuster offense has nearly 77 percent of its yards on the ground this season.
The Blue Dragon defense held Mills to just 45 yards. Charles West finished with 116, but 52 of them came on a fake punt in the fourth quarter. Coach Rhoades said the best back on the field, however, was wearing a Blue Dragon uniform:
Dezmon Jackson set a school record when he broke free on a 97-yard romp in the early stages of the third quarter. He is the first Blue Dragon back since 2000 to accumulate 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
Jackson finished the day with 169 yards and two touchdowns. His third-quarter score put Hutchinson up 14-7. Garden City answered seven minutes later when quarterback David Moore found Dominick Watt on a 22-yard touchdown pass.
With less than a minute remaining in the third frame, Broncbuster kicker Ben Raybon hit a 23-yard field goal to give Garden City its first lead of the day at 17-14.
Jackson’s second touchdown came from 18 yards out with 9:39 left in the contest. His run capped a 7-play drive that covered just 29 yards in three minutes, 11 seconds.
Hutchinson held on to that 21-17 advantage until 18 seconds were left.
The Broncbusters converted on 4th and long when Charles West, from the upback position in punt formation, took the snap and ran 52 yards into Hutchinson territory. It was a play the Blue Dragons practiced for:
That drive stalled when Garden City faced 4th down again. Jaden Cunningham sacked David Moore and gave the ball back to the Dragon offense.
Hutchinson could not move the ball and had to punt it back to Garden City.
Overall, Rhoades said it was a game of missed opportunities:
On Garden City’s game-winning drive, Hutchinson had a chance to stop the Broncbusters on 4th down. Quarterback David Moore took the snap around the outside and was stuffed near the line-to-gain by the Dragon defense. Moore even fumbled the ball. However, out of nowhere, wide receiver Keyshawn Jones pick up the ball and ran four yards for a first down.
Jones was downfield when he saw the fumble and ran five yards back to the ball. Once he recovered it, Jones was able to pick up the desperation first down.
The conversion extended Garden City’s drive that went 14 plays and finished with the West TD catch. The drive took 3:53 off the clock and left Hutchinson with only 18 seconds left.
FINAL: Garden City 24 Hutchinson 21
Hutchinson’s offense racked up 341 yards compared to Garden City’s 277. The Broncbusters snapped the ball 14 more times than the Blue Dragons and possessed the ball for over 33 minutes.
Hutchinson is at home next Saturday to face Iowa Central (6-4). The Tritons beat Fort Scott Saturday 43-9.
Kickoff is set for noon in Gowans Stadium.
POSTGAME WITH COACH RHOADES: