Photo courtesy HCC Sports Information

CONCORDIA, Kan. — HCC (3-1, 1-1) contained Cloud County’s (4-1, 1-1) Erin Alexander to even its record in the Jayhawk.

Alexander had 22 points and 21 rebounds in a win against Dodge City in her last outing.

HCC held Alexander to 5 points on 1-of-5 shooting.

Taylor Stahly stayed hot for the Blue Dragons and dropped in 17 points with four makes from distance.

HCC led 35-26 at halftime and continued to build on that lead in the second half.

Lakin Preisner went 8-of-8 at the free throw line and finished with 12 points.

Inja Butina failed to score from the field in an 0-for-7 effort, but she dropped in 4 at the line and contributed 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

Butina entered the game with a 4.5 assist-to-turnover ratio, but uncharacteristically gave the ball away four times.

Kyla Williams scored 9 points and Kirea Rogers finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds.

The Blue Dragons outrebounded Cloud County 45 to 25.

The Blue Dragons will look to improve their conference turnovers. They committed 26 at Seward and 20 against Cloud.

FINAL: HCC 66 Cloud County 50

HCC returns to the Sports Arena Saturday to face the Pratt Beavers.

[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 6-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team aims for its second-straight Jayhawk Conference road victory on Wednesday when the Blue Dragons travel to Cloud County on Wednesday in Concordia.

Game time at Cloud County’s Thunderdome is 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450, 98.5) beginning at 7:50 p.m. The game will also be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network.

The Blue Dragons close a grueling two-game road trip to start the 2016-17 Jayhawk Conference season with the Thunderbirds on Wednesday. Hutchinson opened conference play with a 95-87 victory on Saturday at Seward County.

BLUE DRAGON MEN’S BASKETBALL
NO. 6 HUTCHINSON (5-0, 1-0) at CLOUD COUNTY (5-0, 1-0)
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Where: Thunderdome, Concordia, KS
Game time: 8 p.m.
Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450, 98.5), 7:50 p.m.
Video: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 7:50 p.m.
Twitter: @bluedragonsport

Hutchinson shot 55.2 percent for the game, the fourth-straight game to shoot better than 50 percent, but missed 13 turnovers in the second half and committed 20 turnovers that helped keep the game close. Freshman. J.J. Rhymes had 24 points and sophomore Samajae Haynes-Jones had 22 for HCC, while Shakur Juiston had his third double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Through four games, Rhymes is Hutchinson’s leading scorer at 15.8 points while shooting just shy of 50 percent. Juiston is at 15.2 points on 70.5 percent shooting with 10.2 rebounds per game. Haynes-Jones is at 13.2 points per game.

The Blue Dragons are averaging 94.6 points per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Hutchinson is allowing 66.4 points and allowing opponents to shoot 35.2 percent, but opposing teams are hitting 8.2 3-pointers per game at a 33.6 percent clip.

Cloud County is off to an equal start of the Blue Dragons at 5-0 and 1-0 in conference play. The Thunderbirds went on the road and defeated Dodge City, picked second in the Jayhawk Conference preseason poll, 81-75 on Saturday in Dodge City.

Andrew Ballock had four 3-pointers and finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Deon Lyle added 17 points with three 3-pointers.

Five players average in double figures for Cloud County led by Lavar Harewood at 12.8 points per game. The Thunderbirds are averaging 90.6 points per game, shooting 47.8 percent overall and 35 percent from 3-point range. Opponents are scoring 63.6 points and are shooting 39.3 percent overall and 26.4 percent from 3-point range.

The Blue Dragons are 15-13 against Cloud County in games played in Concordia, winning three of the last four at the Thunderdome. Hutchinson won 70-60 in Concordia and 79-45 at the Sports Arena last season.

HCC WOMEN

The No. 9-ranked Blue Dragon women’s basketball team looks to avoid a 0-2 start to the Jayhawk Conference season, but will try to do so against one of the hottest teams in the early going on Wednesday.

