(BY STEVE CARPENTER)
(HUTCHINSON CC SPORTS INFORMATION)

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The Hutchinson Community College football team remained in the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Football Rankings for a third-straight week.

But the lead over No. 2 and Jayhawk Conference rival Blue shrunk to a scant four points. Hutchinson received 10 of 16 first-place votes. Butler received the other six. Hutch’s points lead over Butler is 314-310.

The Blue Dragons won their second-straight road game at a nationally ranked opponent on Saturday, defeating Fort Scott 27-7. Meanwhile, Butler was tied with winless Coffeyville well into the third quarter, but pulled out a 33-13 road victory on Saturday.

This week, the 4-0 Blue Dragons have a bye, while 4-0 Butler takes on Dodge City in El Dorado. Hutchinson and Butler will meet on September 28 in a noon kickoff at Gowans Stadium.

Hutchinson has been ranked for 15 consecutive national polls.

Kilgore, which was tied with Butler for second in last week’s poll, was shut out by unranked Cisco 38-23 on Saturday and fell to 10th. Garden City’s 31-28 home loss to Independence on Saturday knocked the Broncbusters down to No. 18 and Independence re-enters the rankings at No. 20. Fort Scott is still receiving votes.

After the two Jayhawk Conference schools at 1-2 are three-straight Mississippi schools at 3, 4 and 5 – Northwest Mississippi, Mississippi Gulf Coast and East Mississippi. Iowa Central moved up to seventh and Iowa Western remained 15th in the latest rankings.

Information Box

NJCAA Football Rankings
	Record	Points	Last Week
1. Hutchinson (10) 2. Butler (6) 3. Northwest Mississippi 4. Mississippi Gulf Coast 5. East Mississippi 6. Lackawanna 7. Iowa Central 8. Copiah-Lincoln 9. Trinity Valley 10. Kilgore 11. Monroe College 12. Blinn 13. Jones 14. Georgia Military 15. Iowa Western 16. Snow 17. Cisco 18. Garden City 19. Hinds 20. Independence	4-0 4-0 3-0 3-0 2-1 2-0 3-1 3-0 3-0 3-1 2-0 3-1 2-1 3-1 1-2 2-2 3-0 2-2 2-1 2-1	314 310 285 270 243 223 208 204 198 189 131 116 107 97 86 83 81 67 51 46	1 2 4 5 6 9 10 11 13 2 14 16 18 19 15 7 RV 8 12 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Itasca (4-0, 12); Fort Scott (2-1, 10); Nassau (201, 10); East Central (2-1, 8); Mesabi Range (4-0, 6); ASA Miami (2-0, 5).