HUTCHINSON, Ks – For the first time since 1995, the Hutchinson Community College football team can call itself a Jayhawk Conference Champion.

Using a make-shift offensive line-up – not by choice – the No. 5-ranked Blue Dragons won the conference title outright after a 24-6 victory over Independence on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

The Blue Dragons went 7-0 in the conference season to claim the program’s seventh conference championship, its first since 1995 when it shared the title with Garden City. The last time that Hutchinson won a Jayhawk Conference title outright was 1969.

Now 10-1, Hutchinson tied a team record for victories in a season, matching the 1947, 1948, 1969, 1995 and 2010 teams for that honor. The Blue Dragons will go after an unprecedented 11th victory in a season on Dec. 6 in the Salt City Bowl. Bowl invitations will go out on Tuesday.

Hutchinson took its first possession of the game methodically downfield, covering 79 yards in 13 plays to score the game’s first touchdown. Along the way, the Blue Dragons lost the services of running backs Travis Custis and Bradan Smith and quarterback Dalton Demos for the game with injuries. Later, fourth-string running back Tory Smith was knocked out of the game.

That meant that fifth-string running back Gage McAtee got a bulk of the carries and HCC was forced to use DeQuan Bowman as a sixth option when McAtee was injured. Bowman wound up being Hutchinson’s leading rusher with 58 yards on four carries. McAtee had 16 carries for 27 yards.

The injury to Demos, sustained on a 6-yard scrambling touchdown on the game’s opening drive, put freshman Kylen Binn in the driver’s seat for the remainder of the game. Binn was 22 of 37 passing for 296 yards and one touchdown.

Bowman was also HCC’s leading receiver with a season-high-tying seven receptions for 117 yards.

The Blue Dragons racked up 482 yards against the Pirates (0-10, 0-7). HCC passed for a season-high 346 yards and rushed for a season-low 136 yards. HCC also had three turnovers.

Defensively, the Blue Dragons were dominant, especially in the first half where Independence had just 99 total yards. The Pirates finished with 291 total yards, 147 rushing and 144 passing.

Kyle Wilson had a season-high 13 tackles and Lakel Bass had nine tackles to head HCC’s defense, which forced three takeaways.

Hutchinson led 7-0 after one quarter. As the quarter changed, the Dragons were in the midst of a long offensive possession that lasted a season-high 18 plays and covered 73 yards. HCC drive to the Independence 4, but a holding penalty wiped out a touchdown and the Dragons had to settle for a 32-yard Kassidy Lemons field goal. The Dragons led 10-0 with 11:41 to play in the second quarter.

Methodical again on its next possession, HCC drove to the Independence 9 and the 12-plays drive stalled again. Lemons lined up for a 26-yard field goal attempt, but holder Jovante Siglar received a bouncing snap and was forced to improvise. After securing the ball, Siglar scrambled to his right to buy time and then threw back across the field to a wide-open Curtis Stallbaumer for a 9-yard touchdown. It was Stallbaumer’s first career touchdown and Siglar’s first career touchdown pass.

HCC led 17-0 at halftime.

The Blue Dragons struck quickly to open the second half as Binn connected with Anthony Autry for a 55-yard touchdown catch-and-run to make it 24-0 with 13:32 remaining in the third quarter.

Indy broke a 16-quarter scoreless drought against Hutchinson in the fourth quarter when Wesley Collins ran in from 2 yards out to make it 24-6 after the extra point was blocked by Tyler Williams. HCC led 24-6 with 9:42 remaining in the game.

GAME NOTES – Hutchinson has now won Jayhawk Conference championships in 1932, 1947, 1963, 1969, 1974, 1995 and 2014. … The Blue Dragons won their ninth game in a row against Independence and have won 26 of the last 27. … HCC has a series advantage of 52-21-5 against Indy, the most wins against any opponent. … The 2014 Blue Dragons moved up to No. 3 on the all-time HCC scoring list with 460 points. … The 24 points scored on Saturday were a season low. … Tyler Williams’ extra point block was the seventh blocked kick this season for HCC. … DeQuan Bowman had his second 100-yard receiving game of the season on Saturday.