The Blue Dragons (2-1, 0-1 KJCCC) travel to Cloud County (4-0, 1-0) at 6 p.m. at the Thunderdome in Concordia. The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450, 98.5) and be videosteamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network.

With one of the toughest starts of any team in the league – on the road both at Seward County and Cloud County – the Blue Dragons are still smarting from Saturday’s 77-70 overtime loss to the Saints in Liberal. Hutchinson rallied from 10 points down in regulation to force overtime, but Seward County scored the first eight points of overtime to grab control of the game.

BLUE DRAGON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NO. 9 HUTCHINSON (2-1, 0-1) at CLOUD COUNTY (4-0, 1-0)
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Where: Thunderdome, Concordia, KS
Game time: 6 p.m.
Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450, 98.5), 5:55 p.m.
Video: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 5:55 p.m.
Twitter: @bluedragonsport

Despite hitting 10 3-pointers in the game, the Blue Dragons shot 31 percent for the game, going 0 for 12 in the second quarter against the Saints. Sophomore Lakin Preisner had 21 points with four 3-pointers. Inja Butina had 14 points and Taylor Stahly added 12.

The Blue Dragons come into the game averaging 88.0 points per game, shooting 46.0 percent overall and 45.0 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Hutch is allowing 50.0 points per game while opponents are shooting 35.2 percent overall and 25.5 percent from long range.

Stahly is Hutchinson’s leading scorer through three games at 14.3 points. Preisner is at 13.7 points and sophomore Kirea Rogers is at 11.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Cloud County defeated Dodge City 72-62 to open conference play on Wednesday. Sophomore Erin Alexander, who was named the conference’s player of the week on Tuesday, had 22 points and 21 rebounds against the Conquistadors, while Simone Walker had a double-double with 21 points and 10 boards.

Alexander is Cloud County’s leading scorer at 15.3 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. Walker is at 15.3 points and 9.0 boards.

For the season, the Thunderbirds are averaging 82.3 points while shooting 43.2 percent overall and 26.8 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Cloud County is allowing 51.5 points, 30.2 percent overall shooting and 34.8 percent from 3-point range.

Last season the Blue Dragons won 62-51 at Cloud County. But the Thunderbirds came into the Sports Arena and ended Hutch’s 132-game home-court winning streak with a 67-65 win over the Blue Dragons.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — For the second year in a row, the Blue Dragons (5-6) failed to become bowl eligible and finished the season with five wins.

Dodge City (7-4) was already bowl eligible and represented the KJCCC in last year’s Salt City Bowl.

Saturday’s contest was not decided until the final minutes.

HCC trailed at halftime by a score of 14-6.

Dodge City scored early in the first quarter on an A.J. Walker run from 1 yard out.

Hutch got on the board later in the first on a crazy kick from Luke Niemeyer. The snap was high and threw off Niemeyer’s approach to the ball. After a stutter step, Niemeyer got off a low kick that hit the crossbar and bounced over for three points. The kick was good from 26 yards away.

Niemeyer connected again in the first, this time from an impressive 44 yards.

HCC cut the Dodge City lead to one with less than a minute left in the opening quarter.

The Conquistadors would score early in the second stanza on a 13-yard pass from Caden Walters to Austin Watkins.

Dodge City took an eight point lead into the break.

HCC tied the game up late in the third quarter on a Tre Griffin 2-yard run. The score was set up by an Andre Lewis 82-yard reception.

Down two, HCC tried for the two-point conversion.

Cam Jones took the snap and found an open Jezel Parra in the back of the end zone for the conversion.

HCC tied the game at 14 with five minutes left in the third quarter.

Dodge City regained the lead with 11:11 left in the fourth on a Tyler Minor 7-yard run.

Late in the fourth, HCC needed to drive 84 yards for the tying score.

The drive seemed to stall when the Dragons faced a long fourth down. However, Cam Jones found Gary Cross for a first down that extended the drive.

Tre Griffin finished off the 13-play drive on a 2-yard run.

Niemeyer’s extra point tied the game at 21 with 2:10 left.

HCC failed to force Dodge City into a third down situation and gave up a 50-yard TD run to Tyler Minor with 1:26 left.

HCC had one last chance to drive the field and tie, but failed to move the ball.

FINAL: Dodge City 28 HCC 21

The Blue Dragons will miss the Salt City Bowl for the second year in a row.

HCC celebrated Military Appreciation Day and presented the YMCA with a check for football equipment.

The YMCA held its annual Super Bowl Sunday on Oct. 30 when the gatekeeper was robbed of a large sum of money.

HCC donated $900 from Saturday’s admission to the YMCA.

The game’s sponsor, Nex-Tech Wireless, also pitched in a check for $500.

YMCA representatives were presented two checks, $1,400 in all, before the fourth quarter.

At halftime, the Blue Dragons also recognized the 1956 HCC football team.

Four members were present from a team that finished undefeated at home.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Dodge City finished last season at 9-3 with an appearance in the Salt City Bowl. The Conqs are set for another winning season after racking up six wins to this point.

A winning season is not guaranteed for the Blue Dragons (5-5). A win Saturday is needed for HCC to be bowl eligible.

Daren Dunn caught up with Gary Thomas, the 2015 KJCCC Coach of the Year, ahead of Saturday’s contest in Gowans.

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hesston closed the gap against HCC early, but two quick steals, followed by thunderous dunks from Devonte Bandoo, gave the Blue Dragons the separation they needed en route to a 104-62 victory over the Larks.

HCC (4-0) opens conference play on the road this Saturday in Liberal against Seward (3-1).

[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of Bailey Terry, HCC Sports Information

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 6-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team scored the first 19 points on Saturday night against NEO and held the Norsemen without a field goal for more than 9 1/2 minutes as the No. 6-ranked Blue Dragons rolled to a 90-57 victory on Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

The 33-point margin of victory over NEO was the second-largest in series history. Only 2014’s 105-67 Blue Dragon blowout (38 points) was larger.

Hutchinson improves to 3-0 to start the season. NEO falls to 2-1. Hutchinson will play its final non-conference matchup of the season on Tuesday against Hesston College at 7:30 p.m. at the Sports Arena.

Hutchinson’s early defense swarmed the Norsemen. NEO’s first 16 possessions of the game resulted in 0 of 12 shooting with four turnovers. Over that same span, the Blue Dragons were 9 of 16 with two turnovers.

J.J. Rhymes’ 3-pointer with 12:24 to go gave Hutchinson a 19-0 lead. Pedro Lopes finally gave NEO its first points with a free throw with 12:12 to play to snap a scoreless drought of 7 minutes, 48 seconds. With Hutch leading 22-1, Lopes hit a 3-pointer with 10:22 remaining to give the Norsemen its first field goal of the game 9 minutes, 38 seconds into the contest.

Sophomore Shakur Juiston posted his second-straight double-double and 11th of his career with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Juiston was 9 of 11 shooting with three assists and two blocked shots.

Freshman Devonte Bandoo was 8 of 11 from the floor to score 18 points for Hutchinson. Samajae Haynes-Jones splashed four 3-point goals to finish with 14 points. Rhymes also scored 14 points. Kai Mitchell had eight points and nine rebounds.

Hutchinson shot better than 50 percent for the third-straight game shooting 36 of 68 overall (52.9 percent). The Dragons were 5 of 16 from 3-point range and 13 of 25 from the free-throw line. Hutch had a 47-35 rebounding advantage and had 19 assists. The Dragons trimmed their turnovers down dramatically from 21 Friday night to six on Saturday.

The Dragons held NEO to a frigid 22.6 percent in the opening half before the Norsemen settled at 31 of 60 for the game (35.0 percent). NEO was 8 of 19 from 3-point range and 7 of 20 from the foul line.

Curhone Baldwin led NEO with 16 points. Lopes finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. NEO had 14 turnovers.

After that fast start, the closest NEO got in the first half was 15 points at 33-18 with an Xavier Miller 3-pointer with 5:32 remaining. The Blue Dragons put any thought to a comeback to rest with a 15-0 run over the next 3 minutes, 45 seconds. When Mitchell scored with 1:47 to play in the half, Hutch led 48-18.

The Dragons hit 18 of 33 shots in the first half to build a 49-21 lead by halftime.

[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information

FORT SCOTT, Kan. — Cam Jones threw for three touchdowns and Tre Griffin nearly reached 200 rushing yards and added two scores of his own as the Hutchinson Community College football team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 42-24 Jayhawk Conference victory over Fort Scott on Saturday night at Frary Field.

The victory evens Hutchinson’s season record at 5-5 and improves to 2-4 in the Jayhawk Conference. More importantly, the Blue Dragons still keep hopes alive of becoming bowl eligible. Hutchinson wraps up the regular season next Saturday against Dodge City at Gowans Stadium.

Jones had his best game as a Blue Dragon by completing 21 of 28 passes for a season-high 275 yards, the first time this season that Hutchinson has passes for more than 200 yards in a game. Jones threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Gary Cross, a 26-yard scoring strike to Jezel Parra and another 44-yard touchdown to Cross to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.

Hutchinson’s rush game was equally impressive as Griffin rushed for a career-high 197 yards on 37 carries and touchdowns of 1 and 21 yards. Griffin becomes the first Blue Dragon running back to rush at least 30 times in one game since LaDarrian Page had 35 carries against Fort Scott on September 27, 2008.

DeShawn Waller rushed for 97 yards on 13 carries, including a 43-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that gave the Blue Dragons a two-possession lead at 28-17.

Cross caught four balls for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Tyler Harris had a team-high five receptions for 43 yards. Jones threw completions to 10 different receivers.

The Blue Dragon defense held Nathan Rourke, the Jayhawk Conference’s leading passer, to 148 yards on 16 of 36 passing with three touchdowns, one interception and two quarterback sacks. Hutch’s defense limited Fort Scott o 65 rushing yards.

Despite five turnovers, the Blue Dragons had a season-high 559 offensive yards to 213 for the Greyhounds.

The Blue Dragons dodged an early bullet when an interception on the third play of the game gave Fort Scott the ball at the Hutch 27. The Greyhounds drove to the 11 before the drive stalled and Fort Scott settled for a Brody Southwell 28-yard field goal with 12:34 to play in the first quarter.

The Blue Dragons responded with back-to-back scoring drives. After Vance Johnson recovered a Greyhound fumble at the Fort Scott 38, the Dragons needed three plays to take the lead when Jones connected with Cross for a 42-yard touchdown and a 7-3 Dragon lead with 9:15 to play. After forcing a Fort Scott punt, the Dragons marched 82 yards in 11 plays and scored when Parra caught his first career touchdown pass, 26-yards from Jones for a 14-3 lead with 3:11 to play in the opening quarter.

Fort Scott immediately answered with a 10-yard Rourke touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter to pull within 14-10. The Dragons then scored on a third-straight possession when Griffin’s 1-yard touchdown plunge capped a 10-play, 72-yard scoring march and the Dragons lead 21-10 with 10:45 to play.

The Greyhounds struck quickly to start the second half needing only three plays to cover 61 yards when Rourke struck from 41 yards out to Fred Daughtry and the Dragon lead was cut to 21-17 with 14:02 to play in the third quarter.

The running backs helped answer that Fort Scott challenge, running the ball seven times on the nine-play scoring drive that covered 76 yards. Griffin had his second-longest run of the game when he broke loose for a 21-yard touchdown and Hutch led 28-17 with 10:36 to play in the fourth quarter.

The Blue Dragons put the game away early in the fourth quarter. Waller started to show his breakaway ability again after injury as slowed his season. He gashed the Greyhounds for a 43-yard touchdown run with 12:03 to play to give the Dragons a 35-17 lead. The Dragons struck one more time when Cross caught his second touchdown pass of the game from Jones, this one from 44 yards to cap an eight-play, 59-yard scoring drive and give Hutch a 42-17 lead.